RICKY VALENTE

Wednesday 30th June
Ricky Valente
Shocked.

I find myself in a bar in Earls Court, order a pint, take a seat and then I see him. He bounds into the bar and the atmosphere changes, throwing hugs and smiles at the staff and regulars. He walks to the mike stand, tests it, asks �Shorty� to turn off the racket and launches into blistering version of Led Zeppelin�s �good times bad times�.

I am in shock.

I gave up playing professionally some time ago, sadly moving my axe from the gig bag to the hard case, like laying my dreams in a battered old coffin to start a new chapter in my life. It had taken a lot out of me, all that love, all that time I had given to my dream. Although I had often been on the edge of a break, it had never quite materialized. I had lived the roller coaster that is music and had lived to tell the tale.

In the short time that I have known him, Ricky Valente has reincarnated my love affair with music. He oozes talent, he elevates a crowd and more than that it is his life� and it shows! In an age of preformatted, prepackaged, ready made audio clones, here stands a glimmer of hope�..

We are now an hour into his set, the crowd has stopped gapping and is clapping him on, this cant be London, the City where talking to the next person is a clear indication of your impending insanity. People are looking at each other, nodding and smiling knowingly, like they have found the grail. On any other day people would be rapidly dispersing in all directions, totally embarrassed by their social interaction with total strangers.

I am in shock.

There are people dancing now, there are no drums or drum machines, no backing tracks, no samples. This is Ricky, he�s up on the amp now, people are stamping their feet� this is one man and his guitar, this is what it is all about.

He smacks of early Page and Beck, his vocals are Buckley-esque. His own material has all the raw energy of Hendrix combined with the clarity of Radio Head. The range and style is eclectic.

You ask, is he signed? Well, he is to an Indy label in Road Island USA. You ask, does he write? Yes he does and its beautiful, jaded and belies his modest 22years. He came to London to see the scene and will not go back till its well and truly tasted.



- http://dripfed.co.uk/details.php?p=980

Artist: Ricky Valente
CD: Consolation (Rival Entertainment)

Style: Acoustic/ Electric Rock/ Pop

Quote: "There is more to this than just the music".

By Keith MuzikMan Hannaleck

Ricky Valente sings with a soulfulness and sincerity on his new album "Consolation" that is uncommon amongst younger artists today. With a musical maturity beyond his years (21), he sings and plays the guitar as if it was his very purpose in life. Because of the feeling he expresses in each song, whether it rocks or it is an acoustic ballad, his vocals have a rhythm and catchiness that are hard to resist. Every song sounds like it is a potential radio ready hit.

I think the more refined listener accustomed to a variety of talent on an album will appreciate this album. Certainly, there is not an exclusive audience for music like this; on the contrary, I feel that the cross over appeal is very strong on this CD. You have to keep an open mind and ears to be appreciative of this man's talent. Although it seems like its only basic rock and pop music at first you find a touch of the blues and rhythm and blues in almost every tune. He does cover a lot of ground on this CD. I did not actually realize it until I listened several times. The different subtleties and textures in each track will endear you to his warm vocal style, while the clever production values employed throughout this disc will become obvious as well.

Valente is not the savior of rock-pop music (who is?), but he certainly has that kind of aura and appeal that makes him a budding candidate. I liked the premise of "Dreamer."

Lyrics like this will turn you inside out-

It all begins with knowing not how it will end.
No time to think, or wonder what will become of me.
Moving on has taken more than I can give.
Which way to turn? Is there ever an answer inside of me?
Tell me.

Great music and lyrics that mean something and that are understandable. what a concept. So what else is there when it comes to making a great album? This is the whole parcel, the real deal. More people need to pay attention to what Ricky Valente is doing, there is more to this than just the music.

www.myspace.com/rickyvalente - Keith MuzikMan Hannaleck

CD REVIEW: Ricky Valente - "Consolation"

It seems from the CD cover photo that Valente is a fairly young man, but I really don't know. I only mention it because it strikes me that as a producer and guitar player, he is impressive, and especially so if he's just getting started. As a lyric writer I look forward to hearing him grow into his talents.

What makes this a good CD instead of just an OK CD for me is the little chances taken and the unexpected production touches. He has a very pleasing voice and very strong guitar talent. He also has a good ear for melody and a notable instinct for production.

I believe the title of the CD is in reference to the fact that a lot of the songs on the CD are post break up songs. They are not overly maudlin but they are largely songs expressing searching, longing and loss alongside some of hope and dreams. "Out There" is one of the stronger songs in my opinion due to the little rhythmic groove and the dynamic changes he uses through the course of the song.

Valente is a talented musician and writer and fans of modern acoustic rock will enjoy this CD. - Stacey Board

Ricky Valente • Consolation • self-released • Yes! Finally! I nearly cried the day I heard the Freddy Jones Band broke up and I've been frantically searching for a replacement to fill that void. Here it is! Twenty-one-year-old Ricky Valente is a kick-ass guitar player with great song writing abilities and he's not a half-bad singer, to boot! This is a great CD. I will put this in my rotation immediately. "Heavy thoughts, great songs" is what it says in his bio and that's right on. For those of you looking for the next great singer/songwriter, look no further. (SH) - Sean Helton

Ricky Valente
"Consolation"
(Self Released/Unsigned)
Cranston , Rhode Island
By: Dan Lavagna

Ricky Valente claims his musical style to be the love child of such giants as Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Radiohead. Yet, when I listened to his self released album (Consolation), I found Valente's style to be more soulful and interactive than any of the bands he's mentioned. Believe me, this is definitely a good thing. Many bands playing today compare themselves to famous acts often because they want people to relate to them through the bands they compare with. Well, Ricky Valente doesn't really need that. He is who he is, and his songwriting needs not be compared.

So what do you get when you first pop "Consolation" into your CD player? You get "Time", one of my personal favorite songs on the album. So where does one go after a killer first track? Well, do not worry music lovers, because Valente progresses through 10 more tracks, always retaining the initial intimacy that hooked you in the first place. I can't seem to find any song that could be considered filler, and considering Ricky has been playing guitar since age 10 (he's now 23), I'm pretty sure he has only included the songs which he felt were he best works. The album finds a nice nesting place between the acoustic and rock genres, and then builds a home based on standout tracks that genuinely add up to create the complete project that is "Consolation". At the end of it all, you'll definitely have your favorite tunes, but you'll just want to listen to the entire album from front to back anyway.



A good album does not happen overnight. With this being said, there are multiple elements that bind together to make "Consolation" good for more than one listen. Being a guitarist, I must commend Mr. Valente on his work. According to his biographies, Valente has won multiple awards on his instrument, varying from guitar contests to Best Music Polls. Yet, when it comes to playing on this album, Valente does not rub his talent on your face. His guitar work is meaningful, whether it be the rhythm chords in "Thinking Out Loud" or his subtle leads in "My Consolation". I get the feeling that Ricky writes guitar parts that benefit the song rather than his ego. His lyrics are wonderfully conversational and the mix of the album allows the listener to hear them perfectly and clearly.

Dave Amaral (bass) and Mike Levesque (drums) are also fantastic musicians as well. Amaral's bass line in "My Consolation" has to be one of the coolest and catchiest ones I've heard in a long time. Levesque is steady and full of the lost art of dynamics, truly feeling out every hit on percussion. Both these musicians also seem similar in Valente's mentality of playing their instruments for the sake of the song as a whole band and not just a single performer. These 3 performers give the word "band" its true meaning.

A good way for a new fan to find out more about Ricky Valente is through his website (www.myspace.com/rickyvalente). Here web surfers will find MP3 samples of all the songs, Ricky's biography, show dates, press comments, photos, and an online store. Unfortunately, there are no videos (which not many people have anyway) and no lyrics page (which is ok because you can hear Ricky's lyrics clearly anyway). Remember to support hard working artists by purchasing their CDs!

So what’s my final thought on Ricky Valente? Well, I highly enjoy the amount of musicianship and connectivity with the listener that Ricky presents. Even though he has been playing many years, this is still the beginning of Ricky’s career, so I expect that he will continue to stun us all with more material in the future. As for now, let us all treat our ears to the 11 tracks that are "Consolation". - NortheastIntune.com