Music Review // Ajay Mathur "Talking Loud"

https://ajaymathur.bandcamp.com/album/talking-loud

As Ajay Mathur has released several singles from "Talking Loud" prior to the release of this album this should feel somewhat comfortable when listening on a whole because of the singles with which you should already be familiar.   Ajay Mathur explores various aspects of rock and pop music from the past and the present, though "Talking Loud" primarily feels like an energetic, upbeat album full of fun.

Right away I can hear Billy Joel in the first song and it just has that pop rock quality to it.  With killer guitar solos, the song "Real" comes in like That Thing You Do! while "Don't Want The Phone To Ring" has a distinct Wallflowers way about it.  "Ain't Going Nowhere" can have that classic ZZ Top type of vibe and then the titular track on 5 is just plain funky.  Big pianos come through on "Anytime At All", which has a huge power ballad way about it.

"Common Mistake" seems to channel the music of Bob Dylan while those gospel keys come out.  "Stuck On 75" is full of horns and fun, a real Huey Lewis type of mentality as it could be the theme song from a film in the 1980's or early 1990's.   "Comedian" has those serious almost sad strings in it while the strings on "Reasons To Cry" feel more like the sitar.  

Though a lot of the rock music on this album would take place before the 21st Century, I also feel like it would be a great release to hear on cassette back in the day, specifically with one of those big anti-theft devices over it and for $14.99 from K-Mart (which was a lot for a cassette back then) With that distinct vibe "Talking Loud" is an album you can put on and just listen through the entire thing without ever worrying about having to skip a track and that's nice.