Luca Bash

On his latest LP Keys of Mine, Italian soft rocker Luca Bash lays down 15 tracks of passion, heartache, and appreciation in his signature soft rock fashion. The project follows his 2015 CMYK Project, a collection of four EPs which feature the singer-songwriter alone on acoustic guitar forging a direct connection to his listeners with a stripped down setup. On this latest record, Bash tries to again attain that intimate feeling, this time with a full band. Bash invites along his friends Alessandro Cioffi (Drums), Alessandro Matilli (Keyboards), Riccardo Ascani (Bass), Giova Pes (Lead Guitar) and Duilio Ingrosso (Saxophone) to help craft his sensual melodies as well as give some of the songs a bit of edge with a bit of rock grit.

The album opens tenderly with 'Backstage', a lightly shuffling ode to performance. Bash muses in the wonder of his circumstance, landing him a part on the stage in front of eager onlookers. Giova Pes' lead guitar soars above the tune with a carefree weightlessness. 'Paradise Cafe' kicks off with more pep, punchy rhythms, and nimble guitars. Bash's voice opens up with the more excited pace. His pleading chorus gives him the feel of an Italian Dave Matthews. Ingrosso's saxophone offers a tail to Bash's phrasing. Later in the album, 'Jekyll & Hyde' plays on murky chords and shimmering saxophone to deliver a darker tone while 'Crumblin' Lover' returns to the acoustic style of the CMYK project for an album highlight.

Keys of Mine is a solid, well-crafted collection of soft rock tunes. It's possible that some of the vitality in Bash's writing isn't translated as well through the band as the most captivating songs tended to be those which were either lightly scored or just Bash with his acoustic guitar.