Corretta - I - Album Review & Interview - Progressive Rock from California, USA
Today, we delve into the captivating sounds of up-and-coming progressive rock band Corretta, hailing from California, USA. Join me as I explore their promising debut album, 'I,' delving into its character, style, story, potential, and more.
Corretta is an impressive math/experimental/instrumental/ambient/progressive rock band that caught my attention about two months ago with their full-length debut album, 'I,' released in 2019. This 55-minute marvel is a must-listen for any progressive rock fan, particularly those who long for the spirit of early Dream Theater.
First and foremost, Corretta stands out as one of the most promising bands with a unique musical blend. Attempting to confine their style within a single sentence would do them a disservice. Their music encompasses a wide variety of ideas, masterfully blended, drawing inspiration from progressive rock pioneers such as Dream Theater, Opeth, and Porcupine Tree, while incorporating influences from genres like hard rock, math rock, metalcore, classic rock, blues, and alternative rock. I invite you to give the album a listen as we explore the depths of its artistry.
As mentioned in previous articles, we seek potential in every emerging band/artist by evaluating their music, professionalism, sound quality, visual aesthetics, artwork, branding, instrumentation, and more. Corretta deserves immense respect for their unwavering commitment to their musical journey, demonstrated by the release of a phenomenal full-length album comprising 13 captivating songs. In an era where factors beyond the music itself hold significance, Corretta's prioritization of their craft speaks volumes.
Having listened to the album multiple times before writing this review, it is evident that these young American musicians possess remarkable talent. Without a doubt, the guitar plays a central role in most compositions, showcasing the exceptional technique and skill of the guitarist. His ideas, phrasing, and playing style bear a significant influence from the legendary John Petrucci, whose impact as a guitarist, both within Dream Theater and as a solo artist, has left an indelible mark on millions.
Additionally, Corretta excels in highlighting their musicianship throughout the album. It is this emphasis that sets them apart. They go beyond being a mere prog-rock band, displaying technical prowess while maintaining a focus on rich instrumentation, experimentation, and composition. The level of creativity exhibited by an emerging band is truly remarkable.
However, some aspects of 'I' remain unclear. The album's overall sound evokes the feeling of a concept album, akin to Dream Theater's "Metropolis Part 2" and "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence." The musicianship is magnificent, the songwriting complex and intelligent. Corretta undoubtedly possesses incredible potential with these characteristics. Yet, there remains room for development. One notable observation is that the songs on 'I' exhibit varying vibes, influences, builds, instrumentations, and tonalities. While each composition showcases incredible ideas, dynamics, and connections, they fail to leave a lasting imprint in the listener's memory. This is a crucial element in progressive music, where a multitude of ideas and melodies can sometimes result in a lack of lasting impact. It is akin to assembling the top five best players of the NBA but struggling to form a cohesive team.
From a technical standpoint, 'I' maintains top-notch standards in every aspect. As mentioned earlier, the musicians of Corretta are exceptional, and this brilliance is aptly reflected in the album's production. The recording, mixing, and mastering are of superior quality, yielding a clear and vibrant sound. While my inclination is to focus on the positive, it is worth mentioning that further attention to overall atmosphere and harmony would enhance their future releases.
Considering all these factors, I am thoroughly impressed by Corretta's music style, musicianship, and understanding of their craft. 'I' is undeniably a promising debut, showcasing a multitude of strengths. Each band member possesses immense talent. Moving forward, their collective challenge lies in harnessing their individual skills to become an even stronger team.
Corretta has earned its place in our TOP ROCK SONGS PLAYLIST on Spotify! Please feel free to explore the links below to learn more about the band, follow them on social media, and subscribe to their channels to show your support and stay informed about their upcoming releases.
EXCLUSIVE BAND INTERVIEW;
Corretta Members:
-Jon Gibson: Lead Vocals
-Jordan Seah: Lead Electric Guitar
-Brig Urias: Rhythm Electric Guitar
-Colton Russell: Bass Guitar
-Noah Dearborn: Drums & Percussion
Q1 - Hi guys! Congratulations for your debut release “I”! How is the feedback so far?
We’ve been so overwhelmed by the positive feedback we’ve received. It’s a great feeling when you read or talk with someone who thoroughly appreciates a piece of work you dedicated the last two years of your life to creating. Oh, and the best part? Our music is appreciated by allages, from teenagers to people in their 60’s. - Jordan Seah
Q2- How was the recording process? Where did you record the album? What were the most challenging factors?
Our album was recorded, mixed and mastered over the course of two years. We recorded in several locations, including Revolver Studios in Westlake, CA, performance venues at Pepperdine University, and several home studios. One of the biggest challenges was managing all of the moving parts involved. Between working remotely and balancing our other commitments, progress was slow at times. However, we’ve developed a system that works for us, and are now running at full power. - Brig Urias
Q3 – Recording a full-length album is quite a big deal while everybody’s starting their careers with a single or EP. What was the actual reason you wanted to record a full album as a debut?
There’s a lot of talk about the “death of the album” as a financially viable product. However, the album is certainly not dead as an art form or storytelling device. Full albums allow artists to draw listeners into worlds that they’ve created, which was one of the main goals of our first release. Plus, we wanted to show the world that we mean business. Having a full-length album under our belts has allowed us to do just that. - Brig Urias
Q4 - What is the best thing about writing a new song? or releasing a new album?
The initial spark of creativity is one of the most exciting parts of music-making, but sharing that moment with friends elevates the experience to another level. It’s great to see someone you trust add new layers to your ideas. When you work well together, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. - Brig Urias
Q5 – What can you say us about the I album? What is it talking about in general? What Corretta has achieved with it?
C1, as we call it, tells a story inspired by personal hardships. It’s about overcoming trauma and fear- the kind that paralyzes you. The album is a story of a young man who embarks on a journey to find a cure for his younger brother, who is dying of a mysterious illness. Throughout the story, he finds love, lust, ultimatums and enemies, including his own fear, which he must face. - Jordan Seah
He is forced to grow up and come to terms with the sacrifices he needs to make if he wants to save his brother’s life. - Jon Gibson
At its core, Corretta I is our take on the progressive metal concept album. However, placing it in that box shortchanges what we have accomplished with it. Because it was built over numerous years, evolving from Jordan’s solo project to a full band, with members all over the world involved in tracking, it was a very “2019” approach to creating an album. But beyond the musical complexity and the absence of a single definable genre, Corretta I was an experiment and an answer to a question: Can we do this? Looking at the finished product, we have immense pride in the idea that we were able to create something cohesive out of so many moving parts. - Noah Dearborn
Q6 – Could you say this is the Ultimate Corretta style? What can you tell us about the musical direction of Corretta?
We’re just getting started, and our sound continues to take shape the more we work together. One of the things we really like about modern music is the trend towards genre fluidity. All five of us come from different musical backgrounds and listen to a wide variety of genres and artists. We’re excited to continue incorporating more of these influences into the Correttasound. - Brig Urias
Q7 - What makes a music band “Great”, in your opinions?
There are amazing players who put a band on the map because of their talent. But for aBand to be great, a few things need to line up. The musicians need to have the talent and put in the hours to reach technical proficiency (ie. they’ve got chops). But beyond individual ability, the members need to mesh as a unit- really listening to each other and serving the music rather than showing off. Having a collective vision that the band reaches for together is essential. The groups that have this chemistry and consistency are going to create songs that people want to hear over and over again. - Colton Russell
Great music either evokes or creates a thought or emotion in the listener. One of the problems with a lot of modern pop music is that it evokes a feeling of lethargy. But great music goes beyond that, and makes use of themes and emotions aren’t bound to one era or another.There’s a reason that the best selling album of all time is by the Eagles. The Eagles wrote songs based on universal themes and ideas, not simply about what was immediately around them. There’s a timelessness to great music, which is why such artistry is needed to create it. -Noah Dearborn
Q8 – Top 5 albums which influenced Corretta’s music?
All five of us would probably answer this question differently. However, I’d say these albums represent some of our main influences:
-Dream Theater - Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory
-Audioslave (self-titled)
-Animals as Leaders - The Joy of Motion
-Led Zeppelin IV
-Circa Survive - Juturna
Q9 – Which bands you’d like to play live or tour with?
We are really open about the idea of touring with different groups. We have already played with metal and rock bands, indie groups, singer-songwriters, and a few others. At the end of the day, we all love the art of music and sharing it with others. As long as the other artists bring good energy to their performances and our audiences want to listen, we would be happy to play with them. - Colton Russell
Q10 - Tell us about Corretta`s future plans.
We’re currently working on new music. Plans to release are still in the works, but we hope to have a new batch of songs out in 2020. Last month, we shot a music video for our song LastDance, which is currently in post-production. Beyond this, we hope to ramp up our live shows in the coming year, both in frequency and production value. Every time we take the stage, we want to make it count. - Brig Urias
Q11 - Lastly, what would you like to say to our readers?
We are excited to share what we have cooking right now with you guys. We are really expanding our horizons and sound in our current writing process. C1 was really about seeing what we were capable of collectively and creating a storyline that has touched each of our lives at some point. Now, we really want to make something organic and alive that everyone can appreciate and enjoy (of course with our own Corretta twist). So stay tuned for what’s coming up in 2020! - Colton Russell
In conclusion, we, the Metalhead Community Team, extend our heartfelt congratulations to Corretta for their impressive debut with 'I,' and we wish them the very best in their future endeavors. Thank you for reading.
