Bobby Jo Valentine

The CD kicks things off with melodic “Real Love” a passionate piano/guitar driven intro groove with methodical musical build, hooky chorus and emotionally charged vocal delivery from Valentine. Track 2 “Come Back to bed” serves up another hooky groove, with melodic musical flow coupled with hooky harmonies and impressive guitar ambience. Track 3 “Hand to Hold” shifts gears with its warm ukulele intro eventually lending itself into a upbeat pop ballad meshed with an infectious melody and thought provoking lyrical content that flows and ebbs its way through to emotional fruition. As the CD unfolds I can hear many musical influences reminiscent of John Maher, Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson and Counting Crows. Right from the start you will notice Valentine feel quite comfortable just letting it all hang out musically, not holding anything back. The overall musical vibe has a nice, melodic poppy, hooky feel to it. The guitar playing is rock solid across the board as Valentine and company dish out impressive guitar licks, rock solid rhythm guitar playing, impressive Piano, accordion, mandolin, pedal steel, xylophone, piano, ukulele, and string movements and well placed keyboard accents. Valentine’s got solid vocal timber and is full of passion and recklessness abandon. He’s got good vocal instincts within each movement he displays an impressive falsetto and inviting timber throughout. His vocal style reminds me of a cross between Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) and John Maher. The musicianship from all the other members in the band has everything you would expect from a standard 4 piece rock band. The songs themselves are consistent musical experiences, each one possessing unique personality, flair and signature groove. The production quality is rock solid with crystal clear high end clarity and solid low end punch. From warm and inviting “Warm is the Light” and “By My Side” to heartfelt “Home” and Vernal Falls” to melodic “Between the Lines” to upbeat “Spark” to hypnotic “Gunshot” this 13 track CD has something for just about everyone. The CD ends with Track 13 “Save What You Can” the perfect finale statement for a CD of this caliber.

In close Home is an impressive, passionate, poppy, hooky 13 song release from Bobby Jo Valentine. If he has a slam dunk live presentation then that would be a deadly combination no doubt. The songs are extremely melodic, passionate and highly entertaining – and clearly prove BJV is on to something special. At the end of the Bobby Jo Valentine is a world-class singer/songwriter possessing an infectious pop personality clearly worthy of worldwide recognition. One would be wise to keep a watchful on him over the years to come.

Cyrus Rhodes, Indie Music Digest - Indie Music Digest

If Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, and Regina Spektor were to combine forces, you would have Bobby Jo Valentine. As a young boy, Valentine picked up a guitar on a California beach, and, well, the rest is history. His album, A Place To Belong, shows just how much has happened and how far he’s come since that day on the beach. Soulful and uplifting, soothing and calming, Valentine’s music is the perfect blend of indie and modern pop/rock.

“Drowning” kicks off A Place To Belong with full force, opening with an upbeat ukulele line before Valentine’s calm and passionate vocals chime in. The reggae vibe gives an intriguing contrast to the modern day pop feel, as the lyrics speak of one looking back on a love that will not die. “Our love is too wonderful just to let it die. We can’t be drowning tonight.” Valentine tells the story with confidence, as his vocals literally do all the talking. Following “Drowning” is “A Place To Belong,” which immediately takes a different direction. The drums set a solid tone with sixteenth note rhythms and the guitar line compliments the general tone, while Valentine speaks of the brokenness he is feeling and how he doesn’t feel like he belongs. There’s a pure honesty here, as he is not just a master in the craft of singing, but in the art of story telling as well. As the coda comes about his voice is even more passionate, nearly yelling on how he hasn’t found a place to belong just yet.

Stand out tracks include “Be Mine” and “Until The Last Leaf Falls.” “Be Mine” is your standard adorable love song that any girl would love to be serenaded to, with lyrics like “We go together like strings and guitars. We go together like a couple of stars in the sky, shining in the deep, dark midnight.” A simple, complimentary guitar line and a pair of bongos suit the song perfectly. Part way through, a key solo chimes in, adding a unique feel to the song, and is followed up by full force vocals from Valentine. “Be Mine” is bound to be a fan favorite.

“Until The Last Leaf Falls” has listeners clapping along to the beat as soon as the intro drops in. The Jason Mraz/Jack Johnson influence is unmistakable here, but not so much that Valentine’s unique stamp is obscured. Lyrically, Valentine is trying to convince a love to stay. “And I wouldn’t trade a million dollars for the moments we shared, because our lives are getting smaller by the tick, tick tock of the clock.” The rasp in his voice as the track finishes is a nice touch.

Closing the album is “Worthy Is The Lamb,” and is a surprising departure from the boldly uplifting tone of the previous tracks. This piece is mellow, deep, and dark, showing an unexpected and intriguing side of Valentine right at the end. Rather than being off-putting, this last-minute curveball is a welcome expression of Valentine’s talent.

Often times it is quite difficult to switch from genre to genre or to switch styles and tones, but Bobby Jo Valentine does so with ease. His voice is passionate and beautiful, using his soothing ways to demonstrate his musicality and versatility. Valentine won’t be just another Jason Mraz or Jack Johnson clone. His versatility and musicality separates himself from any other artist out there presently, and A Place To Belong is the proof.

Review by Alexa Spieler
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5) - Alexa Spieler, A-List Music Promotions

Bobby Jo writes and performs songs with an honesty and sweetness seldom heard in acoustic pop music. These are songs in search of joy, the giving and the getting. Many speak of love and longing, but so few speak from compassion and with such hope. There is no Americana affectations here, no twang in the voice, no desire to fit into a style at the club or on the radio. Simple and beautiful. - Brian Lucey, The Black Key's mastering engineer