photo by Maurice Thompson; photo courtesy of Curbie Ciamarra

Album Review of iamCURBIE: Better Late Than Forever

New Jersey-based Curbie Ciamarra, who performs and records his original music as iamCURBIE, is a talented rock ‘n roll singer-songwriter.

I love the instrumental opening to this album, the title track, “Better Late Than Forever,” a rich music bed with a Southern rock-ish, singer-songwritery soft guitar wail. It sets the stage for what is not your ordinary soft-to-mid-tempo rock singer-songwriter fare. Very quickly you’ll realize this album is a softer-edged music from a rocker with a textured, emotional voice.

image courtesy of Curbie Ciamarra

Drawing from a variety of old-school softer-rock sources, and techniques that work very well live – a hand-clap bit, for example, and a well placed stop-start pause – the second song though the first with vocals, “Ego to Feed,” is a quick favorite. And it flows smoothly into “Into the Shade,” which adeptly ups the tempo. “Into the Shade” contains vocal hooks and a forward-driving acoustic-electric guitar rhythmic motor that carry Curbie’s emotional vocals exceptionally well.

“Day Dreams” stands out as a softer track mid-album, with a soft, almost lullaby-ish music bed blending well with Curbie’s impassioned vocals.

If you’re looking for an opening hook that’ll grab radio listeners from the start, try the first strums of “Worth It.” It’s a moderately uptempo number that’ll be have you swaying in your seat. I’m also a fan of the way the energy in this tune builds; it’s a fun payoff.

“Keep Moving” is a poignant, emotional number that will connect immediately with anyone with families, particularly those who are away from their families more than they’d like. Among the songs on Better Late Than Forever, this is certain to be the one that connects most strongly with some listeners, with one caveat. This sentiment is actually largely duplicated but with a different mood on the catchy, uptempo, fun “159” later in the album – those with kids who prefer the sentiment without the hint of anguish found in “Keep Moving” might actually prefer “159.”

photo by Maurice Thompson; photo courtesy of Curbie Ciamarra

The biggest singalong line – at least for bar gigs – is probably in the catchy “Spirits (Maggie)”: I’m just here for the beer.

I’ll skip down and close with the album-closer, “Harley’s Edge III F.I.P.” As if proving there are more weapons in his arsenal, this emotional, powerful song includes a guitar sound not previously used on this disc. It’s all about emotion on Better Late Than Forever, and this well-produced number closes the disc in exactly that manner.

Considering the entirety of the album, each of the songs on Better Late Than Forever has a unique appeal, and any one of them may end up a personal favorite. The collection is well-written, emotionally performed, effectively produced. A worthy addition to one’s album collection.

Moreover, the songs on this record would play well in acoustic coffeehouses or bigger rock venues with full band support. Yeah, Curbie’s a songwriter and a performer. And this disc is likely to appeal to multiple audiences, including rockers who appreciate a softer approach from time to time, pop-rockers who occasionally like some edge in their music, and folky singer-songwriter fans who can appreciate richer arrangements to songs they’d like enjoy stripped-down, as well. Or, really, anyone whose idea of good music begins with a well-written and adeptly-performed song.

Looking Ahead

You can keep up-to-date with iamCURBIE’s performances at the “Events” tab of his Facebook page. It currently lists one upcoming show, on Thursday, July 9th, at Martell’s Waters Edge in Bayville, NJ. Curbie is also one-third of Curbie and the Sidewalkers, in which he’s joined by Ben Weinberg and Steve Carr. There are currently no upcoming gigs listed on the trio’s Facebook “Events” tab.

Album Availability

The Bandcamp page for the album (which I hotlinked to at the top of the review) appears to only offer digital downloads, but the CD is available at Amazon (and, I presume, at Curbie’s shows). You can also download MP3s at Amazon, but the price is lower at Bandcamp.