Wired to the Moon

Peter Calo has worked with Kate Taylor (sister of James Taylor), was musical arranger for Carly Simon, performed on the soundtrack to the DeNiro film Flawless, among other admirable exploits in the business of music. A journeyman from Boston, relocated to New York City, this album is chock of full of the smooth pop and finely crafted tunes that Calo is known for. On "Situation Totally Insane" Calo plays mandolin, shakers, acoustic guitar, whistles, and sings the lead and backing vocals. He sounds like one voice of the Everly Brothers on "Memory of You" and evokes the sound of Hall & Oates if they were successful solo. "Way Up on a Mountain," the tune which starts off the CD, "The Way You Looked," the exquisite "Full Moon Tango," the title track, and "The Wind and the Waves" are all fascinating. In fact, these five songs make strong candidates for appearance in film — perhaps that is where Calo is shaping his career. Lilting and smart pop, it's adult contemporary with spirit and soul. If you admire Harriet Schock and Laura Nyro, Calo writes on that level. It's the kind of music you wish Billy Joel would put out... it's more serious than Joel and deserves to be as commercial. Calo's musicianship is so fine he could easily crossover to other formats. "Driftwood" is simply acoustic guitar, dobro, bass, and vocal riffs of Lauren Kinhan and Rob Markus. Ever hear bluegrass-jazz? From the wah-wah guitar of "Guns Are Not Enough" to the final track, "I Don't Know If It's Love," Calo does things vocally and lyrically that seem to be missing in pop today. This is not just Triple-A format; there are more than a couple of hits in this compact disc.