Vince Santoro: "Exposed" (2025) CD Review

The list of artists that drummer Vince Santoro has played with is fairly impressive, and includes such folks as Edgar Winter, John Prine, Roseanne Cash, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Julian Dawson, and Carlene Carter. Now after decades of supporting other artists he is releasing his first solo album. Titled Exposed, it features all original material, written or co-written by Vince Santoro. And this time Vince Santoro is the one getting some support, and he does so principally from the talented and accomplished George Marinelli, who knows a thing or two about solo albums, having played all the instruments on his own recent release, Except Always. Here he plays electric guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, harmonica and percussion, and produced the album. By the way, Vince Santoro, in addition to the drums, plays guitar and bass on this album, and sings lead. He is also joined by Barbara Santoro on backing vocals and piano, and by a few special guests on certain tracks.

The album opens with its title track, "Exposed," which has a great, solid rock vibe and a strong beat, as you'd expect. But what really stands out is his vocal performance. There is a delicious energy to his approach. This is a sort of love song that is all about willingly, even eagerly being vulnerable. "I'm exposed/And I don't care/My heart's parading through the street/Without its clothes/My love laid bare/For all to see/My masquerade has come/Crashing to a close." And I love the word play in the lines "She may not be in my future/But if I can get past that/I know I can face/Whatever happens," that great play on "future"/"past." What a good opening number. Then Jim Hoke joins Vince Santoro on horns for "Rec Room," a song with a ska flavor. This one will take many of us back to our childhoods, when we were learning to play instruments, making a great deal of noise, as Vince mentions in the first stanza. It's a song about all the glorious goings-on in the rec room. Do people still refer to that room as a "rec room"? We heard that phrase all the time when growing up, but I haven't heard it much since then. The song takes us from childhood to the adult years when he's the one dealing with the noise, but doing so joyfully. There are some delightful touches to this track, such as the backing vocals echoing the word "romance." And of course Jim Hoke's contributions are a large part of the track's appeal.

Vince Santoro changes gears with "For Adeline," a song of loss and perseverance. There is a contemplative air to this one, and also a warmth. "A day will come when I'm alone/And life is feeling somewhat normal/No longer holding back." It's a pretty song, with a heartfelt vocal performance. "I'll beg the clouds to block the sun/A welcome rain will mark the day when/I'll get my crying done." I'm not sure the crying is ever done, but it comes less frequently. There is a dreamlike quality to this one, sort of outside of time, and the track contains some nice work by Barbara Santoro on piano. And then the rain comes in the next track, "Long Slow Rain." This one features a cool vocal performance, especially on the chorus. "All my troubles seem to fall away/Time don't mean a thing/In a long, slow rain." I love the way he delivers those lines. This is about how time and everything can slip away when you're fishing, and how pleasant that feeling is. This is the track to feature George Marinelli on harmonica, that instrument really helping to set the tone. Also adding to the sweet vibe of this track is the whistling at the end.

The track list on the back of the CD case indicates that "Everything" is next, but actually it's "I'd Be Dancing Too," which is a cool, kind of slow rock number with a bit of that country rock thing reminiscent of some of the early 1970s Rolling Stones output. This song celebrates the power of music for each of us, how a song can stay with us throughout a day. "She's got a song going on in her head/That's what's it's gotta be/A song goin' on in her head/Wish that we could hear it/If only we could hear it/Maybe we'd be dancin'/We'd be dancin' too/Yeah, maybe we'd all be dancing." Jonell Mosser joins Vince Santoro on vocals. This is one of my personal favorites. Then we get "Everything," a fun song with a delicious beat and with something to say, something we can embrace and enjoy, particularly in these days when so many people frustrate and irritate us with their garbage. "I can't digest your word salad/And it isn't just one thing here/Or one thing there/It's everything - every word of/Every sentence that you said/There's every chance that I'm dumber/Having let you in my head." I feel like we all get a little dumber with each minute that we spend on social media sites, and certainly every moment we listen to any nonsense from those currently in power. This is another of my favorite tracks. It's one you might want to play at loud volume and sing along to. I love this song.

The first line of "Too Familiar Sight" makes me smile each time I listen to this album: "You don't have friends - I can see why." At that point, I'm still within the mindset of the previous song, and applying that line to the people I was thinking of before, which works just fine. But very quickly this song sets itself apart. And it is a fun one, a look at one's self from an interesting perspective. Benny Harrison joins him on keyboards and backing vocals. Then "What's That Like" is told from the perspective of a homeless person. There is the sound of rain at the beginning, what the person is experiencing being in contrast to what he is describing in the first lines: "Warm and cozy in your house at night/Plenty to eat/Family beside you/What's that like? What's that like?" This one was written by Vince Santoro and Barbara Santoro. The album concludes with "Shade Tree." Most of us have, at least at some time, the urge to wander, but this song is about making a permanent home, putting down roots and enjoying the place where you are, which also certainly has its appeal. As the song progresses, it has a good amount of soul, featuring some wonderful backing vocal work. This track also features a really good lead on guitar.

CD Track List

1. Exposed
2. Rec Room
3. For Adeline
4. Long Slow Rain
5. I'd Be Dancing
6. Everything
7. Too Familiar Sight
8. What's That Like
9. Shade Tree

Exposed is scheduled to be released on June 6, 2025.