ART SUPPLIES AND PAIN

Joey Frevola, the L.A.-based award-winning film composer and guitarist, has recently released a new album titled Art Supplies and Pain. This album showcases his progressive rock influences and features a blend of intricate compositions and emotive performances. This record is not just prog?it ventures into jazz, art pop and avant-garde. You can find a variety of influences, perhaps some hints of Frank Zappa and Steve Hackett in the compositions. However, at its core, it remains very original music?extremely technical yet crafted with great taste. Frevola, best known as the guitarist for UK dance-prog outfit Kyros, has embarked on his second solo adventure following 2019's Gone. But where Gone was a conceptual piece, Art Supplies and Pain throws any concept out the window?intentionally or otherwise. It's one of the most unapologetically anti-conceptual albums I've encountered. In fact, calling it an "album" feels almost misleading; it's more of an exhaustive compilation of every musical thought Frevola's had over the past several years that didn't quite fit with Kyros' sound. The creative mantra here seems to have been, a philosophy that results in both moments of striking brilliance and a few ideas that feel, frankly, half- baked. Joey Frevola has created an unexpected masterpiece in Art Supplies and Pain. In a year when many bands failed to truly surprise me, I found in this album an eclectic collection of exceptional music. With its unique approach and numerous guest musicians, the record achieves a distinctive sound and complexity that left me thoroughly impressed. It's a sprawling, chaotic ride, but one that's undeniably worth taking.