The Neo Blues Project

AJ Ghent [J-Ent] brings a sound of power and strings to the forefront of his latest album “The Neo Blues Project.”

He isn’t afraid to expand his repertoire and experiment with some new sounds either; establishing him as an artist who isn’t shy and isn’t scared to try new things.

Starting out strong with his rendition of "Do the Rump!," Ghent shows off the power of not only his vocals but also his guitar playing ability with some pretty sweet riffs. Now, I don't know much about music, in fact, I rarely listen music, so take what I have to say next with caution. The music didn’t move me until the end. At first, this is what I was going to write as a review.

“I appreciate the guitar in this album. It pushes you forward and meshes well with the vocals, but it doesn’t do anything new. It doesn’t take any risks. It is a debut album, but it doesn’t try anything. It establishes Ghent’s prowess as a singer not afraid to use different sounds, but fails to do anything new with these sounds. I’ve heard this all before.”

However, with that said, he does do something at the end that I really appreciate. His fourth and fifth songs, “Mercy” and “Long Lost Friend” changes pace. He goes from the fast paced songs of before to soulful songs with ease and I really appreciate that. It’s a welcomed change of pace. It’s like he’s welcomed us into his strength and power with the first three songs, but these songs let us into his heart.

He closes out the album with a fast paced song called “Gonna Rock,” reminding us that not only is it okay to be happy, it’s okay to rock.

Favorite songs: “Power,” “Long Lost Friend,” “Gonna Rock”