Stop refreshes The Tubes, Van Halen, and Thin Lizzy into a chunky, funky, second coming of blues-rock bands. By pulling in other approaches (listeners can hear hints of progressive rock and acts as wide-reaching as The Black Crowes, Jane’s Addiction, and Alice in Chains), Goren is able to ensure that listeners on firmly on the edges of their seats through the entirety of the Save My Soul EP. The titular single from Save My Soul is a beautiful mass of swirling guitars, heavy drums, and a wall of fuzz that comes forth as an expansion of AWOLNATION, Jet, and The White Stripes. The sheer talent and braggadocio that is experienced on this track makes Ray Goren a perfect fit for rock rotation; few artists are able to wail so intensely on a guitar and come forth with such a pop-friendly set of vocals.
I Need You Here To Stay is the penultimate composition on the Save My Soul EP, and may be our favorite track on the disc. The guitars build off of the foundation of Jim Hendrix, Santana, and Tom Scholz while the drums and bass give the track a deep, dense sound that will resound loudly in listeners’ ears long after the final strains of the release have ceased. Rise Together is a deceptive track in that it has a very catchy exterior but an arrangement that will appease even the most discerning listener. Challenging popular conceptions concerning time signatures and how intricate a rock track can be and still gain airplay, Goren is able to make something that is unmatched in current music. There is no ceiling for this young performer.
Top Tracks: I Need You Here To Stay, Save My Soul
Rating: 9.0/10
Ray Goren – “Save My Soul” EP / 2016 Self / 6 Tracks / www.raygoren.com / https://www.facebook.com/RayGorenOfficial/ / https://twitter.com/raygoren