Vocal prowess goes a long way in almost any avenue of songwriting and for Franky Perez, he channels a hard-hitting soul reminiscent of Simply Red jamming with the modern alt-rock vibes of The 1975 and Sob Rock era John Mayer.
This hard-edged big scoop of soul tone is all over his new album Crossing the Great Divide, set for release June 24 on Black Sea Music. Many of the songs came to be during a cross-country motorcycle ride which he captured in a documentary film. It follows his travels during lockdown, showing his stops along the way to play for healthcare workers and patients, and meetings with fellow musicians and friends including ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, country singer Randy Travis and comedian Bill Burr.
In Crossing the Great Divide, Perez returns to his roots to tell a story of self-transformation. The album is full of big melodies, hooks, and sentiments that are real and often autobiographical. “Every artist says, ‘This is my greatest album,’ but this truly was probably the best experience that I’ve had making an album, and the most honest,” says Perez.
An interesting story indeed and Perez covers all the bases of late ’80s and early ’90s pop-rock where explosive and passionate pop-rock unfolds with an array of danceable nostalgia. That vibe is captured in Glide’s premiere of “90’s Love Song”, a persistently hook-filled song that gives a fluorescent glow to modern pop ala Dua Lipa.
“90’s Love Song” was one of those tunes that came together quickly… Lyrics, melody and chord progression all came flooding in at once. I wanted it to be an uplifting positive song from beginning to end have depth but be accessible. It’s a nod to some of my favorite pop acts from the era like Seal and Simply Red, who, like me, were inspired by the greats.. like the Temptations Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett,” says Perez