“Just Me And My Innocent Self”
Self Released
By Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro
Joe Kopicki, a. k. a. “Innocent Joe”, is a well rounded and versatile musician who performs as a solo act, a duo act or with his full band – Innocent Joe And the Hostile Witnesses. He also plays enough instruments that he can virtually perform as a one man band, which is exactly what he does on this appropriately titled release – Just Me And My Innocent Self.
The disc contains seven all original songs on which Innocent Joe plays; several different acoustic and electric guitars; a guiro; a Djembe; he sings all lead and harmony vocals; and he puts his fingers, hands and feet to good use creating various percussive sounds.
The disc opens with the most wonderful “Wake Up” call one could ever imagine receiving. In actuality, it’s a wonderful love song as well. Ya see, because Joe is looking so forward to spending the day with his lady, he just can’t wait for her to wake. That said, here’s how he helps that along……
“Wake up sweet thing, it’s time to play.
It’s Saturday morning, ain’t no work today.
The bacon’s been fried and the coffee is brewed, now all I need is you.
The window’s open, the breeze is cool.
The birds are chirping, now I’m chirping too.
I’m gonna tickle them feet and put a smile on your face, time to wake up and play.”
Yes, there is a lot more, but it’ll be so much nicer when you hear the rest of the beautiful lyrics from Joe’s beautiful and sincere presentation of them. BTW, along with those lyrics, the pickin’ and strummin’ Joe does on two different acoustic guitar tracks is just as beautiful. Great first impression on a great opening track.
Joe, along with just about everyone who has ever been accused of doing something wrong, will all have the same thing to say – “I’m Innocent”. The only difference here is that Joe’s raising suspicion because he’s claiming his innocence before even being accused. Yep, that’s a red flag indeed! This track features a smooth electric rhythm guitar, precision pickin’ on an acoustic guitar, crisp finger snappin’ and what is obviously his signature singing style – beautifully soft melodic vocals.
Oddly enough, a song about bad “JuJu” being all around is perhaps one of the disc’s best tracks. Using a tremolo guitar and an echoing effect on the harmony vocals, Joe masterfully creates the eerie mood the track calls for. Inasmuch as I’m loving everything I’m hearing, the short stinging electric guitar lead midway through the track has me wondering just how good Innocent Joe can be when he actually cuts it loose.
I can’t recall that I’ve ever seen a solo act fill a dance floor with swing dancers but Innocent Joe could be an exception to that, and “Let’s Boogie” could be the song to make it happen. This is one heck of an uptempo, rhythm driven track.
For more information on Joe Kopicki you can just go to his website at www.joekopicki.com and can find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kopicki. Wherever it is you track him down, please tell him the Blewzzman sent you.
