William Maselli — Feeling Good About Us (SINGLE)
Few people are recording and releasing pop music this sophisticated yet accessible. The impressive tightrope William Maselli’s “Feeling Good About Us” walks between the pitfalls of cliché and deep emotion never snaps once during the song; the Maine based singer’s progress is deliberate yet undoubtedly effective. He doesn’t burden his interpretation with gratuitous vocal flourishes and his phrasing has a low-flying elegance, sleek and satisfied, as he moves through each verse. It’s notable he doesn’t over-emphasize the chorus’ payoff line instead allowing the songwriting to do its job.
URL: https://williammaselli.com/
It does its job well. Steven Brochu is the original author and performer, he appears on this recording as well, and some listeners may be mildly fascinated by its lyrics. It isn’t that Brochu’s words are covering new territory, but he makes distinct word choices that catch the attentive ear, especially around the climatic lines. His tone is inviting, reveling in the happiness described by the song’s lyrics, and completely unironic. It embraces life rather than spoiling it with a cynical note.
Brochu and Frank Jones share the song’s guitar work. Many listeners will like the big chords layered through the composition and the mix highlights these contributions without ever compromising the vocal. Jim Begley’s drumming is another musical tool the song utilizes to great effect and helps steer the song towards its inevitable conclusion. The drum sound Maselli’s production gives “Feeling Good About Us” a further authoritative air. An important part of the overall package for this track is the surehanded weaving together of these different threads.
His video for the song completes the package. It’s a high quality presentation culling its images from a variety of media sources and Maselli has taken great pains to sync it up with his single. Some will question, in retrospect of course, why Maselli opted for this approach and this review will not guess. No matter, however, because the clip isn’t an intrinsic part of experiencing this song; it is, instead, another component of many, another way of “living” with this track.
Many will love his voice. He has a full and personable voice crackling with affability, never faked, and you buy into his affection completely. The underrated soulful qualities of his accompaniment underline those attributes. You never feel like he’s straining to win the listener’s confidence and he knows just how far to take you and when to let his foot off the gas. His experience leaps out at longtime listeners with each line.
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Good-About-Us/dp/B097PFTTML
It’s the core strength at the heart of this song. William Maselli is meant to do this. He has, without question, a rewarding or at least interesting career as a criminal defense attorney but the flame of inspiration burning within this song suggests his true path lies elsewhere. “Feeling Good About Us” sparkles with playful artistry, heartfelt sincerity, and professional polish that will appeal to many. It deserves the widest possible audience and promises that Maselli’s album, On the Back Nine, will be one of 2021’s most satisfying efforts.
Colin Jordan
