Steve Bertrand
Pain Is a Megaphone
Icon/The Console
Singer/songwriter Steve Bertrand should be a nationally acclaimed star by now. He was the driving force behind criminally overlooked LA power-pop trio The Tories, and his latest band vehicle Avion failed to break through despite the band’s self-titled Columbia Records album being a modern pop-rock classic.
Now he’s back as a solo artist, this time on the ICON label, with Pain Is a Megaphone and it’s clear from tracks such as the stand-out “In The Dreaming” and the hit-waiting-to-happen “Renting a Room” that Bertrand’s ability to write irresistible pop hooks and wrap them around slick, polished melodies has not diminished.
The duo of “Letterbox” and “Sell-Out” recall some of Bertrand’s best work with The Tories, while “Glorious Collision” demonstrates a harder edge to his repertoire. The outstanding title track and delicate ballad “I Still Choose You” further prove Bertrand’s versatility.
Even though Pain Is a Megaphone doesn’t quite hit the heights scaled by Avion, it’s a record with immense commercial appeal and one that could finally see Bertrand reap the rewards his talent deserves.
Steve Bertrand: http://www.stevebertrand.com
