Jonny Zywiciel, a talented pop/rock/soul singer-songwriter and musician, has released his first album Onward & Upward!
Tracks: 1. Magnets 2. Everything 3. Faith 4. Take You Out 5. Time to Heal 6. Melodies and Memories 7. Wait 8. Boomerang
I actually met Jonny while he was doing promotion at Justin Kawika Young’s show at The Chapel in San Francisco a few months ago. His music features impressive vocals and exquisite guitar elements that will leave you pretty much speechless. He’s an exceptional songwriter, a brilliant guitarist, and you can tell how much hard work he has put into sharpening his skills, but also how natural it is for him.
Onward & Upward begins with a song called ‘Magnets’. Its attractive sound, intricate lyrics, and appealing guitar moments make for an intriguingly strong opening track. It’s about having a connection with someone that’s undeniable and unavoidable. When you’re drawn to each other in a way that can’t be described, but you feel it. Zywiciel has a John Mayer vibe throughout the album, but especially in this track.
‘Everything’ has this upbeat intensity and passionate components while Zywiciel shows off his seemingly effortless vocal range. The chorus repeats quite a bit but it’s done in a way that doesn’t feel excessive - it adds something interesting to this track. I found ‘Everything’ to be a bit sexy in a romantic way. Next we have one the most well written tracks on the album, ‘Faith’. It is wrapped with the idea of falling in and out of love, while wanting another chance to start again.
‘Take You Out’ was without a doubt the track that made me audibly “oooh” in an impressed amazement. The instrumentals are gripping and in combination with Jonny’s vocals it creates something rather seductive. I could easily listen to this song on repeat (guilty!) and it might possibly be my favorite. Then the album goes into ‘Time to Heal’, which is hands down the track that is highly important and influential. There’s a comforting message that a lot of us really need to hear, and the title speaks for itself. Zywicielexudes relatability through his emotions and how he conveys each line.
I adore ‘Melodies and Memories’, and no matter how many times I play through Onward & Upward, I get excited when this song starts. It’s the type of track that is easy to listen to no matter what you’re doing. While the next track, ‘Wait’, pulls all of your focus into what the lyrics are saying. I don’t know about you, but I could visually see ‘Wait’ as snippets from a movie - a montage, if you will. It’s fitting for Jonny as an artist, but also presents a different side of him.
The final track is called ‘Boomerang’, and it shows off Zywiciel’s soulfulness nicely. I can’t quite put into words how I felt about the last minute or so being purely instrumental, but it was great. What I can say is that ‘Boomerang’ stands out amongst the rest and closes the album in a way that generates the desire to put it on repeat so you can experience it all over again.
I’m thankful to have run into Jonny in San Francisco a few months ago, and to have the opportunity to be able to enjoy his sensational music. I will definitely try to make it out to a show of his soon, and let you know what it’s like!
For more information about Jonny Zywiciel, check him out at the links below! You won’t be disappointed!
Alex Kilgore, Untold Music Promotion