NovaBound
Sevenths
self-released
by Teyquil Skelton
The moment when a band takes you back in time to a specific era is always a journey of surprise as you recollect thoughts of past endeavors, discoveries, love, and heartache. That seems to always be the dialogue that’s familiar and quite frankly, that may just be the sole responsibility within aspects of music.
Piscataway Township, NJ, natives, NovaBound, bring that to the forefront with their music. It takes you back to a time of free spirit and expression, a space built for love, heartbreak and creativity with a ton of artsy and crafty humans doing awesome, extraordinary things. It also takes you to a time when Saturday night roller skating was a weekend hangout along with movies with your love or just hanging around popular strips with the cool kids. Though the album speaks the truth about a breakup, the aesthetic of the album still brings a groove taking you down memory lane. NovaBound possesses all of these elements within their sound that just puts you in a world where any and all things are expected.
Creator of the band, Andrew Michael Agulto, is assisted by his brother, Arthur Agulto, on guitars for the new album, Sevenths, and the production on this album is absolutely mind-blowing. The pace and rhythms of this LP takes you through a slew of emotions as the album shifts between tempos. The album opens with “Angel and the Starman” giving you a slow beginning with drums and strings reaching to higher heights in its journey, shifting to an upbeat funk, soul and rock n’ roll feel.
As the second song contributes, it transitions back to a slow peel with the song, “Shattered Eyes”, keeping it soft, steady and easy on the ears giving eargasms as you listen to the melodic, soulful, experience that only NovaBound can deliver.
This LP is a perfect piece of work for long-distance traveling, Sunday afternoon coffee, cuddle sessions with a significant other or, the album to fall asleep to on a rainy spring night with the windows half-open. My favorite song from the album so far is “Favorite Color” it has elements from the 70’s era and small familiar increments in sound from the glam rock prince himself, David Dundas. This is in terms of the band’s approach to their music and arrangement just a little. The song “Favorite Color” runs around 7 minutes long, but it doesn’t feel like it because of the change and surprises in rhythm during the song.
I have not heard anything like this band and that’s a good thing. Many bands would get caught up in the moment trying to please an audience, but NovaBound comes from a place where I think music to them is the sole focus and only focus through their process. Andrew Agulto is the mastermind behind this project as he sets the tone with his lyrical approach to the songs displayed by the band.
Agulto’s piano and music theory training at an early age has led him to this point in his career, and so far, nothing but good things have been occurring. After his training in school, Agulto kept up with what he developed and began teaching himself other various instruments.
Sevenths is Agulto’s first experience of writing what he describes as “music with words” which is in regard to a bad breakup he suffered in 2015. We’ve all had our share of bad breakups, but to translate it into music where the audience is invited to share your pain is an honor within itself. That takes on a whole new different kind of energy and vulnerability in any situation.
After such a long time, Agulto’s demos that have been sitting in a vault for years have now been released and recently updated. It’s always a ray of good news when something you’ve been working on for so long can be shared with others and in music, that’s always a super bowl win in my opinion.
Experimentation to try different things is not something proposed by many bands, especially when it comes to making projects and making them available to the public. However, when you come across those bands that are willing to test the waters and go the extra mile it’s always worth giving candidates like NovaBound a listen. So, if ever you feel that you’re running out of music to check out, kick it into high gear and see what NovaBound is about and see if their music tickles your fancy.
That’s what music is for; it leaves an open canvas for those who are searching, and once you find it, it’s a part of you forever. Make NovaBound a part of that forever by grabbing Sevenths. Great moments are ephemeral but it’s important to capture those moments and make them stay just a little bit longer than a few seconds.
