Thomas Sanfilip
Secret Heart
Eatin' Records (795987090525)
Classic rock fused with jazz elements in a pure American pop idiom.
Genre: Pop: Power Pop
Release Date: 1995
Price: $10.95
Showcase Chicago, September 1995, vol. 3 issue 8
“Sanfilip’s Secret Heart could be described as ‘classical rock,’ with raw emotions carried across in Sanfilip’s singing and guitar. Musical harmonies are demonstrated in ‘Dancing in the Sun,’ painful lyrics in ‘This Heart of Mine,’ a strong statement in ‘Win or Lose,’ and shuffling fun in ‘I Still See Blue.’
“Sanfilip has mastered the art of tasteful melodies and devastatingly harmonic musical arrangements. SECRET HEART contains classic rock elements with a twist of the nineties–a staple in the CD diet of anyone who has any interest in rock whatsoever. The lyrics were interspersed with raw emotion, while the killer harmonies in the music made this CD a very enjoyable musical journey.”
-Laura Garrison
Illinois Entertainer, January, 1996 vol. 22, no. 3
“Simply mentioning the term ‘singer/songwriter’often evokes a groan from your standard music hound; somewhere along the way, perception and sensitivity in songwriting became un-cool. Perhaps it was the flood gate of granola-chomping, hiking-boot-wearing, Colorado-dwelling hacks that followed in the wake of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Paul Simon (did someone say Dan Fogelberg?). Nonetheless, when done properly, acoustic guitars and deep thoughts can be sincerely moving.
“On his debut release Secret Heart, Sanfilip delivers a batch of songs that blend creative chord structures, distinctive delivery, and thought-provoking lyrics. Witness the breezy, soulful vibe surrounding ‘Dancing in the Sun,’ the bittersweet sentiments of ‘Your Love For Me,’ or the call to arms for a generation in ‘Win or Lose.’ Sanfilip melds his politically aware love songs with music that has guts and power. Though at times he falls prey to the trappings of those aforementioned mountaineers by softening the edges of the tunes or getting overly sentimental in the lyric department (‘Take Me Higher,’ ‘I Still See Blue’), Sanfilip manages to deliver his tales of love, loss and caring with sincerity and integrity.”
-Jay Hedblade
OIL Magazine, January 18, 1996, p. 13
“Sanfilip has a way with jazzy pop melodies and rich harmonies, sort of like the Sergio Mendes of the 1990’s. Fortunately, Sanfilip’s melodies are powerful enough to overshadow an occasional trite singer-songwriter lyric. Otherwise, this is a slick, well-produced platter of easy-listening pop.”
The Music Paper, April, 1996
“This is innocuous, non-threatening, fairly pleasant, acoustic-driven Al Stewart/Dan Fogelberg/America background sensitivity with minor nods at lite-jazz and mid-70’s radio pop.”
Jim Grillo, WABT 103.9 FM Chicago
“Front to back, the disc is excellent!”