Known to fans as lead guitarist and vocalist for Nashville pop/rock outfit Joe, Marc's Brother, one half of
Watercolor, and a part-time
Guster collaborator,
Joe Pisapia released his stellar solo debut, Daydreams, in 2002. Instead of the
Beach Boys-inspired harmonies and sugary electric guitars of Around the Year With Joe, Marc's Brother, Daydreams finds
Pisapia exploring his introspective side. Exhibiting a more gentle sound which incorporates touches of jazz and folk, Daydreams is a quiet collection of tracks that are equal parts
Hoagy Carmichael and
Elliott Smith. The result is a quiet, personal offering that captures a timeless quality by using an eclectic blend of instrumentation and simple, poetic lyricism. The tracks are laden with
Pisapia's consistently impressive acoustic guitar work, which enhances the songs without overwhelming them.
Pisapia also proves himself to be an adept banjo player, and indeed the banjo is prominently featured throughout the record, notably on the playfully endearing "River Song." Strings and organ add to the mix, in addition to the percussion (handled by bandmate and sibling Marc Pisapia).
Joe Pisapia has made his solo debut for all the right reasons; not to prove he can do it on his own, or to release an experimental work that may be rejected by fans of his band, but because he found himself with a bunch of great material that didn't fit within the framework of Joe, Marc's Brother. Fortunately, while another equally busy artist may have let the songs languish in a notebook or as home demos without ever being made available to the public,
Pisapia was industrious enough to record and release them. ~ Mark Vanderhoff