The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL FEATURE: BURN – A CONVERSATION WITH JULES MAXWELL OF DEAD CAN DANCE
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: PENTRAL – “AIMING FOR THE SUN”
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: BETTY MOON – “MY ONLY ONE”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: TEDDY AT NIGHT – “LIVE AT THE HIBERNATOR”
SPILL NEWS: LIZ PHAIR ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF NEW ALBUM ‘SOBERISH’ HER FIRST RECORD IN ELEVEN YEARS TO BE RELEASED JUNE 4 VIA CHRYSALIS RECORDS
SPILL TRACK OF THE WEEK: MASSAGE – “HALF A FEELING”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: NEW SINGLE FROM MICK JAGGER “EAZY SLEAZY” FEATURING DAVE GROHL OUT NOW
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: FRIED MONK X BEAUTIFUL-FORTUNE – “PLANET B”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE REDS, PINKS AND PURPLES – UNCOMMON WEATHER
SPILL FEATURE: SOMEBODY HAS TO BE ON MUSHROOMS, RIGHT? – A CONVERSATION WITH DIRTY HONEY’S JOHN NOTTO & JUSTIN SMOLIAN
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS – A VULGAR DISPLAY OF PANTERA (VIRTUAL EVENT)
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: OSHAWA MUSIC WEEK: THIS IS A ROCK SHOW – FEATURING REVIVE THE ROSE, THE JAILBIRDS, CIGAR CLUB, KILLER VIRGINS & MORE @ THE OSHAWA MUSIC HALL CONCERT THEATRE, OSHAWA
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROBERT COTTER – MISSING YOU
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TWIN TRIBES – ALTARS
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: WE FOUND A LOVEBIRD – “BLOOD AND THE DIRT”
SPILL CANADIAN VIDEO PREMIERE: MARVA VON THEO – “DISSOLVE”
  • MORE
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • TOTD
    • Track Of The Week
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
2
201
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PREFAB SPROUT - I TRAWL THE MEGAHERTZ
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BALMS - MIRROR

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LEN MIZZONI – BETTER DAYS

Len Mizzoni

Len Mizzoni
Better Days
Independent

Better Days is Len Mizzoni’s second full-length solo album. The first thing that strikes the listener is the confidence he exudes both in the songwriting and the performance. On Better Days, he adds more experimental sounds, music, and lyrics to his unique brand of jazz/pop, making it a stronger album than his debut, Waves of Indigo.

The album kicks off with the wonderfully catchy “Better Days”, a tip of the hat to the 1980s. With Mizzoni’s voice complemented by some incredible instrumentation, the song soars and takes the listener along for the ride. It is a wonderful introduction to the album, as he presents a very optimistic view, hoping for “better days”. The rest of the album follows a similar path, with a fair amount of reflection (“Take Me to Graceland”), while also looking forward.

There are also some playful moments. For example, “Love You Emoji” is a lovely song and full of charm. He then shifts the mood with the somewhat darker “Gotta Get Started”.  Meanwhile, “All I Need” demonstrates Mizzoni’s ability to write a melodic dance song which demands some remixes.

The diversity contributes to the album’s beauty, mainly because Mizzoni is able to pull it off. The lyrics are full of reflections about his relationships and the past, which fit well with the music he chooses to accompany the words.

This album is less jazz and more pop. His roots in 1980s synth-pop and his own musical history are obvious, but this is not a criticism. Mizzoni references his influences while creating a whole new sound for himself. He has expanded his musical lexicon with Better Days, and it is always exciting to see an artist grow and develop, even one who has been around for a while. Better Days is a brilliant pop album, well-constructed and well-played, full of great songs and diverse sounds. It never gets repetitive or boring. If anything, he keeps the listener engaged.



Purchase Better Days Via


Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LEN MIZZONI – BETTER DAYS

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
10
8.0
Total Spill Rating
10
Total Fan Rating
2 ratings
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewsbetter dayslen mizzoniwaves of indigo
album review, album reviews, better days, len mizzoni, waves of indigo
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviewsbetter days
 
7.0
The Reds, Pinks & Purples

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE REDS, PINKS AND PURPLES – UNCOMMON WEATHER

by Dan Kennard on April 9, 2021
The Reds, Pinks and Purples Uncommon Weather Slumberland Records For the third year in a row, The Reds, Pinks, and Purples have released another album of gentle, hazy, [...]
 
7.0
Robert Cotter
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROBERT COTTER – MISSING YOU

by Gerrod Harris on April 9, 2021
Robert Cotter Missing You WeWantSounds Before Chic set the disco world on fire with the quintessential hit, “Le Freak” in 1978, they were The Big Apple Band, fronted by Robert Cotter. [...]
 
9.0
Twin Tribes
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TWIN TRIBES – ALTARS

by Jake Collier on April 9, 2021
Twin Tribes Altars Negative Gain/Young & Cold Records/Manic Depression Records Darkwave duo du jour, Twin Tribes, have released Altars, a remix album that encompasses their first two [...]
 
9.0
Dry Cleaning

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DRY CLEANING – NEW LONG LEG

by Dan Kennard on April 2, 2021
Dry Cleaning New Long Leg 4AD Story has it South London-based Dry Cleaning has its origin in a long-ago karaoke night and a small garage in which guitarist Tom Dowse, drummer Nick Buxton, [...]
 
6.0
Badfinger
8.7

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BADFINGER – NO MATTER WHAT – REVISITING THE HITS

by Aaron Badgley on March 26, 2021
Badfinger No Matter What – Revisiting The Hits Cleopatra Records I love Badfinger. I maintain that they are one of the most underrated bands of all time, and [...]
Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE REDS, PINKS AND PURPLES – UNCOMMON WE...
7.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROBERT COTTER – MISSING YOU
7.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TWIN TRIBES – ALTARS
9.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DRY CLEANING – NEW LONG LEG
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BADFINGER – NO MATTER WHAT – REVISI...
6.0
8.7
Latest Live Reviews
View All
 
Philip H. Anselmo

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS – A VULGAR DISPLAY OF PANTERA (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Gerrod Harris on April 9, 2021
55
 
This Is A Rock Show

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: OSHAWA MUSIC WEEK: THIS IS A ROCK SHOW – FEATURING REVIVE THE ROSE, THE JAILBIRDS, CIGAR CLUB, KILLER VIRGINS & MORE @ THE OSHAWA MUSIC HALL CONCERT THEATRE, OSHAWA

by Gerrod Harris on April 9, 2021
3145
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 3 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on March 18, 2021
13
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 2 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on February 18, 2021
247
 
Small Town Titans

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: SMALL TOWN TITANS @ SMT HQ, YORK (PA)

by Gerrod Harris on February 6, 2021
47
Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Week
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NOFX – SINGLE ALBUM
2144
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JON BATISTE – WE ARE
949
 
SPILL CONTEST: MANNEQUIN VANITY RECORDS GIVEAWAY – ENTER TO WIN A GIANT MVR PRIZE PACK!
811
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CHEVELLE – NIRATIAS
798
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
714
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BLACK PISTOL FIRE – LOOK ALIVE
431
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: STRAWBS – SETTLEMENT
407
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: “SHAMELESS” STAR WILLIAM H. MACY RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “WHISKEY DELL” UNDER “WILLIE CREEKS” MONIKER
358
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: SEEPEOPLES – “IT FEELS HEAVY”
345
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DANIEL LANOIS – HEAVY SUN
343
 
SPILL FEATURE: HIS STORY RIGHT NOW – A CONVERSATION WITH cEvin Key
317
 
SPILL FEATURE: TRULY ORCHESTRATING HIS OWN LIFE – A CONVERSATION WITH RICK SPRINGFIELD
298
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – SUMMER BEFORE THE STORM
290
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES