Driven by a moderate swagger behind its swing, “Make the World Go Away” begins to play, immediately taking us back in time to a simpler era in pop that is only slightly recognizable in the modern renditions of its sound. “Make the World Go Away” has traveled a long way through history to find itself under the direction of one Bruce Sudano this March, and although it’s got a retro stylization that feels like something right out of a time machine, it also feels like one of the most meaningful – and relaxed – performances of Sudano’s storied career. This isn’t the first time that I’ve heard someone try and put out a classic tune like this one, but it ranks among the best I’ve come across in a long time.
WEBSITE: https://www.brucesudano.com/
One of the best things about “Make the World Go Away” is the openness of the master mix, leaving more than enough space for the live audience to have a great effect on the energy of the performance overall. There’s something simply magical about a crowd reacting with excitement to the performance of a heartfelt player like Bruce Sudano that sends chills down my spine every time I listen to this single, and because of the meticulousness that went into designing even the more intricate elements of the track, we’re never robbed of any natural tonality or artistic zeal. It’s as though we’re in a concert hall with him, as opposed to reliving a studio moment through a pair of average speakers.
I will say that the backend in this piece feels a little heavier than it needed to be, but this is ultimately an excusable flaw given just how much action there is to focus on upfront. Sudano doesn’t develop one-dimensional content; he proved decades ago that he has an ear for the erudite, and when constructing “Make the World Go Away,” he was careful to make sure that his voice wasn’t the only communicator of emotionality in the song. Even the rhythm of the music becomes an agent of evocation before all is said and done, and if you would have told me that it would be as powerful a component as it is in this cover just a month ago, I don’t know that I could have believed you.
“Make the World Go Away” concludes with a calm silence affectionately responding to the performance we’ve just been given as everything fades into the silence from which it was first sprung. There aren’t any bells and whistles here, much as there weren’t any at the initial start of the track. Bruce Sudano is above the filler-based songcraft of his less-than-brilliant peers, and in this new single “Make the World Go Away,” he puts himself well above the competition not only through a precise attack but a natural kinship with the material. In short, this is by far one of the most dedicated indie cuts I think you’re going to hear before the start of the spring season – if not throughout all of 2023 itself.
Garth Thomas