I think it’s safe to say that if we took a peek at most people’s Christmas list this year, the desire to go back in time might be high on a lot of them. The uncertainty of the past year would almost certainly wane if we could only go back to the times before all of this madness, right?
Enter Piero Baiani and his debut album All You Desire. While he may not have a magic wand to wave at time travel or hypotheticals, what he does have is a solid rock and roll record that will take you back to a time long before rapid tests and gathering limits.
Recorded at his home studio in Moncton—fondly nicknamed “Godzilla” Studios—all of the instruments and vocals were done by Baiani himself. That is no small feat when you consider the accuracy with which he captures the sounds and feel of what we mostly refer to as “hair metal” these days.
Images of spandex, neon guitars, and high kicks aside, we’re left with a record that showcases Baiani’s prowess on a multitude of instruments and takes us back to our awkward, pre-internet high school years.
The track “1989” tells the story of a lonely teenager who is new to the area and spends his time waiting for a pretty neighbourhood girl to walk by. He doesn’t stalk her, creep her, or muscle his way into her DMs. None of those things was even a thing back then. Things were different. Slower, smaller, and far more innocent. For this record to have landed here in 2021, amidst the hustle and bustle of the current situation, is a real treat.
It’s hard to say if this sound was something that was overly calculated or not. When asked about it, Baiani isn’t really sure himself.
“It isn’t really the genre of music I spend my time listening to although some of the elements are there,” Baiani says. Maybe it’s a case of old habits dying hard because this isn’t a style of music that “just kinda happens.”
The lightning-fast guitar riffs, synth pads, and soaring vocals all harken back to a very specific time and style of music; one that Baiani credits as being highly influential: “I grew up with Rob Halford (Judas Priest,) and Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden.). Those are the singers who made me want to sing.”
It’s clear that Baiani was listening. His approach to this record has the fingerprints of his heroes all over it. Songs like the title track, “All You Desire,” and “Matter of Trusting” hint at a vocal ability gained from years of singing along with their songs.
There are also tender moments like “5 Years Gone”, written on the fifth anniversary of his father’s passing, and, “Hold On”, an acoustic strummer that gives off some slight Pearl Jam vibes.
The common thread that runs through this album, however, is solid guitar playing. Baiani can shred. His tones and attack are fantastic, and tracks like “Vade Vilis” put this on full display. “I just wanted to write an homage to the late 80s,” says Baiani, who accomplishes this with a 43-second burner, four songs into the album.
It’s no surprise that some of these songs begin their lives as guitar riffs, and although Baiani would confess to being a “guitar geek” he also writes from a lyric angle when the song calls for it. “I usually write two pages of crap that I whittle down into a song,” says Baiani. “So, I guess that helps with organizing your feelings.”
These days taking a moment to organize your feelings is paramount. Stopping to realize that things weren’t always like this is crucial, and with the release of All You Desire, Piero Baiani gives us the perfect soundtrack with which to reminisce and do just that.