Jake Manzi Releases Debut Album 'Whatever My Heart Allows'

Today, Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter Jake Manzi has released his debut album Whatever My Heart Allows.

"We tried to make every second of the album to be as good as it could be and attacked it with a possibly unhealthy amount of obsessive-compulsiveness. It was all-consuming," says Jake. "We had a lot of arrangement and production ideas and made a point to see each one through. I wanted to make a record that I was proud of and believed in."

Whatever My Heart Allows consists of ten dreamy, heartfelt tracks, and features contributions from Grammy winner Don Was, Griffin & Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), Grammy-nominated guitarist/singer Madison Cunningham, and Mikaela Davis. The album is a sweetly confessional union of soft rock and indie pop, the story of someone growing towards a deeper understanding of themselves. A laid-back, honest meditation on what it means to let yourself love, even when you're afraid. With lush, sweeping string arrangements, heartachey pedal steel, vibraphone, and harp, Whatever My Heart Allows reads as a love letter from Manzi to himself-a love letter he didn't even know he was writing.

Atwood Magazine say "his voice is raw and deeply expressive...Pouring himself into his song, Manzi commands listeners' attention with an easy lilt and timeless sound" and called the album's title track "Whatever My Heart Allows" "an achingly tender instant hit that makes us unequivocally excited for May 7's debut album." We All Want Someone To Shout For praised the song, saying "the keyboards tend to accompany and emphasize his lyrics and the easy going drumming will make you feel like you're floating through the air." Under The Radar says "Manzi has that coveted songwriting talent of translating personal heartbreak into universal writing that will hit anyone at their core."

Recorded at Studio 68 in Williamsburg, MA and produced by Manzi and his longtime bandmate and friend Caleb Rosazza, Whatever My Heart Allows sees the two collaborators at their best: dreaming big and making no compromises. Whatever My Heart Allows makes the most of Manzi and Rosazza's combined treasure trove of vintage instruments and amps, and features Manzi's beloved '59 Silvertone electric guitar. Other contributors from Western MA and Los Angeles include Jacob Rosazza, Ryan Hommel, and Danny Bernini. Dawes drummer Griffin Goldsmith's gentle, lyrical touch on drums (recorded at Spirithouse Studios in Northampton, MA) underpins it all.

Listen here:

To post a comment, you must register and login.