Sputnik Music has reviewed all 4 CDs of UniversalDice over the years, most likely the only website to do so.  Their reviews basically consist of a number rating, and we received a 3 out of 4. As a comparison, the Killers latest album got a "2" and Muse's received a "2.5".  Bruce Springsteen on Broadway received a "2.5".  We will not complain about our "3".   The rating is in the 2017 list - we are the last band on the list.  You can see our 3 other CDs rated in other years - just search the page for "UniversalDice".” - Divaman

sputnik music

UniversalDice recently dropped a 16-song album called birth, love, hate, death. Not only does it encompass a lot of tracks, but it’s a rock opera. If I sound astonished, it’s because at the current juncture, when pandering to Spotify’s deification of singles is prevalent, no artist in their right mind contemplates writing a rock opera, except Gerry Dantone and UniversalDice.   “I have a philosophy about lyrics and music. I need to have a reason to write the next song. Each piece needs a reason for existing,” says Dantone in the band’s press release.   A rock opera of grand scale, birth, love, hate, death relates the narrative of a Mother and her Son, along with Danielle, the Son’s lover, and Sugar Daddy, who is Danielle’s pimp.   Based on Long Island, NY, Universal Dice is made up of Dantone (vocals, guitar, producer), Bob Barcus (guitar), Ed Canova (bass), Walter Sargent (keyboards), and Vin Crici (keyboards).   The first track, “Welcome To The World,” introduces the Son to the world. There’s a Byrds-like flow to the music, as well hints of The Who’s Quadrophenia. “I Wish I Could Tell You This” is vaguely reminiscent of Pink Floyd, dreamy and undulating. Dantone’s rasping tones invest the tune with flavors of regret and nostalgia.   “Better Man” exudes dark bluesy colors, as well as cutting energy imbuing the song with tension and gravity. “Man Enough” radiates a SoCal soft rock quality akin to Don Henley post-Eagles, not only because of Dantone’s scratchy tones, but because of the tune’s dynamics, soft yet declarative.   The closing track, “Forever,” emphasizes the power of love within the human heart. Floating gently on a beautiful piano, the tune weaves a tapestry of gossamer textures. The song can be interpreted in two ways: one, the Son and Danielle never get together, but are sustained by their memories, or two, they live happily ever after.   Dantone and UniversalDice capture the elation and pain of all-consuming love on birth, love, hate, death, as well as the obstacles imposed by human frailty. The simple telling of the tale proves to be cathartic, making the album a worthy listening experience.” - Randall Radic

BlogCritics

UniversalDice - 'Birth, Love, Hate, Death'   Infidel Records, UniversalDice is a band who delivers classic-rock-operas with huge musical landscapes, in-depth story-lines/characters and lyrical explorations of life's complexities, mysteries and meaning. The band features: Gerry Dantone, lead vocals, guitars, programming; Bob Barcus, guitars; Ed Canova,bass; and Walt Sargent and Vin Crici on keys. Songwriter, singer, political and philosophical writer/activist Gerry Dantone delivers more than music in his song-writing; he delivers a complete experience. If you close your eyes and listen, you will be transported into ta colorful, world as if you are reading a novel. Inspired by artists such as the Who and the Beatles, UniversalDice's new self recorded and produced 16-track album 'Birth, Love, Hate, Death' is a great way to introduce yourself to the band's captivating, page-turning performance.    Each song on the album is strung together in a cinematic fashion sung from different perspectives representing the "characters" viewpoint.  For example, track three "Your Son" depicts a toxic relationship between a mother and a son, told from the son's perspective.  Kicking off the song is a guitar progression with slight distortion, accompanied by a rocking drum beat and synth keys droning in the background. The vocals enter to suit the mood, mellow with a haunting timbre. When combined with the instrumentation, UniversalDice  sets a stormy mood that captivates you right from the start. “Your Son” is a very moving song about childhood abuse showing that UniversalDice doesn't shy away from serious and difficult topics. Another stand-out composition on the album is “My Hands Are Tied” (Track 5).  "My Hand Are Tied" changes up the vibe with a strong pop-theater flavor, an upbeat tempo, with catchy melodies and memorable chorus.  Nice electric guitar leads compliment this arrangement. This song is a great example of how well the compositions on the album reflect the mood and emotion of the lyrics. Vocally, Dantone shows incredible diversity, moving to a tenor-ranged, clear pop presentation with ease.  The song's perspective is from a boy who has a larger-than-life crush on a girl - he "takes a pill to gather up some courage, but instead get an awful headache."  There is an innocence that is revealed as the words delve into the humanistic themes of inadequacy and humiliation.    Sung from the same perspective is “Danielle,” a song about pretentiousness. "Danielle, you're the life of the party. Danielle, you'll never say you're sorry. Does the new car mean you've got it made? Do you have a friend you won’t betray?"  The band demonstrates tight musicianship in this multi-layered track.  Both "My Hands Are Tied" and "Danielle" have a musical-esk vibe bringing the drama to life.  Another song from the perspective of "the Boy" is“Better Man.” This song has a classic rock instrumental track that rocks out with great electric guitar riffs and a solo jam section. "Better Man" is about the Boy’s fear of losing love and his willingness to do what it takes to keep the love alive."I love you so much, I’d risk losing you. I can’t do nothin’, ‘cept what’s right by you." The song is sung with passion as if Dantone is inside the character's heart.   As the engaging album progresses, the images of the opera grow stronger and come more into focus, like a good page turner, each song unfolds with suspense. Following "Better Man' is the ballad "Honesty,' which is a duo between the Boy and Danielle. This moving ballad, which was my favorite track on the album,is sure to be a fan favorite with its intricate piano playing, infectious melodies and harmonies.  The beautiful performance demonstrates UniveralDice's ability to write raw and genuine emotion. "Honestly, honestly, do you really love me? Are you thinking of me? Honestly, honestly, are you trying to use me? You think you’ll seduce me?   “Sleeping Alone” marks a climactic point in the rock opera that explores doubt and insecurity and the desire to feel grounded in love. It opens with a melodic piano line accompanied by synth strings. This duet changes from a soft ballad into a tense rocking jam and is sure to get your blood pumping in suspense for what is going to happen next. The final song on the album is sung solely from the perspective on Danielle and is titled, “Forever.” The song opens with a gentle piano progression that is soon accompanied by lovely acoustic guitar and a steady drum beat. "Forever" wraps up the rock opera with lessons learned. "Love is the warm embrace, love is the saving grace. We need to help each other." It has a memorable hook that is sure to stick with you leaving a lasting memory of this rock opera in your mind.   'Birth, Love, Hate, Death' is an extremely highly developed musical concept album that gives listeners substantial musical content while delivering insight on the struggles of love and growing into yourself. UniversalDice has found their niche with an ability to write songs that build insightful stories with memorable melodies and hooks that would allow each song to stand alone and shine, but when pieced together form a grand work of art. Other albums by UniversalDice touch on themes like faith, meaning and purpose, politics and social issues. Their music, along with more information on this prolific band, can be found on their website,    ” - Bryon William

Please Pass the Indie

UniversalDice   The mastermind behind rhythmic rock outfit UniversalDice, Mr. Gerry Dantone, has been building on classic influence from The Beatles, The Who, and Cream across four outstanding musical collections, tapping into the talents of friends Vin Crici, Walt Sargent, Bob Barcus, and Ed Canova to make songs that absolutely put the art first. With a premium on powerful lyrical content, UniversalDice’s first three records include “My Name is Thomas…”, “mostly Stories” and, “Out of Many, One”, but today we’re talking about the band’s latest rock opera, “birth, love, hate, death”.   We asked Dantone to tell us all about the new opera – he told us, “After our third CD I noticed I had not been writing a lot of personal love songs or songs about romantic love – the love between two persons. I was admittedly intimidated by love songs – there are so many, it almost seemed like everything worth writing had already been written. So I decided to do what I had not really done – write an album of songs about love, and of course, I wanted it to be as true to life as possible. In real life, there is more tragedy and failure than there is expressed in the average love song. That was the area I could explore. Since one writes best about what they know, birth, love, hate, death reflects what I know and have experienced, emotionally, about love…I think true love is rare, difficult and that in real life, probably, love is NOT all you need, even though in theory, that would be nice. This album is full of love and tragedy. That’s why it’s birth, love, hate, death.” Click to http://www.universaldice.com to get into birth, love, hate, death – hopefully sooner than later, we’ll be bringing you an update on the record becoming a live rock opera! Now, keep reading. There’s still so much more to dive into in all the answers to the XXQs below.   PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound?   Gerry Dantone (GD): I would like to think we are unique but we certainly are a band that values melody, lyrics, and a rhythmic rock underpinning.   If you had to compare us we would probably say American Idiot Green Day, the Beatles, the Killers, the Who and other bands that focused on the songs.   PEV: What kind of music were you all into growing up?   GD: The Beatles, the Who, Cream, the blues in general, all of the bands that still sound good today.   With five guys, there are probably too many bands to list.   PEV: What can fans expect from a live UniversalDice show?   GD: A UniversalDice show in the future, hopefully, would be a staging of the rock opera, birth, love, hate, death, with actors actually playing the roles.  This would be a massive undertaking for a band that is not already famous.   PEV: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you step on stage?   GD: I am focused on playing and singing the songs well.  I do not want to sound sloppy or ragged.  I want the audience, who may or may not have heard these tunes before, to get a real flavor of what the music is supposed to sound like.   PEV: How has playing in UniversalDice been different from working with other artists or projects in the past?   UniversalDiceunnamed-2GD: Basically my only project has been writing and playing the band’s original music.   Our first couple of albums also featured songs written by former bassist Sam Cimino who wrote very cool stuff but has since retired, so the last two CDs (out of our four CDs) have only featured my songs.  Our first three CDs before birth, love, hate, death in order were My Name is Thomas… (also a rock opera), mostly True Stories and Out of Many, One.  On all four CDs every song is original and we produced each CD ourselves at our own home studios.   PEV: What is the underlying inspiration for your music? Where do you get your best ideas for songs?   GD: I always have believed that I have something valuable to contribute and communicate to others.  My motivation has always been a sense of trying to contribute to culture, society, and others.  I also was sure I did not want to waste my time on writing songs that were already written before – I wanted to writing something that had, at the very least, a new angle to it, if not a totally new idea or sound altogether.  Each new song had to have a reason to exist.  I did not want to write “product.”   The other core idea I have in writing and recording new music is this:  “Make it sound good.”  This is very subjective but it means NOT following trends and it also means not trying to be different just for the sake of being different.   It means making it sound good in your own opinion.  Hopefully others will agree.   On our first two CDs my focus was very philosophical and I dealt with some very big themes – reason and faith, meaning and purpose, and believe it or not, religion and philosophy.  The challenge was to make it rock and to make it sound good!  Our third CD focused more on social issues and war and peace.   birth, love, hate, death is all about love and, once again, the meaning and purpose of life.  I do not know how many bands are motivated to go where we go.  The material on those first three CDs certainly were songs that had new ideas in some way.   So the inspiration for my songs come from what is on my mind.  When I became a parent, I thought quite a bit about how I would raise my children and what values or beliefs I would want them to have.  My conclusion was that whatever I did, I did NOT want to indoctrinate them into any belief system.  With this on my mind, I wrote My Name is Thomas… which is largely an exploration of truth, reason, and faith as told in a fictional story.  The next CD, mostly True Stories dealt with similar themes, but this time using real life stories to explore the questions of philosophy, religion, reason, and faith.   Out of Many, One was written after September 11, 2001 and the invasion of Iraq.  This CD was released in 2005.  It dealt with war and peace, politics, and the oppression of women and others.   Looking back, many of the ideas I expressed in the first three CDs were controversial and not part of the common wisdom at the time.  Now it seems those ideas were just way ahead of their time.   After our third CD I noticed I had not been writing a lot of personal love songs or songs about romantic love – the love between two persons.  I was admittedly intimidated by love songs – there are so many, it almost seemed like everything worth writing had already been written.   So I decided to do what I had not really done – write an album of songs about love, and of course, I wanted it to be as true to life as possible.   In real life, there is more tragedy and failure than there is expressed in the average love song.  That was the area I could explore. Since one writes best about what they know, birth, love, hate, death reflects what I know and have experienced, emotionally, about love.  It is a fictional story, but obviously I identify with the “Son” in the story and I think I understand the “Danielle” character in the story as well.   I think true love is rare, difficult and that in real life, probably, love is NOT all you need, even though in theory, that would be nice.  This album is full of love and tragedy.  That’s why it’s birth, love, hate, death.   PEV: What’s one thing we’d be surprised to hear about the members of UniversalDice?   GD: I do not know if this is surprising but we are all more than just musicians.  Vin Crici was a public high school music teacher and has often conducted full student orchestras in concerts.  That experience and talent is apparent on such cuts on birth, love, hate, death as “Sleeping Alone” and “Forever.”  Walt Sargent is a computer programmer and has his own small business.  Vin and Walt are both excellent songwriters as well and played the keyboard parts on our latest CD.  Bob Barcus has appeared on all four UniversalDice CDs and plays all the most UniversalDiceunnameddifficult guitar parts.  When I draw a blank on a guitar part, Bob rescues the song such as he did on “I Wish I Could Tell You This”, “I Know What I’m Doing”, and “Better Man”.  Bassist Ed Canova was a high school physics teacher and is now on tour with blues guitarist Bobby Messano.   I have a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.B.A. in Finance, believe it or not.  I have had my own real estate brokerage small business and was once an original employee of MTv Networks.  I founded a local branch of an international think tank, Center for Inquiry – Long Island, where I had the opportunity to meet world famous scientists and philosophers and appear on CFI’s behalf on CNN, FoxNews, C-Span and numerous local TV outlets.   PEV: What can fans expect from your Rock Opera, birth, love, hate, death?  Tell us about the writing process behind this work.   GD: My typical songwriting process involves sensing a “need” for a song.  I like the idea of a rock opera because writing a story leads to needing songs to advance the story.  Once I know I need a song for a particular reason, the idea for the song may pop up in the form of a lyric coupled with a melody in my brain.  I like to NOT have a guitar in my hand for this process because I might fall into old familiar chord patterns as opposed to being unbounded in my thoughts.  “Sleeping Alone” is a prime example of this – the melody and lyric just came to me and it took me a long time to figure out the chord structure I was hearing – literally it took years!  That is an extreme example of my “process.”  That I remembered the melody for years was a sign it was a very strong melody.   PEV: What is the feeling you get after a song or album is complete and you can sit back and listen to it in full?   GD: That is probably the best thing of all if you are satisfied with the outcome.  There is relief that it is done and joy that it is a reality and, in your own opinion, good.   PEV: What can we find each of you doing in your spare time, aside from playing/writing music?   GD: What spare time?  Hopefully Vin is enjoying retirement, and Ed is enjoying touring around the country.  The rest of us work too much.  I know I work too much!   PEV: Name one present and past artist or group that would be your dream collaboration. Why?   GD: I wish Lady GaGa would sing one of the songs I wrote for the Danielle character on birth, love, hate, death such as “Honestly” or “Forever” but that would be overkill, she is that good a singer.   PEV: So, what is next for UniversalDice?   GD: I really would like to stage the rock opera.  That is the biggest goal because once it is staged somewhere somehow in a musical theater, it can be videotaped and then serve as the basis for a live show.  After then there should be another CD with another theme that we have not yet explored on previous CDs.  I think I know what that theme is but it is too soon to give that up!   For more information, click to http://www.universaldice.com/ .” - Richie Frieman

Pens Eye View

Within the era of Rock and Roll, there have been bands that have taken the idea of the album and made it so much stronger as they created tracks that segue between each other as those tracks combine to create what has been called a Rock Opera. And while the Rock Opera is an idea that has been around for a while, there have only been a relatively few examples of the artform through the era of Rock and Roll when compared to the vast number of releases that have been put out. One band that has taken it upon itself to explore the concept of the Rock Opera is UniversalDice.   A group that calls Long Island, New York home, the band of UniversalDice consists of: Gerry Dantone – vocals, guitars, programming; Bob Barcus – lead guitar; Ed Canova – bass; Walt Sargent – keyboards; Vin Crica – keyboards. These and other musicians who appear on a few of the tracks help to bring the music of UniversalDice to life. Having already releasing four previous albums, the group is celebrating the release of their fifth album, a 2018 album entitled birth, love, hate, death.   UniversalDice’s birth, love, hate, death is a 16-track album that deals with love as it survives even after someone dies. While vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Gerald Dantone had the biggest part in writing the album, the entire band helped in many ways to bring the album to life.   As the birth, love, hate, death album from UniversalDice begins, the track called “Welcome to the World” “welcomes” the listener to the release just as the narrator of the track welcomes the newest addition to the family to the world. The track finds the band creating a song that falls solidly into the Rock and Roll genre. The track features 70s-era Rock and Roll that is reminiscent of bands like Badfinger or The Raspberries. While the track begins the 16-track album, the sound of the music and the lyrics contained within are so universal that you could easily imagine the track as the lead-off single for the release.   The next track of “I Wish I Could Tell You This” slows the pace of the music down while still pushing the storyline forward. The track’s lyrics deal with a mother figure as she looks down on her newborn child and the thoughts that go through her mind. “I Wish I Could Tell You This” is a rather sad tale as the mother reveals her innermost feelings and regrets.   With the very next track on the release, the band produces an answer to the previous song as the child explains to his mother the way he is feeling in the same type of song that reveals the growing worry in his mind. “Your Son” is a letter set to music. Like the previous track, Gerry Dantone and the rest of UniversalDice create a track with a gentle pace to the music that seems to go rather well with the somber tone of the lyrics.   The various tracks that make up the birth, love, hate, death album deal with all different areas of life. With the track “I Like It When They Hate It,” the band deals with how people are perceived as they make choices in their lives. On this track, the band takes their music in the direction of eighties pop-rock. The track has a nearly timeless feel to it as it would have easily fit on Top 40 radio back in the eighties as easily as it would fit on radio today.   With “Better Man,” UniversalDice creates a song that brings to mind the music of someone like The Allman Brothers as the track features Rock and Roll with a bit of a Southern Rock feel to it. The lyrics deal with a man who looks inside himself and decides he can do better. While the slower pace to the track slows things down a little, the song shows a slightly different side to the music from UniversalDice. As the listener puts this album on, they experience all sorts of different aspects to life within the lyrics of the songs that make up the album. Separately, the various songs create a strong release of well-written tracks that make use of the band’s various musical influences. The creation of songs using different sounds from the Classic Rock era of Rock and Roll means that lovers of that style of Rock will find something to enjoy throughout the entire length of the album. And with the lyrics creating a storyline that tie each song together, the album does something that few very albums today can do: entertain the listener while keeping them wanting to listener all the way through the release. For those who enjoy finding albums that entertain while also tell a story, the Rock Opera of UniversalDice’s birth, love, hate, death is one album to add to your music collection.” - Matheson Kamin

The Rock and Roll Report

Band: UniversalDice Members: Singer-songwriter-producer: Gerry Dantone; Bob Barcus: lead guitar; Eddie Canova: bass; and Walt Sargent and Vincent Crici: keyboards   Album: ‘birth, love, hate, death’   Encouraging listeners to re-think what they once took for granted in life, particularly in their personal relationships, is a powerful revelation in rock music. UniversalDice is one such unique band that creates stunningly relatable, melodic and beautifully played and arranged modern and classic rock songs that highlight both the benefits and adversities of family and romantic connections. The group’s latest 16-track album from Infidels Records, which is titled ‘birth, love, hate, death,’ features an ambitious and rich lyrical content that challenges the genre’s norm, as the lyrics makes their fans ponder their meaning within their community.   The songs on ‘birth, love, hate, death’ were all written and produced by UniversalDice’s lead singer, Gerry Dantone, who always naturally crafts relevant and intensely emotionally themes and messages. The record is the second rock opera that was created by the musician, who recalled melodies and qualities that he admires in such bands as the Who, the Beatles, Green Day and the Killers. Dantone has perfected a writing style that’s humanistic, provocative and multi-layered, which is a major highlight on his band’s newest album. The record’s tunes are intriguingly told through the perspectives of a woman named Danielle, as well as several people in her life, including her mother and the man she’s romantically involved with.   The first entry on ‘birth, love, hate, death’ is its captivating introduction, ‘Welcome to the World.’ Set against a classic rock electric guitar, Dantone’s stellar rock vocals and lyrics encourage people to truly examine their life situation, as he hopes everyone can learn to prosper. The song also inspirationally encourages people to embrace the identities they wish to have every day.   ‘Welcome to the World’ then transitions into the album’s sophomore effort, ‘I Wish I Could Tell You This,’ which is told through the perspective of Danielle’s mom. Driven by stunning country-blues guitar riffs, the track highlights how the mother had a challenging home life as a child, which led to her getting pregnant under difficult situations. She admits that since she loves her child so much, she wants to protect her from experiencing the same emotional pain that she has endured. The pain caused by the situation radiates throughout Dantone’s emotional lyrics and vocals.   Another noteworthy tune on on ‘birth, love, hate, death’ is the fourth entry, ‘The Prophet,’ which is told through Danielle’s perspective. As one of the few true hard-rock songs on the record, Dantone’s stunning lyrics are driven by powerful guitar riffs and drum beats. The raw emotions of the production chronicles how Danielle longed for the moment that she could escape her life, especially since her father was forcing her to marry a man that he chose for her. After running away from the situation, she finally feels free, and like she control over her own life.   UniversalDice has also crafted an enthralling track with the album’s sixth tune, ‘Take Me Home,’ which is told through the perspectives of Danielle and the man she’s involved with. The powerful ballad notes how they both so desperately want companionship and safety in life that they’re willing to give up desire to be protected by someone they trust.   The penultimate entry on ‘birth, love, hate, death,’ which is titled ‘One Day at a Time’ and is told from Danielle’s point-of-view, is a poignant ode to the idea that people never want to lose their positive connections. The woman’s painful experiences in life are beginning to subside, as she has finally found solace in wanting to make the person in her life proud of her. Backed by emotional guitar riffs, Dantone sentimentally croons about how Danielle has finally found positive support in life.   Danielle’s stunning transformation concludes in the slow-tempo final song on UniversalDice’s epic rock opera, which is titled ‘Forever.’ Dantone penned captivating lyrics that highlight how the woman has finally proclaimed that she will always have love in her heart, even during the bad days.   Supporting listeners as they re-think what they once took for granted in life, particularly in their personal relationships, is a enthrallingly unique endeavor in rock music.” - Karen Benardello

Shock Ya

There’s a lot of interesting music coming out of the woodwork these days, and UniversalDice is adding to it with this clever “rock opera” album. If you love music that tells a story, are a fan of musicals, and you like bands that have a vintage sound, this album, Birth Love Hate Death, should be on your wishlist or your playlist.   UniversalDice is the brainchild of Gerry Dantone, a talented singer/songwriter/producer. Taking a cue from the classics like The Who’s “Tommy” and Green Day’s “American Idiot,” Dantone and UniversalDice have created a 16-track album that is sure to amaze you.   “Welcome to the World” opens the track, with the representation of birth (in the album title). It’s a moving and upbeat track that kicks things off right. The final song, “Forever,” is about death. In between, you have the rest of the story of life.   The music is vintage, reminiscent of the aforementioned The Who, with some sounds that could only be described as Beatles-esque.   This is a pretty stellar album, with a somewhat unique concept. The songs are well written, and the band is well versed in their instruments. Two-thumbs up!” - Yvonne Glasgow

Sidestage Magazine

UniversalDice   'Birth Love Hate Death' Album Review   UniversalDice, the creative effort of Gerry Dantone, has a rock opera in Birth Love Hate Death. It’s a collection of songs that tell the story of life, and it really commands that you listen to the lyrics. The instrumentation on each song fits the theme, from a lively song about birth to a more mellow—yet beautiful—song representing death (I’ll get into that more in a bit).   As a fan of the “rock opera” genre and musicals alike, I was pretty stoked to learn about this album and get a chance to check it out. In the vein of Green Day’s American Idiot (sans the punk music) and The Who’s Tommy, UniversalDice has their own rock opera that will have you immediately engrossed in the story—the happy bits and even the sad bits.   There are 16 songs on this amazing recording. Each is telling a story. Each giving you emotions, some emotions you may not have felt in a while.   Let’s look a bit deeper at a few of the songs.   “Welcome to the World” is the opening track. According to the press release, this song represents birth. It’s an upbeat track, a great beginning for the album. The vocals really stand out on this song. I love the inspiring lyrics. It all (the entire album) has kind of a vintage rock sound too, which I love.   “My Hands are Tied” is another peppy song. This one made me think of The Beatles in the beginning. It also had a bit of a “That Thing You Do” feel to it. This is a song that will make you want to get up and dance, even though it has kind of a depressing edge to the lyrics. “I might as well not be around.” Oh, and the guitar solo on this one is sweet.   “I Love It When They Hate It” had a Depeche Mode/synthpop sounding intro, if only for a moment. The vocals on this one have more of a rough, grainy (smoker’s voice) feel to them. It’s less peppy, but the guitars seriously sound like The Who. This is kind of a less happy sounding song. It adds some contrast to the songs we’ve looked at so far.   “Better Man” is another track that stood out to me. The vocals, the drums, the guitars—there’s nothing about this track that didn’t please my ears. It’s a mellow rock track that has just a bit of a southern rock/country feel to it.   “Honestly” is probably one of the most beautiful songs on the album. It’s very honest. It definitely touched base on our fears and feelings when we’re in romantic relationships. We just want honesty about what other people want and expect from us, but often we don’t get that.   The last song on the album is titled “Forever,” and it is the representation of death in this musical story of life, from birth to death and everything in between.   I think one of the things that stood out the most to me about this album was the story arc of the songs. You can check it out for yourself on Spotify. I dug the album concept and the talent of the players.” - Brandon Delano/Yvonne Glasgow

Beat

UniversalDice – Birth, Love, Hate, Death Singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, political and philosophical writer and activist, Gerry Dantone, does not follow the proverbial musical crowd…to say the least. In a sonic culture where “the single” is king, the public’s pop sensibilities are led by the dangling carrot known as “the hook”, and a hit song is only a hit for a minute, Gerry has just created and released his SECOND rock opera album.   He and his Long Island, NY-based crew of musical troubadours form the self-contained unit known as, UniversalDice, and currently consist of:  Gerry Dantone (vocals, guitars, programming, producer, mixing, mastering), Bob Barcus (lead guitar, production assistance, website, graphic design), Ed Canova (bass), Walt Sargent (keys), and Vin Crici (keys, production assistance).   “I have a philosophy about lyrics and music. I need to have a reason to write the next song. Each piece needs a reason for existing.” —Gerry Dantone     Together, they’ve forged ahead on previous albums, which include:  2004’s Out of Many, One, 2001’s Mostly True Stories, and their first rock opera, 1999’s My Name is Thomas. All in preparation for their latest effort, the 16-track meg:  Birth, Love, Hate, Death, an epic tale written from the perspective of a Mother, her Son, Danielle (the son’s “damaged” love interest), and Sugar Daddy (Danielle’s pimp); four characters who take the hard road. All in all, it is project designed to have an empowering, consciousness-stirring effect on its listeners.   HERE’S WHAT WE DUG MOST… Opening the production with, Welcome To The World, Dantone & company pull off a light and airy Steve Miller-esque riff as we welcome the characters to the table of life.   Lovely and somber, I Wish I Could Tell You This, plays like a letter from the mom to her son, about all the things kids don’t know—for their own protection. A melding of gentle etheric, electric tones, brightly layered background vocals, and thoughtful writing make it special….   “Then I got pregnant and was called a whore I wish I could tell you this They forced me to have you, then he disappeared I wish I could tell you this Now his shadow is in your eyes, I can’t accept it, I don’t know why Nothing against you, it makes me cry I wish I could tell you this…”   Take Me Home feels like something from Phil Collins as our wounded character, Danielle, finds solace in the equally damaged Son. More of those soothingly etheric electric tones create a melancholy melody in a tale of anxious youth. Be sure to stick around for the solo at 4:51..   “She lit another cigarette I said, Why do you do it? And told her it’s going to be her death She said, well what does it matter? Cause I don’t care how I go, as long as it’s not alone Take me home…”   Our Son sings a sad song of love soured by dark things done in life, in the quick-footed, Danielle, a track which instantly reminded me of The Rembrandts.   Sugar Daddy boasts remorselessly in, I Love It When They Hate It, as an Allman Brothers-like riff plays on.   Now we’re talkin’. The Boy throws a bluesy pitch at Danielle in Better Man. The Dice make a worthy argument, and in doing so, created something the laymen can use in future loving-persuasions.   Man Enough  and I’m No Good for You (OUR FAVORITE TRACK) feel like a pair of dark and substantive John Mayer tracks, as the Boy crashes against the rocky shores of Danielle’s battered past. (Also, No Good… sports a sick acoustic guitar lick.)   Despite its liberating conclusion—which is that love is all that matters in any moment—we’re just not sure if it worked out for the Boy and Danielle in the album’s closer, Forever, another gentle acoustic number with strong classic-rock threads.   IN CONCLUSION… If you’ve ever lived and breathed, there will be a song in this collection that picks apart some portion of your life. The angst is palpable, and makes me appreciate the fact that I survived the love and loss of my own youth! Musically, it is plain to see that these five gentlemen have earned their stripes, as each track succinctly serves the story first and foremost. Vocally, Dantone’s smokey timbre sounds like some derivative of John Mayer and Don Henley, which creates an emotive force once united with his thoughtful lyrics, such as this passage from Honestly, “If this is love, judge what I do, do I make your dreams all come true? Do I make you feel glad that you’re awake?”   All in all, UniversalDice’s latest album, the future rock opera, Birth, Love, Hate, Death, is an impressive and commendable effort which required high levels of both cerebral and intuitive creativity. We wish them all the best in getting the project produced into a full-blown rock-opera.   WHOSE LOVECHILD…? Steve Miller meets John Mayer…   Please support UniversalDice by visiting them online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!” - The Ark of Music

The Ark of Music