Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive were two of my most recent favorite albums. One day YouTube said to me, it said, “Erick, peep this Mario DiSanto guy out.” So I clicked on the thumbnail which I presumed was just some bro making music in his room the same way I used to. Ok, whatever it’s worth a click. I didn’t expect to be hooked into the beautiful sounds of Garage Rock. Ahh yesssss, my favorite! You can smell the vintage coming from that room. The imperfect sound of an amp someone had just thrown away was like treasure to a kid with a cheap silvertone guitar. And I wanted to hear more.
So, I emailed the guy, and I said, “Hey, I dig your music, I’d like to photograph you in your natural element.” Mario, kindly responding, “Do you have a film camera?” To which I say, “Film? Oh, no. I have a digital camera.” That’s where the conversation ended. You see, Mario is a man married to a time period where he respects those vintage things that have been long forgotten through time and the evolution of technology. DiSanto wanted to remain genuine to his vision. Digital Photos???!! Nah, he probably wanted the real deal film camera where I would have to find the local Kodak photo processing center, hand them over my analog roll, and wait an hour. I wouldn’t be surprised if he expected me to develop my own film in my own dark room. That’s how focused he is with his music.
Anyway, DiSanto released a new album titled Distorted Proportions, and it is a fantastic album to listen to. How to describe it? Does anyone remember black and white TV shows like The Munsters or The Addams Family? Let’s start by saying this album is what I would imagine the cool kids in that universe would be listening to. At some point (in that hypothetical TV universe) Distorted Proportions was put on an 8-track tape, stored in a cardboard box in someones attic, rediscovered after 58 years, digitized, then uploaded to YouTube where it now finds a brand new audience in 2023. Again, a man married to a time period where people would drag race off of Clifton’s Peak, roll ciggie packs in their sleeves, tattoo shit like “The Wanderers” on their arms, and have clinical anxiety!
I’m not going to lie, it’s a time travel album. Almost like Mario captured the natural sounds of the 50’s and 60’s and placed it in the background of his album. Listen closely and you can hear influences of Elton John, some Jack White, The Flat Duo Jets, Spirit, James Brown ( Funky Drummer), and anything with Surfer Music vibes too.
DiSanto takes you on a journey with him on this one. A journey where it was all about the music. This album becoming a favorite for me and I am sure for many others who give it a listen. Give it a dollar and give it a pet. It’ll bite you in the neck.
