“Official Critic's” Review
Blending contemporary rock and classic R&B and blues influences in her single “Sound of My Heartache,” singer Trina Aitken has fashioned a fresh take on the bitter taste of love run out. She wails to a lover who’s not there, “I’m alone in the dark cause you turned out the light, the sound of my heartache keeps me up all night.”
Dynamic guitar, bass, organ, and drum work from Aitken’s capable band buoy her ultra soulful, angst-driven vocals. Guitarist/producer Ron Bosse builds his uncluttered track on guitar stylings ranging from a sitar-like guitar intro to subtle chordal accompaniments to haunting bent-note lines. Bassist Fernando Huergo and drummer Mike Stavitz lay down a solid, bluesy 12/8 groove throughout. Keyboardist John Cooke makes his dramatic appearance at the emotional peak of the bridge, ratcheting up the feeling of despair in the dark with simmering Hammond organ swells.
Aitken’s voice is the real story here though. While her influences range from Joni Mitchell to Aretha Franklin to KT Tunstall, she channels Aretha here with a deep soul cry in such lines as, “There’s a monster inside you, you tore my heart out and left me for dead.”
While heartbreak is the song’s focus, there is a ray of hope at the end. For the coda, the tune shifts from its minor-key tonality to a vamp in the relative major key. And Aitken’s voice softens, adopting an airy tone of resignation, hinting that despite our anxious nights, the sun inevitably rises again. Aitken is an artist to watch. Look for the release of her full album in April.
—Mark Small, Editor- Berklee Today Magazine
"Part Rock, Part Soul, Aitken's (Songs) are a sophisticated blend of carefully crafted instrumentation and searing, heartfelt vocals."
—Julie Faye, The Patriot Ledger
