Press
November 4th, 2011
"John Common makes sure that he leaves nothing unturned when he writes. He makes naked people. Or, he turns them naked. He disrobes them." -- Daytrotter
-- Daytrotter
August 11th, 2011
This critically acclaimed Colorado native brings significantly more lyrical punch and all-around heft than is normally found in the pop singer/songwriter genre, and -- on his just-released third CD, 'Beautiful Empty' -- he further spreads teh court by giving co-billing status to his finely-tuned chamber pop cohorts (including an accordionist, cellist and female singer_; very pretty stuff.
-- Jim Musser, Music Beat
-- Iowa City Press-Citizen
August 4th, 2011
"Beautiful Empty is Rich with songcraft, smarts, and emotion." - The Courier-Journal
-- The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
July 14th, 2011
from Unveiled Arts
John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light
Thursday, July 14th at 9PM
From the Rocky Mountains, straight to your soul
I've been going through Harry Partch's mind-bending tome Genesis of a Music, and all his talk about corporeality and the voice got me thinking, This must be what makes singer-songwriters so attractive: the directness of delivery and just enough accompaniment to support the voice and words. This is exactly what makes John Common's music so good. Check out "Love is a Shark," from his new album Beautiful Empty: the lyrics are full of honest truth, so bare that you can't help laughing to yourself, Yes, that's exactly how it feels. With his band of four "bad motherfuckers" (sorry Samuel L. Jackson) known as Blinding Flashes of Light, the Colorado musician's two decades of playing music has resulted in a perfectly balanced sound and a delivery so clear and sincere, he makes the most offensive words sound like they came from William Blake himself. This guy knowns what he's doing, even if he doesn't always take the credit he deserves.
— Jacob Sundstrom for Unveiled Arts
-- Unveiled Arts, New York City
July 2nd, 2011
John Common has followed a career route that sounds familiar to devotees of Americana. The singer and songwriter led a cowpunk band in Florida before taking on a corporate gig he abandoned to wander through the country doing odd jobs and making lo-fi recordings on his own. Landing in Denver, he fronted an alt-country group called Rainville that received plenty of local notice. Common's latest project uses a loose Denver collection of musicians called Blinding Flashes of Light, who add cello, accordion and organ to their new full-length release Beautiful Empty. His grainy voice combines with the sweetness of second vocalist Jess DeNicola's controlled soprano, and the result is a thoughtful and carefully textured alt-folk record that examines the terrors of adulthood and busted relationships. Common makes maturity sound like a condition that thrives on the distance between us all — and that may be the point. — Edd Hurt | Editors' Pick | Nashville Scene
-- Nashville Scene
July 1st, 2011
John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light Beautiful Empty — Acoustic album set apart through its orchestral arrangements, soulful vocals.
-- Charlotte, NC Creative Loafing
July 1st, 2011
Dig it:
-- Studio10
May 11th, 2011
"... An acoustic rock masterpiece. Gorgeously harmonized and deftly orchestrated, the album is a perfect 10." -- Sarah Whited
-- Music Connection, Los Angeless
April 13th, 2011
Please click the "read more" link to hear Ryan Warner's interview of John Common. They talk about Beautiful Empty, Side3, Blinding Flashes of Light, songwriting, influences and more!
-- Ryan Warner / Colorado Matters
January 2nd, 2011
BEAUTIFUL EMPTY by JOHN COMMON & BLINDING FLASHES OF LIGHT
Named a Top 20 Album
John has left us with an amazing array of recordings over the past decade, with his alt-country-folk-rock group Rainville to two solo efforts and now this one with Blinding Flashes of Light that not only showcases John’s voice and songs, but the equally compelling and stunning Jess DiNicola as his vocal partner. You can read more about my thoughts here.
-- Colorado Music and Radio
-- Colorado Music and Radio
RED ROCKS
John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light at Red Rocks.
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by John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light. Directed by David Dyster/Umbrella Brigade.
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