Orianthi - Some Kind of Feeling

Orianthi’s Some Kind of Feeling isn’t just a collection of songs; it’s an angsty, prickly, heartfelt, and humour-laced journey through blues, rock, and pop. Each track feels like an episode, a story shaped by atmosphere, tone, rhythm, and style.

She kicks things off with “Attention,” a breakup anthem that blends pop, country, and blues as seamlessly as she bends the strings on her guitar. It’s radio-friendly, but there’s bite beneath the gloss; like shark’s teeth just below the surface. The chorus sticks instantly, but it’s the lyrics that sting: Orianthi sings “Drunk checking on me in the middle of the night” with a snarl that makes it clear she’s done playing nice. Her solo here isn’t just a flourish; it’s a howl for freedom, a primal scream in electric notes. It’s a bold opener, reminiscent of Joanne Shaw Taylor’s “Just No Getting Over You,” and it sets the tone for the emotionally packed tracks that follow.

The title track, “Some Kind of Feeling,” wraps you in a soulful groove like a snug winter jumper woven from blues. There’s a warm R&B glow; more Motown than Stax; and it evokes the spirit of Susan Tedeschi’s “Back to the River.” The rhythm section locks in tight, backing vocals rise like a gospel choir, and the guitar threads through with quiet confidence. It’s not triumphant, but it’s resolved. The lyric “All the ghosts are gone” lands like a sigh of relief, not a shout of victory. This track bridges the emotional weight of the ballads with the swagger that follows.

Then we dive into the album’s emotional core. “What I’ve Been Looking For” and “Ghost” are its beating heart. The former channels Clapton’s laid-back blues from 461 Ocean Boulevard, layered over the dreamy atmospherics of a Pink Floyd record. When the solo arrives, Orianthi plays with such aching precision it feels like heartbreak in motion. “Ghost” deepens the spiritual tone that runs through the album. Her voice teeters on the edge of breaking, while the backing vocals reach out like a hand pulling her back to her feet. Her guitar becomes a confidant, questioning, consoling, cajoling. These two tracks are heavy with feeling, but never overwrought. The band holds the emotional weight with grace, and the production; Kevin Shirley on “What I’ve Been Looking For,” Orianthi herself on “Ghost;” lets the songs breathe, keeping the emotion front and centre without drowning them in studio gloss.

Between these two comes a genre-flipped cover of ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man.” Orianthi struts through it with playful swagger, and you can practically hear the grins in the studio. It’s a fun detour, a wink to tradition with a twist of personality.

She brings out the big guns for “First Time Blues,” featuring Joe Bonamassa. It’s a volcanic eruption of guitar, with Orianthi’s fiery style sparring against Bonamassa’s classic blues phrasing. They meet head-on, complementing each other in a fast-fingered display of pyrotechnics. “Dark Days Are Gone” follows with effect-heavy guitar and an upbeat tempo; a celebration of resilience and stepping back into the light.

“Bad For Each Other” and “Call You Mine” explore love from opposite ends. The former is a slow, sultry groove with down-and-dirty blues guitar. Orianthi’s vocals drip with subtle sexiness, and the lyrics hint at romantic abandon; a near-nihilistic surrender to desire. “Call You Mine” flips the mood. It’s sweet, laid-back, and tinged with Nashville warmth, shifting toward country-rock. Both tracks explore complicated love, but from quite different emotional angles.

The acoustic “Heaven Right Here” closes the album with quiet introspection. It’s intimate and unadorned; no guitar heroics, just a clear message: keep looking, and love will find you. It’s a gentle exhale after the emotional highs and lows.

Some Kind of Feeling is Orianthi’s most emotionally cohesive work to date. It doesn’t just highlight her guitar chops; it reveals her emotional depth. She links songs not by genre, but by feeling from anger to sorrow, longing to joy. Her guitar doesn’t dominate; it converses, shadowing her vocals and adding shade. This is an album that lingers, one you’ll return to again and again. Each listen reveals new layers, making it more compelling with every spin. It’s not just music; it’s a mood.