NYC-based singer-songwriter and pianist Craig Greenberg introduces his new EP, Between the Sea and the Sky, which follows on the heels of his recent long player, Phantom Life.
Since beginning his musical career playing in bars in Chile and Spain in the ‘000s, Greenberg has performed more than 1000 shows and received praise from elite media outlets, along with national and international airplay.
In 2021, his song “Oh Caroline” placed in the semifinals of the International Song Competition. Greenberg has performed everywhere from Lincoln Center in New York to Israel and Cambodia, sharing the stage with musicians such as Jackson Browne, Chris Barron (Spin Doctors), Jane Wiedlin (The Go-Go’s), Louise Goffin, and Jerry Joseph.
Encompassing five tracks, Between the Sea and the Sky begins with “Going Back to the Start,” opening on a dramatic piano flowing into a compelling piano-rock melody vaguely reminiscent of Billy Joel. Greenberg’s evocative voice imbues the lyrics with inspiring savors.
According to Greenberg, “Going Back to the Start” is “about the desire of wanting to return to an earlier time when life seemed only full of possibilities and potential.”
Highlights include “Quarantine Queen,” probably the best track on the EP because of its alluring harmonic flow, glowing harmonies, and Greenberg’s lusciously drawling timbres, infusing the lyrics with lively flavors.
Written during lockdown, Greenberg explains, “It was a lonely time for me, and to keep myself from losing it, I wrote a song about my vision of a dream girl to spend the lockdown with.”
The title track ties the EP off with style, traveling on a sparkling, rolling piano topped by Greenberg’s velvety, passionate tones. The syncopated rhythm gives the tune a tight, alluring cadence, while radiant harmonies add depth and dimension.
Talking about the song, Greenberg shares, “This song is the most conceptual of the album–it’s about arriving at (gulp!) ‘middle-age,’ and looking back on where you’ve come from and what you’ve accomplished in life, and realizing that you actually have so much more you want to achieve – that you’re really still at the beginning (or the end of the beginning). The ‘sea’ here represents the beginning of life, and the ‘sky,’ the end, and the instrumental breakdown is supposed to give the sense of flight.”
Brimming with retro aromas suggestive of Billy Joel and Randy Newman, Between the Sea and the Sky is at once nostalgic and captivating.
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