We’ve written a lot about Bruce Sudano over the years and for good reason. He’s got a record as long as your arm (and then some), having worked with the likes of Tommy James, Alive N Kickin’ and Brooklyn Dreams, as well as writing hit songs for his wife Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, and Dolly Parton. He’s also the founder of the Purple Heart Recording Company. All this might make you think Bruce Sudano is a serious man, and that’s certainly the case when he’s composing with a guitar in his hand, committed to the quest for the perfect melody, the sharpest hook, and the most expressive lyric. But he’s also quite playful, and that’s always ebbing not too far from the surface. He dons a Superman persona in his videos, such as for his clip for, ‘It Don’t Take Much (Because I Do)’, which also introduced the world to Honey the Cat, one of his very best friends in the whole world. Honey returns in the animated clip for Sudano’s latest single, ‘Fatal Love’, and she leaves the viewer in no doubt as to who it is running the show.
‘Fatal Love’ serves as a testament to the all-consuming power of romance, and explores the dangers of opening your heart. Nonetheless despite the seriousness of the subject matter, Sudano sings and plays it so sweetly, with such an understated arrangement, that it doesn’t feel like a warning. The more it unfolds, and the lovelier it becomes. The intricate production values allow the listener to get lost in a guitar line or a subtle countermelody: all proof that the song has been written and performed by a master.
Fans will by now know what to expect from director Elliot Mason, with his distinctive, irreverent animation style, that uses cut-outs, marionette-like human figures, bright primary colors, and lots of motion and activity. Everything is endlessly watchable and eminently re-playable, and it’s become as much a signature style for a Bruce Sudano song as the music itself. Mason and Sudano make references to The Godfather, James Bond, and The Traveling Wilburys, bringing in cut-outs of the band to keep everything upbeat. And then there’s Honey, somehow managing to look adorable while she drives a tank, peppering lovers with hearts shot out of a cannon, making glorious mischief.
Check out the video for ‘Fatal Love’ below, and find out more about Bruce Sudano and his music online on his official website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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