It has been said that art is not a product. This statement is seemingly benign in our current times, when everything is being viewed in terms of its physical worth. Deep down, we all understand that art is beyond the physical…and we can be forgiven for losing sight of that from time to time. It’s a cycle that can only be broken by the intuitively creative. Testa Rosa’s second recording, titled “II”, is one of those brave collections of songs that not only touches the listener, but offers them a cleaned lens. “Testa Rosa II” is an arc of eleven songs that lyrically and musically give a parallax view of life, where the universe is explained inside a breath and the pulse of a vein is measured celestially. Recorded throughout 2010 by Beau Sorensen and Shane Hochstetler, “II” is boundless with melodies soaked in Betty Blexrud-Strigens’ vintage pop voice; subtly dramatic and earnest for deep connection. She deftly conveys the emotion each song requires: the wistful pride of opener “Big Girl”, the playful charm of “Cavalier Mystere”, the sunset-tinged defeat of “Last Surf," the anxious regret of “If Only I had Run”, the cautionary defiance of “Black Saltwater Sea”, and the lamenting remorse of “My Sin”. “The White Cobra”, “Moon Rocks”, and “Little Boat” are undeniable epics where the production showcases song craft. All three laden with rich vocal harmonies, which also illuminate the expressive interplay between guitarist Damian Strigens, bassist Paul Hancock, and drummer Bill Backes. Theirs is a strata of musicianship where clouds of instrumentation float effortlessly between the ether of blue skies and the gravity of rock. A telling line is tucked into the song “Moon Rocks” where it is proposed that humans will travel the universe in order to obtain an object they feel is important to store - an artifact. But art will never be a scientific endeavor as long as Testa Rosa is at the helm. "Testa Rosa is an absolute treasure with not one song that lacks in quality or artistic vision." ObscureSound.com "Every once in a while an album comes along that makes one really sit up and take notice... Blindingly beautiful." Jo-Anne Greene - All Music Guide "for anybody looking for a throwback to a time when songwriting mattered...Testa Rosa will send you back there." Peter Lindblad - Goldmine Magazine