Chris Leigh & The Broken Hearts - Broken Hearted Friends

Chris Leigh & The Broken Hearts – Broken Hearted Friends
2013, Blue River

Chris Leigh was born and raised in Kentucky, the eighth of ten children in a devout religious family.  As a teenager Leigh broke the mold, hitch-hiking to California to try and make it in the music business.  Returning home to Kentucky several years later, Leigh settled down to family life and a 9-5 job.  After eighteen years Leigh’s marriage came to an end, and he picked up his guitar again to try and make sense of it all.  What started out as therapeutic has become cathartic, with Leigh diving back into the music world with some of the edgiest classic-country music being made today.  Chris Leigh’s debut album, Broken Hearted Friends, is ready to take the country music world by storm.

Leigh kicks things off with the title track, an amusing piece of tragic-comedy about heartbreak turning into camaraderie.  Leigh manages to create a bit of classic sounding country with a rock and roll flavor that’s very appealing.  “Broken Hearted Friends” feels like an instant hit.  “Like I Love You Forever” is an optimistic love song that wastes no time getting to the point.  The chorus plays more like a bridge in this anachronistic little tune, but Leigh catches and holds the listener’s attention with an original style and a catchy backbeat.  Leigh plumbs the depths of country heartache on “If You Make It to Heaven”, with the caricature of a man struggling with issues of loneliness and faith.  It’s a well-written tune that’s more about the human condition than about any particular religion, and offers keen insight into the struggle to find happiness.

“Ramblin’ Man” finds Leigh telling a cautionary tale about life on the road and temporary liaisons.  One particular liaison with a southern belle turns into a nightmare for the protagonist here, and Leigh soups up the experience with a breakneck arrangement that you simply can’t sit still through.  “Heartache and Misery” bemoans a man’s tendency to fall into relationships with no future; a classic country tale of romantic woe set to a killer arrangement.  The guitar licks here are so sharp they are dangerous, culled as they are from the Chet Atkins school of guitar.  Honky-tonk piano takes the lead on “Who’s That”, a diatribe on his sweetie finding a new Facebook friend.  Leigh brings country music thematically into the digital age with a classic arrangement that’s as tight as can be. 

“Money” explores material wealth as a relationship with a flighty partner, as bad decisions lead to expected results.  Everyone but the narrator can the inevitability of the outcome in this story song, flipping the tragic with the nearly comic.  “Here We Go Again” is a kiss off song based on a partner’s tendency to hook up his friends.  No matter how many times it happens he keeps taking her back, only to be surprised when she strays again.  The guitar work here is excellent, as Leigh crafts a near-perfect 2 ½ minute piece of old-school country-pop.  “The Ballad of Bobbie Sue” is a languorous lament, clocking in at 5:39.  Heartbreak is the central theme here, with her heartbreak become his with time.  Leigh closes with the rockabilly strains of “Whiskey River”, which is a thematic cousin of the Willie Nelson song of the same name.  The tune is as catchy as you can ask for, with a chorus that will stick in your head for days.

Chris Leigh & The Broken Hearts mine a classic country sound with well-written songs and an enigmatic lead vocal style that will sit well with modern country radio while also pleasing fans of traditional country.  It’s hard to imagine CMT and other major outlets not catching on to Leigh’s sound and making him a star, but stranger things have happened in the music business.  If the sound on Broken Hearted Friends is any indication, you need to catch Leigh’s act live if he comes to your town.  Elements of Garth Brooks, Hank Williams Jr. and Luther Wright blend here to make what should be a knock-out live performance.  As it is, you’ll be playing Broken Hearted Friends again and again.

Rating:  4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.chrisleighmusic.com. 

Lisa Matassa - Somebody's Baby

Lisa Matassa - Somebody's Baby
2012, It Is What It Is Records

Lisa Matassa’s voice might ring a faint bell if you were a fan of dance pop back in the late 1980’s.  Signed soon after she graduated from high school by Emergency Records, Matassa had two top-ten dance singles under the name Lisa Lynn.  Matassa quickly gravitated toward original rock and roll, but her label went out of business and Matassa settled into life.  Still, she fronted a club band on Long Island for 20 years, and in 2010 found here way to Nashville with childhood friend and producer Joey Sykes.  The EP resulting from those sessions, Me Time, blended country, pop and classic southern rock.  Matassa continues that sound on her latest effort, Somebody’s Baby.

Matassa kicks things off with the powerful country/rock of "Somebody's Baby", a message of love from mother to daughter. This is a powerful tune with a kicking arrangement that will have your toes tapping. The momentum carries through to "Wouldn't You Like To Know", a paean to the secret conversations between women out at a bar on a Saturday night. Matassa's playful vocal and the rebellious rock and roll arrangement are a joyous match.

"Girl With A Rock N Roll Heart" finds Matassa recalling her youth and over the top tendencies. This is a feel good song about being yourself and chasing your dreams, and it’s incredibly catchy mix of classic rock and country has serious crossover potential. "Learning As You Grow" is a sweet song written from mother to child that's not so much apologetic as it is realistic about trying to good parent. Matassa's cover of Bryan Adams' "Heaven" is reverent to the original, but adds an orchestral country aspect that seems fitting.

Even more impressive is Matassa's cover of "I Will Always Love You", combining the sweet vulnerability of Dolly Parton's original with some of the soul and strength of the Whitney Houston cover. Matassa winds down with a solid rendition of "The Christmas Song" just in time for the holiday season. The song has a classic sound as interpreted here, and Matassa makes it hers without making it over.

Lisa Matassa has a voice that can croon a classic or belt out a rock and roll anthem. She's like a female Garth Brooks, part country star and part rock n roll queen. Somebody's Baby has it all: Bombast, sweetness, grit and heart. Not to mention a voice that will leave you begin for more. Welcome to the world Lisa Matassa. Country music has been pining for a voice like yours.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (out of 5)

Learn more at www.lisamatassa.com.

Lady Antebellum - Own The Night

Lady Antebellum - Own The Night
2011, Capitol Records Nashville

Multi-platinum recording artists Lady Antebellum suffer an identity crisis on their latest album, Own The Night, vacillating wildly between 1980's pop and thinly veiled 1980's pop thinly veiled as country music. The blend largely explains Lady Antebellum's popularity, as many of today's pop/country fans were Garth Brooks converts from the 1980's rock and roll they grew up on. Not there is anything wrong with any of these styles, but Lady Antebellum's latest plays more like a closely surveyed, market-designed product than an album of original art.

Things start out well with "We Owned The Night". The 1980's pop theme is definitely here, but it's accompanied by a memorable chorus and a great melody. Even "Just A Kiss" satisfies as the sort of love song you might have heard at a junior high dance circa 1985. Unfortunately, Lady Antebellum slip on their own formula and fall into the soup for much of the rest of the album, playing sounds and styles certain to register high for pop and country radio programmers, and forgetting the passion and energy that have made such stars so far.

It would be easy to blame this one on the greedy record labels. It would be entirely in character for a label to push an already uber-successful band to alter their sound to maximize the profit potential of an album, but it's a shame to hear a band with real talent give in so whole-heartedly to the corporate shuffle. There are moments here when Lady Antebellum shines like the sun, particularly on the track "Love I've Found In You", but there's an overarching feeling of cliché to Own The Night that's impossible to ignore.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.ladyantebellum.com or www.myspace.com/ladyantebellum. 

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Jody Lee Petty - Done My Time

Jody Lee Petty – Done My Time
2011, Jody Lee Petty

If you knew Jody Lee Petty as a child, you’d never guess he would turn into a country singer on the cusp of stardom; a star athlete, perhaps, but never a singer.  Petty’s childhood revolved around sports.  He eventually starred in basketball at Lenoir-Rhyne College; leading the nation in free-throw percentage his senior year.  After college, Petty went on to spend eight years on the professional beach volleyball circuit.  Next came modeling, when Petty was spotted by a talent scout in Miami.  This career led him to music, through appearances in several music videos, including LeAnn Rimes’ “Something’s Gotta Give.”  These days, Jody Petty is making his own music videos, in support of his dazzling new EP, Done My Time.

Jody Lee Petty gets things started with a sweet bit of modern country with classic embellishments in the form of "Country Song And A Bible Verse."  There's an authenticity here that's surprising, and a melody that practically sings itself to you.  Petty shows some of the same charisma that made Garth Brooks a superstar, and creates a commercial country number with big hit potential without managing to sound like a mass-produced pop/country maven.  "Done My Time" is a big time rocker in country clothing.  It's a great tune, but you can hear the heavy rock arrangement that wants to explode out of this number if you listen closely.  There's a dark, outlaw feel to the number, but a genteel aspect that is counterintuitive and intriguing.

If the right radio programmer ever gets hold of "I’ve Done My Time," Jody Lee Petty is going to be a massive superstar.  This tune will not get out of your head, and forget keeping your feet still.  Petty's blend of southern-fried rock is infectious, and features some of the best honky-tonk piano you'll hear in 2011.  What a horse meant to a cowboy in the olden days is now the province of his pick-up.  Petty gets to the point on "This Ole Truck," a love song to Detroit's greatest export.  It's a solid tune; a country ballad in form and function. 

"Shotgun" uses wordplay and a winking sense of humor to explore how an innocent summer tryst turns into a lifetime.  The title itself is a fond remembrance from a country boy that commemorates different points in his life in different ways.  This song is a charmer that will get under your skin with its blend of heart and humor.  Petty shows off his rock intentions, once again dressed in country style, with the upbeat anthem "Rockin' On The River".  Elements of Queen, The Doobie Brothers and Garth Brooks come together in unique fashion for a memorable summer hit-in-waiting. 

It's impossible to walk away from Done My Time and not be impressed with Jody Lee Petty.  His voice is classic country, and Petty shows a talent for writing country numbers with distinct pop sensibility and a secret rock n roll pedigree that doesn't quit.  Petty looks and sounds like a rock star in country clothing, and it wouldn't be surprising to look up one of these days and see his name at or near the top of the Billboard Country charts.  Songs such as "Country Song And A Bible Verse" and "I’ve Done My Time" have gold record written all over them, and there isn't a weak song in the bunch.  With Done My Time, Jody Lee Petty proves it's possible to write honest country music with massive commercial appeal.  With the right breaks, Petty will be rocking the country airwaves for years to come.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Jody Lee Petty at www.myspace.com/jodyleepetty.  Done My Time is a forthcoming release.  Keep checking Petty’s website for updates.

Eric Church - Chief

Eric Church - Chief
2011, EMI Records Nashville

Three full length albums into his career and Eric Church already has several top-20 singles to his name, a gold album, and a new album, Chief, that has already hit #1 on the US Album Charts and US Country charts.  Church almost gave up music at one point, encouraged by the father of a fiancée to take a job in the corporate world.  In the end, Church spurned the boardroom, and romance, and headed to Nashville.  Now on top of the country world with Chief, Church wouldn't have it any other way.

Chief opens with "Creeping", a dark and entertaining outlaw country tune with pure rock attitude.  The song is as catchy as anything you've heard on CMT in a long time, and features a muscular guitar-based sound that's ready to cross over to rock stations as well.  "Drink In My Hand" is a modern take on the old adage that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach.  This one is destined to be a bar/party favorite, and seems a likely candidate to storm up the country charts if released as a single.  "Keep On" sticks with the catchy outlaw country motif, with an arrangement that sounds like borrows heavily from Garth Brooks' "Rodeo".  Church shows his softer side with the third-person love ballad "Like Jesus Does", employing a 1960's-style pop/country sound that works surprisingly well.  The songwriting here is crisp and clean, and Church hits you with a sweet melody that rolls over you like water.

"Homeboy" is an attempt by the brother who stayed behind to reach out to a prodigal son who left home under a veil of acrimony and violence.  It's a classic tale told in the lingo of the day, and shows a surprising depth that one might not guess from some of Church's darker, more rock-oriented numbers.  "Country Music Jesus" is a call for revival in country music.  Elements of rock, country and gospel blend here in a lighthearted and infectious tune you'll be humming for days.  Church pays fealty to his betters on "Jack Daniels", citing one opponent who always leaves him worse for the wear.  "Springsteen" is a song of remembrance of teenage summer nights and young love.  Melodies are the focal point that brings it all back, in this case the melodies of Springsteen's 1980's pop radio heyday.  Church explores the emotions of finding your ex is engaged in the angry-yet-infectious "I'm Getting Stoned".  Church's arrangement is angry, roiling rock and roll, and is laced with lyrics full of dark humor and bile.  Chief leaves the stage with the enigmatic and curt ending of "Over When It's Over", a matter of fact post-mortem that deals more with the facts than post-relationship analysis.  The rather abrupt ending to the song will leave some listeners hanging and waiting for a full resolution, but you'll have to wait for the next album to hear more.

Not since Garth Brooks has one artist so completely mixed an appreciation and respect for country music with distinctive pop sensibility and rock and roll attitude.  Chief reaches across the boundaries of country and rock and roll, crumples them into a scraggly ball and tosses them aside.  Eric Church goes where he wants, evoking dark thoughts, honest, confused emotions and a sense that life is lived in the honest margins of human imperfection.  Chief is a smashing success, due all the commercial success is it currently experiencing.  Don't miss this one.  Chief is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Eric Church at www.ericchurch.com or www.myspace.com/ericchurch.  Chief is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download, and is also available via iTunes.

Mike McCarroll – Honky Tonk Dreams

Mike McCarroll – Honky Tonk Dreams
2010, Mike McCarroll Productions

Mike McCarroll was indoctrinated into music at an early age, dancing around the kitchen with his mom to Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” and “All Shook Up” as a toddler.  It wasn’t until enlisting in the army during the Vietnam War that McCarroll picked up a guitar and began to have a sense he could create music.  In the 1960’s and 1970’s it was rock n roll that lit McCarroll’s lamp.  By the late 1970’s McCarroll had made the jump to southern rock, and in the 1980’s was reborn of country music.  The birth of the alternative country movement awoke something in McCarroll that had been there all along.  He began to write country/rock tunes for his own enjoyment, and by 2008 he had released his debut album, the critically acclaimed At The Crossroads.  McCarroll returned in 2010 with Honky Tonk Dreams, refining his outlaw country sound and putting appealing distance between himself and the commercial country pack.

Honky Tonk Dreams opens with “Cash Crop”, a low key southern country-rock tune that explores the difficulties faced by small time farmers and the lengths they must at times go through to survive.  The farm’s new lifeblood grows in line between the rows of corn.  McCarroll sounds like a cross between Paul Gross (Due South, Men With Brooms) and Garth Brooks on “The Devil In The Mirror” while exploring the dark, unknown side of human nature.  “Honky Tonk Dream” finds McCarroll channeling the spirit of Jerry Reed in a good-time tune that looks forward to the weekend as a way to get through the week.  “I Had It All” is a song of heartbreak, lamenting a love lost and the fact that he let her slip away. 

“If The Devil Brought You Roses” is a stellar mix of country, rock and blues.  McCarroll, in character as a less-than-ideal man, asks for another chance, or at least one more roll in the hay.  This mid-tempo creation is as catchy as anything you’ll hear on country radio, but the level of personality and commitment in the performance offered here is striking.  This song will stick with you.  “It’s All About You” is a kiss off, country style.  The title takes on a double meaning in a tongue-in-cheek turns that’s highly entertaining and fun.  “Merle Haggard Jack Daniels & Me” is all about drinking, classic country music and the sort of brotherly commiseration that can only occur at your neighborhood bar.

McCarroll stands up for Indie artists everywhere on “Pop-Style Cookie-Cutter Formula”, informing pop/country music executives what they can do with the songs they want him to play.  The honky-tonk arrangement is laced with the rebellious feel of early rock n roll.  “Southern Pride” is an ode to southern rock and some of its greatest purveyors.  McCarroll takes another shot at the music industry here, lamenting labels’ determination to essentially ignore a market for which there is still significant interest.  Along the way McCarroll references some of his own influences, including The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Charlie Daniels Band, the Atlantic Rhythm Section and the Charlie Daniels Band.  “Waitin’” is a bit of light-heard, mid-tempo country fun.  “Waitin’ On The Whiskey To Work” takes a slightly darker turn about drowning your sorrows.  This isn’t a light drinking tune; it’s a serious, all hands on deck get drunk and forget song.  “What You Gonna Do” finds McCarroll back in the honky-tonk, leaning dangerously close to early rock n roll with a musical blend with elements of Garth Brooks, Hank Jr. and Jerry Lee Lewis.  This is a potential country hit, being the most commercial tune on the album without the air of trying to be.

Mike McCarroll takes a lifetime of musical influences and channels it through his own quintessence to create a sound that is simultaneously modern and classic.  Picking up the mantle from gentlemen such as Hank Williams Jr. and Garth Brooks, Mike McCarroll does his own thing, his way.  McCarroll has a way of blending intelligent lyrics, the irreverent spirit of rock and roll and first class musicianship into songs that are eminently listenable and call you back again and again.  McCarroll’s attitude toward the pop/country ways of Nashville virtually assures that Honky Tonk Dreams probably won’t get the airplay or national attention it deserves, but is a fine example of the sort of great music that happens on the fringes of Nashville once the bills have been paid.  Honky Tonk Dreams is one of the finest country albums to surface in 2010.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5) 

Learn more about Mike McCarroll at www.mikemccarroll.com.  Honky Tonk Dreams is available as a Honky Tonk Dreams or Honky Tonk Dreams from Amazon.com.  Digital versions are also available via iTunes.

Kasey Lansdale – Never Say Never

Kasey Lansdale – Never Say Never
2010, Kasey Lansdale

Kasey Lansdale is a little Texas gal with big dreams.  At the age of 23 she already writes songs for one of the largest Music Row song factories, tours the world and is on the verge of dropping her third EP, Never Say Never.  Lansdale has the looks and voice to make it in Nashville and beyond, but also has brains galore.  A published writer, Lansdale wrote a story at the tender age of eight that is currently being shopped as a Hollywood screenplay.  Music is the force that turns Lansdale’s world however, and with Never Say Never she’s elevated her game to a level that tends to garner national or even international attention.

Never Say Never opens with “Half As Much”, a mature and literate kiss-off song that’s full of the sorrow of a classic country heartbreaker, but takes the type of positive turn that Garth Brooks was known for.  “Why Can’t I” rues her inability to just wall off her emotions for a former love when he has simply walked away like nothing has ever happened.  “Just Another Guy” is an uncomfortable blend of 1970’s pop and country.  This song simply doesn’t work well, although Lansdale’s voice saves it from being a total washout.  Lansdale is inspired by Bonnie Raitt on the title track.  “Never Say Never” explores the idea of romantic returns, justifying them at times and even allowing that sometimes we just can’t help ourselves.  “Hard To Be A Lady” is the best overall track on the album, and the one most likely to land Lansdale on the country charts.  The concept is a classic one, that a particular man is so irresistible that it makes it hard for her to behave.  Lansdale owns this one as if she’s in the middle of the emotional/hormonal tornado the song implies.

Kasey Lansdale isn’t just a vocalist, she’s a performer.  Never Say Never confirms Lansdale’s place among some of the bright young stars in country music.  The EP should, in a perfect world, land Lansdale on the charts and in the hearts of country music fans everywhere. 

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Kasey Lansdale at www.kaseylansdale.com or www.myspace.com/kaseylansdale.  Never Say Never should see the light of day in early 2011.  Keep checking Kasey Lansdale's website for availability.

Christine Marie - Christine Marie [EP]

Christine Marie - Christine Marie [EP]

2009, Christine Marie

Christine Marie is a California girl with southern intentions.  A singer/songwriter not yet out of her teens, Christine Marie is already a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International and BMI, and is planning to move to Nashville as she starts college in 2011.  In 2009, Christine Marie released her self-titled debut EP, a 3-song collection of pop country inspired by the likes of Garth Brooks, Leanne Rimes and Keith Urban. 

Christine Marie opens with delicious pop/country of "Boy Behind The Radio", tracking the dreams of a young girl with a crush on a singer making her own dreams come true by becoming the girl behind the radio and someday meeting the voice.  Incredibly catchy, Christine Marie works the song for all its worth.  The song is universally appealing as there isn't a person out there who hasn't entertained a similar dream at least once in their life.  "Let's Do Somethin' About It" comes from the same country/pop lineage.  Christine Marie offers up a dynamic vocal performance, singing lead and harmony vocals on the EP.  There's a bit of a Jackson Browne-meets-Shania Twain aesthetic here that's hard to ignore.  Christine Marie closes with "It Starts Today", a musical resolution to go out and grab life by the horns and take what the world has to offer.  Once again a highly catchy turn, all the more appealing as the song (and the rest of the EP) hasn't been glossed over with the sort of high production values that steal life from the music. 

There's so much to consider in thoughts of who will "make it" and who will not.  Who you know and luck are big components of bridging the gap between being great and being famous, and such things cannot be predicted.  From a talent standpoint, from voice to sound to affability, Christine Marie displays the tools it takes to become a household name.  The songs offers on Christine Marie are catchy and accessible, with the sort of energy that tends to light up the request lines at country radio.  It might not happen right now, but don't be surprised if Christine Marie makes it big someday.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Christine Marie at http://www.christinemariesings.com/ or www.myspace.com/christinemariesings.  Christine Marie is available digitally through Amazon.com and iTunes.

Susan Hickman - Susan Hickman

Susan Hickman - Susan Hickman
2010, 4 L Clover Entertainment

Susan Hickman might just be in the right place at the right time. The 25-year old Houston native has honed an explosive live show over the past few years, mixing rock and country in a vibrant fashion that seems to appeal to fans of both. Not since Garth Brooks has an artist so completely brought rock n roll energy to country music. The proof is in the pudding, as it were: Susan Hickman's self-titled debut album drops July 20, 2010, and is poised to break through the walls of commercial country radio as one of the hottest Indie debuts of the year.

Hickman gets things started with "Wrapped Up In Me", a classic-sounding country come-one song; a great tune with big pop sensibilities and a down-home flavor. Hickman can sing with the roar of Janis Joplin or the sweet sound of Miranda Lambert, changing speeds at the drop of a hat. The only real misstep on the entire album is the second track, "RED" a song about the anger of a relationship's third wheel. Hickman sounds overwrought here to the point of shrillness, belting her way through a song that just isn't up to the level of the rest of the material on Susan Hickman. "Hell Still Ain't Frozen Over Yet" is the first single from the album, a solid country song of heartbreak.

"Sunday Paper" is bound to be an anthem for ladies' night; a "get lost" tune that's a lot of fun. Hickman goes for the big meaning on "One Of Those Who Make It Up There", a song about the large impact small actions can sometimes have. The song vacillates between the benefits to others and the benefits to self of doing good works for others ("And who knows if the one you're helpin' just might be the one who's keepin' score"). "You Just Missed This Train" is bound to be another ladies' night anthem, and seems the sort of tune that could break hard into the Top-40 charts with the right push with its mix of humor, confidence and sex appeal.

"Friday At The Latest" tackles getting over a lost love with an age-old methodology: procrastination. It's a cute number done up for dancing at the local honky-tonk; a great listen. Hickman ventures into the quasi-spiritual realm again with "Wounded Heart", a song about heartbreak and angels. It's a sweet message wrapped up in a pleasant melody that's worth a listen or two. "Do Me A Miracle" is pure schmaltzy love song, a down moment that leads into Hickman's vibrant cover of Gregg Allman's "Whipping Post". Don't let the fiddles fool you, Hickman goes all rock n roll here while infusing the song with all of the pathos of the original.

Hickman's lead single, "Hell Still Ain't Frozen Over Yet" is a solid introduction, but after hearing the rest of the album you'll wonder who made the decision about which song to lead with. There are at least three other songs on Susan Hickman with solid Top-40 Country credentials; two with the potential to be major hits. Susan Hickman is the sort of an album that not only establishes an artist but turns her into a star. Between this and her live show, Hickman could be on the verge of the sort of meteoric rise that every artist dreams of.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Susan Hickman at http://www.susanhickman.com/ or www.myspace.com/susanhickman.  Susan Hickman drops on CD on July 20, 2010, but digital copies are already available through Amazon.com and iTunes.

Review: Earl J. Rivard - Underground Railroad

Earl J. Rivard - Underground Railroad
2010, Earl J. Rivard

Earl J. Rivard, III has built a life by making the most of his gifts and not allowing roadblocks to stop him from achieving his dreams. The Almeda, California resident has become a top-notch, highly courted performer in California in spite of being blinded and partially paralyzed as an infant by a drunk driver. Nevertheless, Rivard showed a musical proclivity from the age of three. His father, Earl J. Rivard, Jr. took his son under his wing, playing with Earl III until it became clear that Earl III had blossomed. Singing in a wonderfully soulful voice in English, Spanish and Italian, Rivard breaks down barriers for others as easily as he has for himself. Whether singing rock n roll, soul or troubadour folk, Rivard commands attention. Rivard will soon release his sophomore album, Underground Railroad, a stunning testament to perseverance.

Underground Railroad opens with the title track, a soulful and politically charged missive in song taking American immigration policy to task. Rivard calls for the creation of an underground network to help those crossing from Mexico into the US to circumvent US policy, singing passionately and with conviction. “Underground Railroad” perhaps ignores the fact that such networks already exist and continuously do battle with the limits that are in place. Musically, the song is well written, and for a passion perspective it’s convincing, but the inattention to detail makes the song less compelling. “Till I Met You” is a heartfelt but languid ballad that is pretty but lacking a bit in energy. Rivard shows two distinct sides here: In his upper range he could almost pass for a soulful Garth Brooks, but in his lower range he sounds a great deal like Taye Diggs.

“Coldest Place” is a sorrowful ballad that confirms Rivard’s weakness. The man has an amazing voice, but on the more lyric vocal parts he tends at times to lose the energy that sustains such songs, particularly on long, slow passages. “The Sun Finally Rose” finds Rivard turning the corner with a jubilant celebration of finding love after heartache. Delivered as a pop/Americana tune, “The Sun Finally Rose” is great musical poetry. On “Nobody Knows”, Rivard offers a theatrical presentation of a song about a runaway. You’ll swear this song must have come from some obscure but promising off-Broadway musical, and Rivard’s vocal reading is impressive beyond words.

“Magdalena” finds Rivard dealing in Spanish, and offering up guitar work that’s bound to draw comparisons to the great Carlos Santana. Wit shines through “Unfinished Songs”, a tongue-in-cheek paean to anyone who’s ever been or tried to be a songwriter. The song is full of snarky touches from the doo-wop background singers to the somewhat yet predictable yet still amusing ending. Rivard stakes his reputation on being something of a troubadour, and lives up to the billing on “Lady, Sweet Lady”. Sounding like an arrangement that might have originated in Shakespeare’s time, “Lady, Sweet Lady” is a lovely tune that firmly establishes not only Rivard’s versatility as a performer but also his talent as a songwriter.

“This Time Around” is an opportunistic love song done in an Americana/rock blend. It’s a classic tune about making the best of a second chance no matter the cost. “This Time Around” might be the finest example of songwriting on Underground Railroad. Rivard channels the spirit of Dan Fogelberg on Yours Eternally, a song all about the fragility of love. The gorgeous melody and arrangement are matched only by the prescience of Rivard’s lyrics and his mesmerizing voice. Rivard follows this up with “Yours Eternally”, which seems likely to be on the list of most-used first dance songs if Rivard ever gets his big break. This is a wow moment. Underground Railroad closes out with a radio edit of the title track.

It’s hard to imagine how Earl J. Rivard, III isn’t a household name already. What seems very likely, however, is that he one day will be. Whatever else you might have to say about Earl J. Rivard, it’s very clear that any deficits he may have suffered throughout his life seem small compared to the magnitude of both his voice and talent as a songwriter. Underground Railroad is a thrilling experience, an album you will cherish both in spite of and for its minor flaws. When Rivard sings, the angels stop to listen. You will too.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Earl J. Rivard at http://www.earljrivard.com/ or www.myspace.com/earljrivard. Underground Railroad is due for release in the Spring of 2010. Keep checking Rivard's website for update release information and availability.

Review: Mark Adam Miller - Ain't Life Good

Mark Adam Miller - Ain't Life Good
2009, Mark Adam Miller

Mark Adam Miller brings his down-home Louisiana Swamp Rock influence to Nashville Country on his debut album, Ain't Life Good. A highly creative singer/songwriter with personality plus, Miller has the same sort of charisma that made Garth Brooks an international superstar, and writes music that will sit as well with fans of modern country as it will with Country fans of an earlier age.

Ain't Life Good opens with the rocker You Don't Know Jack, a highly radio-friendly tune that borders on Outlaw Country. You Don't Know Jack is very well written, but shines as much from Miller's personality, which takes up residence in the song and resonates. I Like That You Do is a gritty love song with real commercial punch. The chorus is the sort you find yourself humming/singing days after hearing the song. I'd Do It Again heads for the Mix Tape pile; a mature love song for the married couples out there. Miller breaks into sludgy Blues-Rock on Favorite Ex-Wife, a darkly vibrant ode to past loves (or one, at least). There's an element of humor in this song, and the arrangement is contagious.

Ain't Life Good is mildly catchy; the sort of tune that does well on Country Radio without making a huge impression. Miller's personality still shines through the song, but he has pulled back a bit from the first few songs on the album. Karen Bailey and her Dolly Parton vibrato sit in on Fragile, a sensitive ballad about being different. The song itself is decent, and Bailey's voice is eminently listenable, but Miller and Bailey go together like peanut butter and chocolate. He Don't Belong Here is a bit vague, but plays like the heartbreaking story of someone who has lost the life he's known. The protagonist is locked inside himself; seeing his loved ones come and go without understanding what's happened and without being able to respond or interact. It's somewhat unusual fare for any form of popular music, much less country, but the song works in much the same vein as James Taylor's Frozen Man.

Livin' Our Life Away is a bit more straightforward, playing to a bland Pop/Commercial Country sound sure to gain some attention from radio programmers but probably enough to get it widespread airplay. Bring It On Down is very catchy, walking the line between Country and CSNY-style Folk/Rock. Ain't Life Good closes out with an alternative mix of Fragile, this time with Karen Bailey as the sole vocalist.

Mark Adam Miller is the sort of songwriter who will eat well the rest of his life even if he never performs one of his own songs again. The fact that Miller is a strong performer on his own is gravy. Miller's voice isn't the best pure voice in the Country world, but his sound is wonderfully textured, warm and full of life, effectively glossing over any perceived deficits. Ain't Life Good has its rough moments, but on the whole is a strong debut effort from an artist with the world at his feet.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Mark Adam Miller at http://www.markadammiller.net/ or www.myspace.com/markadammusic. You can purchase Ain’t Life Good as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: The Council Of Smokers And Drinkers - Grizzled

The Council Of Smokers And Drinkers - Grizzled
2009, The Council Of Smokers And Drinkers

When you are surrounded by a brutal Alaskan Winter you find an outlet for energies or you go insane. For The Council Of Smokers And Drinkers, that outlet is a classic blend of Americana Music: Southern Rock and Blues dressed in dark lyrics and dash of authentic Country Rock Nashville hasn't seen in a few years. Joe Erickson (drums) and Russell Biggs (guitar/vox) got the ball rolling, eventually bringing Elizabeth Dubey (vox, keys), Jonathan Russell (guitar), Mark Kimmins (harmonica) and Mack Rogers (bass) into The Council. The band's debut album, Grizzled, features songwriting they'd be proud of in Texas, R&B based Country they'd be proud of in Mississippi and a commercial touch that Nashville will go ga-ga for.

Grizzled opens with the tasty guitar licks of Tupelo Road, a brand of Texas Country/Rock that sounds vaguely likely Harper Valley P.T.A.. Lyle Lovett and Ernest Tubb’s influences can be heard here in a classic bit sounding tune. The Best That I Could Do hits full on the Rhythm And Blues roots of Rock N Roll with a bit of honky-tonk thrown in for good measure. Try not to dance when this song spins; you can't do it. The rhythm and energy are irrepressible. Chicken In The Pan won't win many members from the Gloria Steinham society for progressive thought, but it's great Rock N Roll. Once again, you won't be able to hold back the urge to dance or at least tap your feet.

The Council Of Smokers And Drinkers are first class musicians, but their charm is amplified by vocalist Russell Biggs. Biggs has enough of that Rock N Roll magnetism in his voice to hook listeners and enough country in there to appeal to the boots and chaps crowd. Leaving Little Rock is a prime example of this, with Biggs coming across as a mix of Jon Bon Jovi and Garth Brooks. The commercial potential here is huge. Pocketfull Of Holes is a classic hard-luck song about picking up the pieces and moving on, even if you have practically nothing left. The song is incredibly catchy and will stick in your noggin; it's perfect radio fodder. Down And Out recalls a one night stand in classic country singer/songwriter style. The trip down memory lane is a sweet reminiscence for the narrator. The Council winds things up with Grass Soup, an interesting and subtle dig at the inequality of wealth in society. Grass Soup is written from the perspective of those on the bottom of the socioeconomic spectrum, accepting their lot and trying to make the best of it. The wit here is deep and cutting.

The Council Of Smokers And Drinkers are en eclectic bunch, mixing Rock, R&B, Country and Blues in an Americana blend that sets them apart from the crowd. Strong songwriting, consummate musicianship and a dynamic front man in Russell Biggs potentially sets the stage for big things for the band. Grizzled is everything you could want in a debut album. Take all of the above and add a commercial touch that Music City has forgotten how to achieve; with the right break, could be one of the biggest country albums of the year. At the very least it deserves a spot on end-of-year lists. Take some time with The Council Of Smokers And Drinkers, and don't mind the cold. It's an essential part of the sound.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Council Of Smokers And Drinkers at http://www.thecouncil.serifweb.com/. You can purchase a download of Grizzled on iTunes. CD copies will be available on CDBaby.com in the near future.

Review: Chris Loid - Back Road Home

Chris Loid - Back Road Home
2009, Chris Loid Entertainment

Portland, Oregon’s Chris Loid is a talent you just can’t ignore. Perhaps one of the most dynamic young Country Music artists on the Indie scene, Loid has a voice you rarely hear in country music circles and a charisma and panache that puts him in rarefied company. Loid’s debut album, Back Road Home, was released in the first quarter of 2009. If you’re going to have a discussion about the best debut Country albums of the past decade, Chris Loid’s Back Road Home has to be in the conversation.

Back Road Home opens with Heaven Can't Wait Anymore, sounding a bit like a young Bob Seger. This is a sure-fire country hit. If Loid can get this song a toe-hold at commercial country radio listeners will light up the request lines. Fishin' In The Weeds is a Blues-based Country tune about being happy with whom you are. Loid's voice is amazing, with a smooth quality that's unusual in Country music. Son Of The Sticks is an anthem for Good Ol' Boys everywhere and a great party tune. Loid makes some serious Mix-Tape magic on Without You; we're talking Casey Kasem Long Distance Dedication material here. Loid's song is a heartbreaker and is also likely to make sure at commercial Country radio if it can find a bit of airtime.

Loid breaks out another party tune in Light This Mother Up. You'll want to shine up your cowboy boots and grab your Stetson for this one, because the dancing will be fast and furious. Back Road Home is a bit of southern rock with a dark, dark turn. Ladies if your current beau has been away from home a bit too long and your ex- is still in the picture then this song will make you think twice. Long Night is as close as Country music can get to Slow Jams. Loid displays some amazing range here. Loving You Forever isn't my favorite song on the disc (although it's not bad), but Loid manages to blend Country, R&B and a bit of Jazz into one tune and make it work. Loid closes out with Love Is Never Too Late, a musical morality tale with something for everyone. The prodigal son is always welcome, even at death's door. Loid challenges listeners not to wait for a goodbye that will be final; to make the most of any time that is left.

Finally, an artist comes along with the same sort of pizzazz, chutzpah and charm as Garth Brooks. Chris Loid could, and should, be absolutely huge. Honest writing, great hooks, a bit of Rock N Roll attitude, a slice of Rhythm N Blues and a voice you could listen to all day should make Loid a lot of fans very quickly. Back Road Home is an instant classic. Don't pass this one by.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chris Loid at http://www.chrisloidmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/chrisloidmusic. You can purchase a copy of Back Road Home at www.cdbaby.com/cd/chrisloid.

Review: Leah Pritchard - Finally The Weekend

Leah Pritchard - Finally The Weekend
2009, Leah Pritchard

Alabama's Leah Pritchard is a country singer/songwriter with a Rock N Roll sensibility about her. A finalist in CMT.com's "Music City Madness" contest, she is also a competitor in the Colgate Country Showdown contest that helped launch the careers of Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Toby Keith and others. Pritchard's first CD, Finally The Weekend is a production-quality demo that likely holds the seeds for a full debut CD.

The first thing that stood out to me about Pritchard is that even though she claims a strong affinity to Country Music, there appears to be an equally avid love of Rock N Roll that shines through in her music. Pritchard's voice isn't pretty, having a brassy quality that makes for a very interesting and unusual sound. Pritchard does appear to have some breath control issues both with phrasing and occasionally pitch, but reminds me heavily (in sound) of folk rocker Jess Klein. Finally The Weekend opens with Something Went Wrong, a Rockin' Country tune about the aftermath of a bar fight. The song is a bit sophomoric with awkward lyric construction. The arrangement is very simplistic and probably is more Rock than Country. Mason Jar is a bit more nuanced but retains the same lyrically awkward bearing of Something Went Wrong. The last line of the chorus is a classic, but just doesn't fit with the rest of the song. Finally The Weekend is a song for blowing off steam after a hard week. The song is very upbeat yet shows off some of the pitch and breath control issues I referenced in stark examples. Boston is offered up in a great country arrangement. This is my favorite song on the CD. Finally The Weekend closes out with Home Kowaliga Home, an ode to Pritchard's hometown that sounds pleasant but just doesn't seem to carry the conviction you might expect from such a song.

Finally The Weekend was a tough CD to review because there are some very good elements here and there are some unsavory ones as well. Pritchard has a great band (The Dirt Road Band) around her and a distinctive vocal sound that may work in her favor, but the quality of songwriting is just too young and unpolished to be truly viable in the commercial realm. Add to this pitch issues that surface at random times throughout the CD and you have a recording that's just not ready for prime time. Pritchard's press materials talk about her passion and high energy, and I have no reason to disbelieve that these things are there, but they do not come through on Finally The Weekend. Pritchard has potential, and collaborating with a more mature and accomplished songwriter would probably have critical and long-lasting benefits on Pritchard's development. Formal training with a coach focusing specifically on breath control would also be of benefit. The sound is intriguing enough to make us want to wait and see on Pritchard. The issues noted here are all fixable and may work themselves out in time.

Rating: 1.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Leah Pritchard at http://www.leahpritchardcountry.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Finally The Weekend.

Review: The Loudhorns - One For Maynard

The Loudhorns – One For Maynard
2009, Loud Conversation Pieces

The Loudhorns are a collective of some of the best studio brass players Nashville has to offer. Various members have worked with folks such as Garth Brooks, Elton John, Paul Simon, Maynard Ferguson, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Randy Brecker and Larry Carlton. The Loudhorns offer electrifying live performances and a mix of jazz classic, pop covers and original songs. The forthcoming release from The Loudhorns, One For Maynard, is a tribute to the great Maynard Ferguson. Featuring six Ferguson covers and three pop covers (in the spirit of Ferguson); One For Maynard is a dynamic collection that is certain to please.

The Loudhorns mean business. Right from the opening notes of Give It One, The Loudhorns literally blow the listener away with an aggressive and musical style that is compelling. The Loudhorns don't just play jazz, they hunger for it. That drive and devotion to the art is in every note and every phrase. Even on the more laid back tracks (La Fiesta, Left Bank Express, Fly Away Home) The Loudhorns play with an energy and vivacity that escapes many modern jazz musicians. It hearkens back t a time when musicians played music because it was all they had. It's so refreshing to hear that energy and desire in a form that's been so thoroughly explored as jazz.

Highlights abound. Birdland is a musical master piece, and Superbone Meets The Badman has a spunk to it that's absolutely infectious. The cover of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody is well meant, but doesn't play as well on brass as I might have expected (particularly the quieter passages). A personal favorite is the funky and flavorful Foreign Correspondent; guaranteed to get your feet moving.

The Loudhorns are very much in demand both individually and collectively as session musicians and it's easy to see why. One For Maynard is classic jazz with a modern touch. Don't pass this one by.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Loudhorns at www.myspace.com/loudhorns. You can purchase a copy of One For Maynard at www.cdbaby.com/cd/loudhorns.

Review: David Lykins - Blurry White Guy

David Lykins – Blurry White Guy
2008, David Lykins

David “Ravin’ Dave” Lykins is a Chicago area actor/singer/songwriter/poet with a reputation for a big voice. His debut CD, 2008’s Blurry White Guy has been described as “subversive country music”, and it’s easy to see why. Lykins takes traditional country forms and imbues them with a not-quite-reckless sense of variety and composition that goes far beyond your typical music row pop hybrid. With a supporting cast including Pat Flynn (New Grass Revival), Chris Leuzinger (Garth Brooks), John Gardener (Dixie Chicks), Dow Tomlin and Jeff Taylor, Lykins has produced one of the more intriguing country albums of the past year.

Blurry White Guy opens with Houston, a Country/Rock hybrid about Hurricane Katrina and the impact it has on the residents of New Orleans. It’s an amazingly upbeat song for the dark, solemn subject matter and has real commercial punch. The family in the song is separated, with the children in Memphis and the parents in Houston. This is probably one of the best musical paeans to the Katrina Disaster that anyone has written/recorded. Greetings From The Riviera is a great story song that is heart-breaking in its picturesque detail. Let Me Carry This has a wonderfully dark atmosphere that frames Lykins’ All-American country voice, and while Lykins writes in essentially classic country forms, he often builds sound and structure into his songs that separate them from the pop/country pack.

A personal favorite here is Day After Valentine. It’s a sweet song without sounding hokey or trite and likely to be a fan favorite. Come Along is another favorite; a song that captures some of the Celtic spirit of Country and Western Music. You’ll also want to check out Flying and This Is My House.

David Lykins sounds enough like popular country artists to get some commercial attention, with enough variation and complexity in his music to earn some respect from fellow musicians. Blurry White Guy is a perplexing, intriguing and ultimately rewarding listen. It’s popular music with a subversive core. Accessible to consumers of the mindless pop machine that has overtaken parts of Music Row, but deep and wide enough to interest people who still listen to the music. Blurry White Guy, indeed.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about David Lykins at www.myspace.com/ravin12. You can purchase a copy of Blurry White Guy at www.cdbaby.com/cd/davelykins.

Corey Crowder - Gold And The Sand

Corey Crowder - Gold And The Sand
2008, Tooth & Nail Records

Corey Crowder gets to the heart of the matter pretty quickly. Not one for guilded metaphors or shadowed imagery, Crowder breaks down the truth and beauty of small details in no uncertain terms, supported by melodies that make the ideas soar into you like light into the ground at the end of a rainbow. His latest CD, Gold And The Sand, is a raw, emotional affair that may shock listeners with it's unconstrained voice, but listeners will ultimately be glad they made the effort to listen.

Crowder sets the tone from the first notes of Southern Way with his big soulful voice. The song is a blues/rock/country hybrid with serious commercial potential and perhaps even that crossover chic that could place it both in modern rock and country circles. Love is a big anthem that’s part Edwin McCain and part Garth Brooks. Crowder seems to be able to center in on themes and sounds that have been done many times before; yet makes them his own rather than falling into cliché. Higher Ground is a dark bluegrass tune that is a first cousin to the blues and will rivet you.

Be sure to check out Leaving You, the sort of melancholy love song that has made Nashville what it is today. Likewise Helpless Heart, which is a big country/pop tune pull of good old fashioned pedal steel and some very modern layering to create a big, big sound. The song is full of soul and passion and is a must-listen. Crowder moves back into the blues/rock realm with Innocence, which has an almost 1970’s soul air to it. Other highlights include Changes, the honky-tonk Devils, I’ve Become Something and Lonesome Road.

Corey Crowder has this great, dynamic mix of sounds and styles that he’s interwoven into his own signature sound. The mix of soul, blues, country and rock creates the sort of giant cross-over potential that should have music marketers salivating into their giblets. Aside from being labeled as a product by the industry, Crowder can write and sing. Expect to hear a lot more of Crowder over the next decade or three. If there’s justice in the music business then this guy is really on his way to somewhere. Gold And The Sand is the sort of album that could launch him into the music world’s stratosphere.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Corey Crowder at http://www.coreycrowder.net/. You can pick up a copy of Gold And The Sand at Amazon.com or wherever music is sold!