#reviewoftheweek / Current Swell - Ulysses

Current Swell could be labeled as the "little band that could." They keep on plugging along, churning out awesome folk and roots rock albums with little to no popular recognition. Well, with the release of their latest "Ulysses" they are poised to change all that. With the popular music landscape changing and radio formats such as AAA gaining steam, Current Swell's music is at the right crossroads to make a splash. "Rollin'" and "Keys To The Kingdom," both of which the band released prior to the album, are two tracks that would fit well along side the current songs spinning on the airwaves by artists like Brett Dennen, John Butler Trio, and even The Black Keys. They blend elements of rooty folk rock (in the vein of Jack Johnson and G. Love) with blues rock elements (in the vein of Ben Harper and Ray LaMontagne) that should ultimately gain them fans from every corner of the roots music landscape. Other standouts include "Gunshots" and "Man Of Maps." The surprise track of the album is "Sideways" which seems like a throwback from the mid-90's with it's crunchy and heavy guitar riffs. All in all, Current Swell showcase elements of their entire career on the album and prove that they too deserve a shot in the spotlight currently being occupied by the aforementioned Black Keys, and others like the Luminees and Mumford & Sons.