#reviewoftheweek / Ethan Tucker - Misunderstood

This album was one of those albums that took forever to get out to the world, but when you have such great talent, it needs to be right and it needs to be the right time. Ethan Tucker's newest release is the kind of album that you hope for when discovering a new artist. Sure, he's been on the scene for a little while, making guest appearance and opening for some pretty well known acts, but until you hear the album, you don't realize what class Tucker is really in. He's a singer/songwriter with a flair for funk and reggae, which is evident in his music. But it's the guitar playing that is the bread and butter on this release. Ethan uses his instrument as a sidekick, a backup singer, and a driving force through each song. It's a little more than just an accompanying piece, as is evidenced on tracks like "Crazy" and "Cool Kids." His rework of his original "All I Need" is the song that is sure to hook new fans. The album's standout is "Crazy Tonight" which features guest vocals by Michael Franti, repaying the favor Tucker provided to Franti in the past. Tucker young and ambitious and this album proves he's the real deal.