CD REVIEW: State Radio "Let It Go"

Since the breakup of the prolific independent rock band Dispatch, Chad Urmston and his new band State Radio have been able to keep a piece of the band alive in their own music. This new album is the first album to depart fully from Dispatch and rise up as a true State Radio album, not an extension of the past. It contains heavier rockers than some of the band's previous albums, such as "Doctor Ron The Actor" and "Knights Of Bostonia." The album also feature two of the best reggae tunes that State Radio has ever recorded, "Evolution" and "Calling All Crows." It is truly refreshing to see a band develop a true sound that doesn't mimic the sound of its members' previous musical endeavors. This is a stretch, but it seems as if Chad Urmston and State Radio are going down the same path once ventured on by Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters, when they were trying to break away from the label of being just "the drummer from Nirvana's new band." It's safe to say that this album helps State Radio achieve similar success, and from this point on will no longer be "that guy from Dispatch's new band."

CD REVIEW: Owl City "Ocean Eyes"

While we are all eagerly awaiting Ben Gibbard to his popular success, his new marriage, and his other side project, enter Owl City. This new album is the answer to the long awaited follow up to The Postal Service's excellent debut album. But Ben and The Postal Service had nothing to do with it. Owl City is Adam Young, and Adam Young is one hell of a talented musician. His gentle mix of production and electronic music with his outstanding vocals, instrumentation, and lyricism, make this album one of the most creative to come out this year. On the heels of successful indie rock acts like Passion Pit, Phoenix, and Paper Route, who all mesh together electronic elements into their groundbreaking sounds, Owl City manages to do the same. With songs like "Fireflies" and "Tip Of The Iceberg" it's hard to believe that this album isn't a relic of the 80's. "Cave In" and "On The Wing" are a few of the other standouts, showing off Adam Young's musical genius in the best possible way. Although, this album is not Owl City's first, it's the first that the masses are going to get their hands on. Ben Gibbard better get on with it and get to work on The Postal Service's new tunes, because with this album, Owl City is poised to take over as the go-to-band for indie electronic rock.

NEW TUNES: Elizabeth & The Catapult

Check out Elizabeth & The Catapult's new single "Race You" here, which is off of their album entitled "Taller Children" out now on Verve Forecast.

New Release Tuesday

New music out today that is worth checking out:

• Air - Love 2
• Basement Jaxx - Scars
• Brandi Carlile - Give Up The Ghost
• Mike Doughty - Sad Man Happy Man
• Mike Dunn & The Kings Of New England - Sundowner
• Everclear - In A Different Light
• Greg Laswell - Covers
• Blake Lewis - Heartbreak On Vinyl
• Lotus - Oil On Glass EP
• Lotus - Feather On Wood EP

CD REVIEW: The Avett Brothers "I And Love And You"

Some might think that because of the past recordings by the Avett Brothers that they are a bluegrass or country band. In fact, they are, more than anything, a rock band. Just because their instrumentation and harmonies lend them to be compared to certain styles of music doesn't mean that they should be classified as such. This album will once-and-for-all solidify that fact to be true. The boys solicited famed producer Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jakob Dylan) to help them realize this new, full, and incredibly individual sound. Incredible songwriting and storytelling by the Avetts make this album one of the year's best. Their musical talents make the album a work of art. Songs like the title track and "Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise" are subtle masterpieces, equally showing off the sincerity of the lyrics and the richness of the music. The album, which unlike previous releases, is heavier on the piano and much more darkly themed. The Avett Brothers also shine on "Kick Drum Heart" and "Laundry Room" which draw the closest comparisons to their previous work, showcasing their unique bluegrass-meets-punk style. Each song is a window into the heart and soul of the band and the album as a whole is timeless, defying classification into any specific musical genre.

CD REVIEW: Angel Taylor "Love Travels"

Angel Taylor doesn't fit the mold of any one type of female singer/songwriter. She is her own unique personality with a very familiar sound. He debut album features collaborations by Brendan James and Jason Reeves and as a result her album takes on a quality heard in both collaborators' individual albums. She will, and should, be compared to Colbie Caillat, mostly because of the feel and the production quality of her album. She is in no way and this album certainly isn't a carbon copy of any of Caillat's releases. In fact, Taylor's sound features much more soul and much less of an at-the-beach feel than Colbie's music. The album is full of wonderful compositions with "Like You Do" and "Make Me Believe" surely becoming the popular favorites. There are subtleties to the album that showcase the realness of Angel Taylor and she will definitely become a star if she keeps up singing and performing like this album.

NEW TUNES: Andrew Hoover

Check out Andrew Hoover's new song "Lie To Me" here, which is off of his new album entitled "Chances, Stances, & Romances" out now on Rock Ridge Music.

Also, head over to www.rockridgefree.com to download another free track by Andrew Hoover called "Saturday," as well as other free tunes by Matt Duke, Sister Hazel, Ernie Halter, Ken Block, Keaton Simons, Curtis Peoples, Pat McGee, Tony Lucca, Josh Hoge, Jay Nash, and Benjy Davis Project.

BURN THIS / October 2009

1. Mason Jennings "Ain't No Friend Of Mine"
2. State Radio "Knights Of Bostonia"
3. Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers "Shady Esperanto And The Young Hearts"
4. Lowell Thompson & Crown Pilot "The Love You Had"
5. Will Hoge "Hard To Love"
6. Mike Dunn & The Kings Of New England "Princeton"
7. Matt Hires "State Lines"
8. Will Dailey "Love Is On The Way"
9. Benjy Davis Project "I Love You"
10. Andrew Hoover "Lie To Me"
11. Rob Blackledge "Sweet Sweet Lady"
12. Matt York "Lucky Man"
13. Landon Pigg "A Ghost"
14. Paolo Nutini "Coming Up Easy"
15. Kate Earl "Melody"
16. Jason Castro "Let's Just Fall In Love Again"
17. Angel Taylor "Like You Do"
18. Colbie Caillat (featuring Jason Reeves) "Droplets"
19. Jer Coons "Legs"
20. Chris Velan "Oldest Trick"

New Release Tuesday

New music out today that is worth checking out:

• The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
• Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons - Death Won't Send A Letter
• Jer Coons - Speak
• Will Hoge - The Wreckage
• Landon Pigg - The Boy Who Never
• Bob Schneider - Lovely Creatures
• State Radio - Let It Go
• The Voyces - Let Me Die In Southern California
• Zero 7 - Yeah Ghost

CD REVIEW: Mason Jennings "Blood Of Man"

Mason Jennings' latest album is by far his most interesting and unique to date. With six discs already under his belt, it comes as no surprise that Jennings would want to show off a different side, to keep the freshness in his music. He is known for his unique voice and vocal delivery, his outstanding songwriting, and his mellow folk sound, so it's certainly a departure to lay down the acoustic for an electric guitar and write some heavy rockers. "Ain't No Friend Of Mine," the debut single, is the hardest of the whole entire disc with crunchy guitars and a heavy vocal thump. The hardness in the sound doesn't always come from Mason's electric guitar. Sometimes the hard edge in the music is found within the lyrics. Many of the tracks have much less of a happy-go-lucky feel to them than in Jennings' previous work. Not since his second album has the lyrical content flirted this closely with darker, more negative topics, particularly the childhood memories in "Pittsburgh." "The Field" is an anti-war protest song, and possibly one of the best ever written. The theme of blood is all over the album, particularly in "Ain't No Friend Of Mine," "Black Wind Blowing," and "Sing Out." The true Mason Jennings comes through on tracks like "Sunlight" (a song that was released as a charity single over the summer) which follow along his standard formula and his acoustic sees the light of day on the title track which closes out the disc. There is a rawness and an organic feel to the collection. Mason played all the instruments as well as produced and recorded the album himself. He even left in all the feedback and little nuances that make the recording special, so the listener can hear is as it was meant to be. By far a true gem in the Mason Jennings arsenal, this album is one of his best. It will be interesting to see how the songs hold up and translate into his live arrangements. One thing is for sure, Mason Jennings can definitely rock! Who knew!?