CD REVIEW: Alberta Cross "Broken Side Of Time"

Rock bands have to do a lot these days to stand out, but sometimes connecting with history is enough. Alberta Cross, like it-band Kings Of Leon, have mastered the art of making old school American rock music fun and current. The difference between Alberta Cross and KoL, however, is that Alberta Cross mixes their style of rock music with a bit of 90's alternative and flavor reminiscent of bands like Coldplay and Radiohead. Big heavy crunchy guitars are a staple in songs like "ATX" and "Leave Us And Forgive Us." The boys crank up the blues rock on "Old Man Chicago" and bridge the Atlantic with brit-pop style on the album's title track. The brand of alternative rock music that Alberta Cross has harnessed on their debut album is familiar yet still fresh. Many of the songs on this album will be rock radio hits and this album is sure to make waves for quite a while as Alberta Cross rises to the top.

CD REVIEW: The Album Leaf "A Chorus Of Storytellers"

The Album Leaf has always been at the forefront of the electronic indie movement. As one of the originals in this genre, the Album Leaf never misses a beat wih any of their releases thusfar. This latest effort doesn't fall short in the slightest. This collection of new tunes is as solid as all of their previous releases, and contains some of their best compositions. "Summer Fog" is one of the absolute most beautiful songs ever written, and as an instrumental is strikingly emotional. When lyrics come into the mix it just adds to the awesomeness. Quiet music is something that doesn't always get the praise it deserves, and the Album Leaf is one of the greats. Although this is not their best album ("In A Safe Place" is a masterpiece) is comes damn near close to it, and the Album Leaf is truly an original and potentially iconic musical collective.

NEW TUNES: Citizen Cope

Check out the first single off of Citizen Cope's new album "The Rainwater LP." The song is called "Healing Hands" and can be downloaded here. The album is out now digitally and will be released in physical form in about a month.

New Release Tuesday

New music out today that is worth checking out:

• ALO - Man Of The World
• Galactic - Ya-Ka-May
• Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - Live In Las Vegas

CD REVIEW: Matt Morris "When Everything Breaks Open"

It's always good to have friends in high places. For Matt Morris, his friend is none other than Justin Timberlake. Yes, that Justin Timberlake. Morris is the first artist signed to Timberlake's Tennman Records, an independent label he started to release some otherwise unknown musicians. That being said, Morris will reap the success of this album for years to come as it is an incredibly fine debut. He mixes his soulful singing with a pop friendly folk style that is not very mass produced in the record industry these days. "Money," the first single off of this album, is a soul filled tune about the dangers of greed, and one of Morris' best. He channels everyone from Coldplay to Stevie Wonder on this album, which features production and guest appearances (including instrumentally) from Timberlake himself. Edie Brickell and Patty Griffin also appear on the album with background vocals, showing off his incredible connection to folk music and the Nashville scene. Other standout tracks include "Bloodline" and "The Un-American" which is a track portraying the so called "die hard Americans" in this country as being not very American at all. Morris is sure to gain tons of praise for this album due to his connections to Timberlake, however, it wouldn't have been long before, without his connections, Matt Morris would have amazed the world with his music.

CD REVIEW: Whitley "Go Forth, Find Mammoth"

Folk artist Whitley has taken his music to a whole new level on his sophomore release. This time he forgoes the use of tons of acoustic guitars for heavier production, which was heard on his first album, but not as widely as on this one. The first single, "Head, First, Down" is full of syncopated rhythm and ear catching melody. He struts his instrumental stuff on the opening track "1945" and "Warm Winter Sky." He is doing things with music that many artists are not even attempting. His use of electronic elements are cutting edge, while still remaining far from creating electronic music. He has a fondness for a complete song, and each and every composition on the album is fully layered with instrumentation, voice, and ambiance. He is truly a unique musician and continues to create incredible and original music. This album proves that you can do anything with your music and still remain true to who you are as an artist.

CD REVIEW: Elizabeth & The Catapult "Taller Children"

Pop music is hard to create while still being able to remain original and unique. It is always difficult to set yourself apart from other musical acts while creating accessible songs that can be consumed by a wide variety of music lovers. Elizabeth & The Catapult are a musical group that have managed to put together an incredible album that strays away from the normal pop music formula yet still manages to showcase simple, refined, and accessible music. "Race You" is the album's runaway standout. The song is fun and catchy, with a singable hook that is exactly what makes a memorable song. Songs like the title track and "Momma's Boy" show off the groups ability to create lyrical gems. "Rainiest Day Of Summer" is definitely a beautiful song and proves that E&TC can connect with the listener on many levels. Elizabeth & The Catapult is a breath of fresh air in the pop music world and are sure to gain a ton of new fans with this album.

CD REVIEW: Rey Fresco "The People"

Debut albums are a way to make an imprint on the listener by creating a unique offering that they may have not heard before. Rey Fresco has an incredibly unique sound that is a different spin on the laid back west coast reggae-rock, light punk that many bands are performing. Sublime is probably the closest comparison of any band to their sound, but Rey Fresco sill has a definite sound all their own. This debut album was produced by friend and surf film musical staple, Todd Hannigan, and features music that is drenched in tropicalia and reggae. "Precious Time" has already began making waves on modern rock and adult alternative radio. Other standout tracks include "All In Awe" and "Chan Chan," which is a cover of the Buena Vista Social Club standard. Latin music and straight up alternative rock also have major influence over this band's sound throughout their debut album. Rey Fresco's "The People" is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise cluttered world of copycat music.

CD REVIEW: Corey Crowder "Lost & Found"

Corey Crowder has put together an amazing new collection of songs that depicts his true self as a musician. This new album leaves behind the heavily produced southern rock sound of his previous disc and showcases the singer/songwriter nature of his music. Sure, the southern rock sound is still alive and well, but this time the songs are stripped down. The acoustic guitar is the star alongside the lyrics of each song as he flirts with actually making a country record. Some songs have a Beatles style poppiness and others are incredibly deep fried with southern flavor. "Bring It On Back" and "The Sailboat Scream" are two of the best on the disc as Corey makes it a priority to connect with the listener and not just sound good. He is a true talent and this album showcases that, without taking away from the nature of his southern rock heritage.

CD REVIEW: The Verve Pipe "A Family Album"

It's always hard, when you have kids, to find music that you all can enjoy. Of course, there's always that outside chance that your kids will love everything that you listen to and you'll have nothing to worry about. Recently rock bands have taken a different perspective on children's music and it's totally awesome. The latest is by the Verve Pipe and it takes 90's alternative and mixes it with themes and emotions that kids and entire families can relate to together. This is music that adults can enjoy with their kids and no one has to be subjected to the awfulness of Kidz Bop. "Be Part Of The Band" is a rocker that gets kids in the mood to do just that: rock! The Verve Pipe mixes a little bluegrass with clever lyrics on "Suppertime" and gets sentimental on "One Becomes Two." With this being the latest success story of great bands making great kid friendly music, it's a shame that all bands don't dive into this world. The Verve Pipe has always made great music and as the years progress, they continue to do just that, even if this latest collection targets a wider demographic.