CD REVIEW: Josh Ritter "So Runs The World Away"

 With each new album, Josh Ritter continues to tweak his music to create and even more complex and creative collection of music. With his newest album, he has developed an array of incredibly different songs that form one of his best full length recordings. There are a handful of songs that are both catchy, lyrically poignant, and artistically musical. He mixes big and bold with soft and small, taking the listener on quite a musical journey. "The Curse," one of his most lyrically beautiful compositions ever, tells the story of a cursed mummy coming back to life and falling in love with the woman who unearthed him and brought him to a museum in New York. It's a very unreal concept, but his soft delivery and lyrical poetry make it one of his best love songs. "Rattling Locks," "Lantern," and "Another New World" are all album standouts, and are surely amongst the best songs Ritter has ever recorded. "Change Of Time" was the album's introduction to the world as it is currently in heavy rotation at AAA radio, and climbing the charts. Ritter's new music is quite possibly his best, and as he has proven time and time again, his creativity in his songwriting makes every album, especially this one, outstanding.

CD REVIEW: Tamarama "Tamarama"

 After gaining a little popularity after one of their members appeared as a regular on the MTV show "The City," Tamarama has returned with their first full length album. Previously they helped us get to know them through an acoustic heavy EP that showed off their laid back beach rock style. They electrify their sound a little more on their self titled debut adding many more elements of pop rock into the mix. The first single "Lifetime On The Run," mixes their laid back style with pop sensibility to make it both accessible for lover's of beach style folk rock and traditional pop rock music. Some of the more intriguing songs on the album, where they take some creative liberties with the music, are "Roses," "Live My Life," and "You Got Me Bad." Now that they have rounded out there sound, Tamarama are sure to become a staple of everybody's summertime playlists.

CD REVIEW: Good Old War "Good Old War"

 Good Old War aren't your typical indie rock band. While they might be on an indie label and they might make unconventional music that is not super mainstream, they do make music that is incredibly accessible to the masses. They pull from influences that are straight out of the 1960s and 1990s to make a blend of indie folk that is fresh and exciting. Fleet Foxes had success last year with their CSN style harmonies, and this year the world will embrace Good Old War's CSN-meets-Bob Dylan influenced self titled album. Their 90s influences come in the form of indie pop rock and coupled with their folk instrumentation and vocal delivery, it makes for an incredible collection of new tunes. Songs such as "My Own Sinking Ship" and "Get Some" may find their place on alternative rock and AAA radio, as they are well written, catchy, and deserving of mass exposure. They also showcase their incredible musicianship and instrumentation on three instrumental tracks cleverly entitled "Good," "Old," and "War." After wowing listeners with their debut album, they solidify themselves as the real deal with their heart, their soul, and their music out on their sleeves for all to see.

CD REVIEW: Matt Stansberry "Self Portrait"

Matt Stansberry is a talents unknown singer/songwriter that is poised to make some waves with his latest EP. He had released three previous recordings with his band, but this is the first time he is going it alone. On the album, Stansberry shows off his excellent songwriting skills, and even gets some help from the likes of Graham Colton. The results is a short but satisfying EP that showcases the intricacy of his music. The highlights of the recording are "You Could Have It All" and "Put Yourself Together" which will surely impress any fan of artists like Howie Day, Graham Colton, and Josh Kelley. Stanberry is a true talent that has yet to break out, but he sure has created an EP that should help to stimulate his career.

CD REVIEW: Jack Johnson "To The Sea"

Jack Johnson has become synonymous with laid back mellow acoustic tunes, so it's unlikely that he will stray too far from what he does best. This time he decided to plug in and kick the energy up a few notches with a little electric guitar sprinkled throughout his newest release. The mellower acoustic tunes on this release are actually some of the most mellow and quiet songs he's ever written, particularly "When I Look Up" and "My Little Girl." On the flip side, his most energetic tunes on this album are "The Upsetter," which is equal parts Santana, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Marley, and "At Or With Me" which finds Jack at his funkiest on this album. G. Love lends his bluesy harmonica skills to "At Or With Me" and "Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology" and Hawaiian singer Paula Fuga also contributes her soulful backing vocals on a few tracks. The entire album was self produced by the band, making it the most hands on recording experience of their career. The single "You And Your Heart" is an instant classic, bridging the gap between Jack's old and new sounds for a track that is mellow and electric all at the same time. The song "From The Clouds" is also sure to become a single, as the music is catchy and the lyrics are easily singable. This album is a very personal album, as is evident on "No Good With Faces," "Only The Ocean," and "Turn Your Love," with Jack staying away from lyrics relating to politics and activism. Certainly a different recording, Jack Johnson has proven that he can do the same old thing and still make it new and exciting. He always creates outstanding albums that are thematic and cohesive, and "To The Sea" is just as awesome as all of his previous albums. As Jack grows, so do his fans, his music, and his messages. His latest is a testament to where he came from, where he is, and where he is going, and from start to finish he makes an incredible connection to his fans by bringing them along for a great ride.

BURN THIS / June 2010

1. The Beautiful Girls "10:10"
2. Michael Franti & Spearhead "Shake It"
3. C-Money (featuring G. Love) "Arroz Con Pollo"
4. Dirty Heads "Sails To The Wind"
5. Iration "Let Me Inside"
6. Passafire "49th"
7. Timmy Curran "Swim"
8. Ry Cuming (featuring Sara Bareilles) "Always Remember Me"
9. Kai Brown "Moments Like This"
10. Justin Nozuka "My Heart Is Yours"
11. Pete Francis "Light Up My Day"
12. Josh Ritter "Southern Pacifica"
13. Good Old War "My Own Sinking Ship"
14. Griffin House "River City Lights"
15. Robert Francis "One By One"
16. JBM "Friends For Fireworks"
17. Ruarri Joseph "An Orchard For An Apple"
18. Angus & Julia Stone "Yellow Brick Road"
19. Xavier Rudd "Set Me Free"
20. The Cat Empire "Beyond All"

New Release Tuesday

New releases out today worth checking out:

• Chase Coy - Picturesque
• Good Old War - Good Old War
• Jack Johnson - To The Sea
• moe. - Smash Hits: Volume One
• Tamarama - Tamarama

CD REVIEW: Matt Wertz "While We're Becoming"

On the way to making a new full length album, Matt Wertz decided to record a short EP of new music to keep the fans' appetite satisfied. The EP, which features five new acoustic tunes, shows off one of the things that makes Matt Wertz one of the best independent artists making music: his lyrics. He always prides himself on having his lyrics be the driving force behind all his music, and whether its poetry or storytelling, Wertz's lyrics always make a connection with the listener. These are songs that are welcome additions to Matt's catalogue, and require no rerecording, remixing, or reinterpreting on future releases.

CD REVIEW: Turin Brakes "Outbursts"

Turin Brakes are always amazing when they release new music, and this latest is no exception. Their style of Brit folk is rarely paralleled in the music world, and only a few bands actually attempt this specific style of music. In face, Kings Of Convenience may be the closest comparison to Turin Brakes, and they're not even British. That being said, Turin Brakes are creating exciting music that doesn't really sound like anything else that you'll hear currently being played in heavy rotation. "Apocolips" and "The Sea Change" are instant Turin Brakes classics. Turin Brakes may not be a band that you'll hear on the radio every hour, but when you listen to "Outbursts" you'll certainly understand why they've made five albums and show no signs of slowing down.

CD REVIEW: Doves "The Places Between: The Best Of Doves"

Doves are one of the most intriguing bands to come across the pond in the last decade, and this album treats us to their best songs released during that time. This best of collection is not actually a greatest hits album. Being that Doves haven't really blown up the charts with hit songs, that means that their best of collection showcases the songs that define them as a band. Their music is a combination of classic Brit pop mixed with the sensibilities of an electronic band. They are always creating music that doesn't fit into any specific mold, yet they have seen some success stateside with songs such as "There Goes The Fear," "Catch The Sun," and "Caught By The River," all of which are included in this collection. The best of collection also includes the new song "Andalucia" which is more of their excellent blend of rock, ambiance, and electronica. Doves will surely continue to make great music and turn heads in the process, so for now, this best of album can remind us just how great they already are.