Dan Craig, an independent artist, has put out a string of albums over the course of his short career. Contained within the albums is some of the best songwriting around. Up until now, Craig has cranked out a ton of excellent songs, but no he has put together the most solid album of his career. Though many of the songs are short and the album is only ten songs long, each song is perfectly written and the album is a whole is one of the best independent releases of the year. The title track is radio ready, but still nothing like anything you'll currently hear on air. Its energy, its lyrics, and its style are unique to Dan Craig, who after this album should finally get the mass recognition he deserves. "Enough," "Sunday Morning," and "Home Forever" are lyrical gems, highlights of the album, three of Craig's best songs to date. Dan Craig is a true artist when creating his music, with attention to detail unlike any other.
Lockerbie is primed and ready for that outstanding debut full length album. This, however, is yet another pleasant tease, as his second EP contains only 4 songs. Lockerbie's style, reminiscent of artists such as Ari Hest and Mat Kearney, is subtle pop folk that borders on true alternative. Though this EP is subtle and mellow, it shows growth and strength compared to his debut which seemed more like just a single than a full EP. Comparatively, it seems that Lockerbie has found himself as a truly sophisticated songwriter, transcending typical pop tunes and putting together music that is hearty and tells a story. "Tacoma" is a killer track, showing off Lockerbie's lighter folk side while "Moving To Montauk" shows us that he's still a pop artist at heart, but with a bit more substance than the masses. Trey Lockerbie is a gem waiting to be discovered, and although these four songs are superb, when he finally releases a full length album, the artist as a whole will truly be realized by the world.
As the Colorado music scene grows, The Heyday stand tall in the front of the line with two incredible independent releases as their resume. The latest of the two is a six song collection that further builds on the straightforward lyrical rock music that their debut album was filled with. There are two major standout tracks on the album, "Midnight Cold" and "Good Old Days." The second of those two stands to be the band's breakout hit, if radio gets smart and decides to play it. It's lyrically and musically accessible, as well as an organic composition showcasing the many talents of the band members. The Heyday are not to be underestimated, and in a few years time, if their songwriting continues to rock this much, they'll be selling out arenas and amphitheaters all over the USA.
Coming full circle, the latest EP released by Matthew Mayfield features return to rock music. With his new band, The Blue Cut Robbery, Mayfield cranks out some rockers that have not been heard from him since he began writing and recording music as a solo performer. "Swamp," "Shotgun," and "Good Girls" are Matthew Mayfield at the top of his rock game. He translates his folk rock roots and lyricism into pure rock and roll gold, proving that at the core of every great rock musician there is a singer/songwriter. It's doesn't matter the delivery system that is chosen, because Matthew Mayfield has the true makings of a superstar, and the songs on this new EP are proving that point well.