BURN THIS / February 2015

1. Mat Kearney "Heartbeat"
2. Jessie Baylin "Creepers (Young Love)"
3. Joshua Radin "We'll keep Running Forever"
4. Will Dailey "Higher Education"
5. Greg Holden "Hold On Tight"
6. Needtobreathe "Multiplied"
7. Judah & The Lion "Rich Kids"
8. Elenowen "Half A Mile"
9. JD McPherson "Let The Good Times Roll"
10. JJ Grey & Mofro "Every Minute"
11. Gill Landry "Just Like You"
12. Brandi Carlile "Wherever Is Your Heart"
13. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors "Shine Like Lightning"
14. The Lone Bellow "Cold As It Is"
15. Joe Pug "Stay And Dance"
16. Luke Reynolds "No Way To Know What's Coming"
17. Chadwick Stokes "Prison Blue Eyes"
18. Benjamin Booker "Wicked Waters"
19. Jessica Lea Mayfield "Standing In The Sun"
20. The Barr Brothers "Love Ain't Enough"

#reviewoftheweek / Elenowen - For The Taking

Going underappreciated can be a thing of beauty if utilized in the right way. Elenowen, while briefly coming close to superstardom, have allowed themselves to use their brief recognition to foster their success and creativity. This album is their defining moment, and it is every bit of excellent as you'd expect. The title track is one of the album's best, but it on songs like "Half A Mile" and "Losing The Lonely" where to duo shines. Showing off many facets of their musical influences, the album contains traces of blues, folk, and even a bit of southern rock, while still remaining true to their original sound. The music's greatness is compounded by their excellent lyricism, and now Elenowen is poised to make a name for themselves on their own terms. Sometimes all you need is a platform to let the world know you exist. For Elenowen, now there won't be an opportunity to be overlooked.

#reviewoftheweek / Jukebox The Ghost - Jukebox The Ghost

Even though these guys have been around for a while, it seems as though this album is the one that's going to put them on the map for a lot of music fans. Maybe it's because it's self titled and maybe its because its possibly their most musically accessible to date, but either way the recognition and discovery is long overdue. The lead single, "The Great Unknown," shows off the piano driven indie pop that JTG has been know for throughout their career, while bridging the gap from indie and experimental to a bit more mainstream of a sound. The song has been featured on TV and is sure to gain airplay on radio from top 40 to AAA to alternative as soon as the masses grab hold. The music on the entire album is incredibly heartfelt and lyrically driven, while showing off a simpler side of indie rock. These guys would have been right at home in the 90's on radio alongside acts like Ben Folds Five and Semisonic, and could quite possible turn on a new generation to this style of pop alternative rock music. Jukebox The Ghost are soulful and energetic at the same time, making for their latest album to fit right into the mainstream music world.

#reviewoftheweek / Luke Reynolds - After The Flood

After having fronted indie roots rock band Blue Merle and released a few albums on his own, Luke Reynolds became the fourth member of the indie rock band Guster. That doesn't mean that the music stops flowing from his head through the pen to paper and eventually on tape. Reynolds has released one of his best collections of music to date, which encompasses his entire musical career, as a frontman, as a solo artist, and even as a session musician. He is a talented multi-instrumentalist with the ability to lyricize, making him the total package. Songs like "No Way To Know What's Coming" and "A Million Miles Away" are instantly catchy in the way that radio friendly pop songs are, but yet still stand far enough away from center to be unique and different. It is always amazing when musicians can crank out music in different incarnations simultaneously, and Luke Reynolds has proven to be one of the best at it. While he may stand at the side at times, he has proven that the reason he is an asset to so many bands and musicians is because of his immense talent and ability to take on any musical role.

#reviewoftheweek / Guster - Evermotion

Almost 5 years since the release of their previous album, Guster has returned with a new chapter in their story. The cool thing about it is that this album, like all the others, doesn't really sound like a repeat performance. Partnering with producer Richard Swift (The Shins) has allowed them to venture on some different tangents on this record, most notably the addition and utilization of the keyboard in all its forms (piano, synth, etc.). The first single has been on the airwaves for a few months and is a showcase of the band's ability to deliver a 3 minute pop song that doesn't sound like other stuff on the radio. They have already previewed half of the album online including the songs "Endlessly," "Never Coming Down," "Long Night," and "Gangway." These four are sure to become setlist staples on their upcoming tour with the ambient "Long Night" and the synth driven "Endlessly" possibly popping up as the band's lead song. "Never Coming Down" is a tropical summery sounding song showing off the band's simplicity and acoustic roots and "Gangway" is the track where the album's title is lifted from and also a truly well crafted lyrical number. The two tracks that bring the band full circle bridging their past with their present are possibly two of the best on the album, and are sure to become standouts and fan favorites instantly. They are "Doin' It By Myself" and "Kid Dreams" and they feature the band showing off their acoustic instruments, including a bit of hand drumming percussion thrown in for good measure. They've been busy in recent years revisiting past albums on anniversary tours but with the recording and release of "Evermotion," Guster has maintained that 20 years in existence is a result of their love for music, fans, and the journey. Their past has produced their present and staying power comes from reinventing themselves without alienating their roots.  "Evermotion" is a colorful representation of just that concept and a cohesive and superb album that could only come from this band at this time. As with all their previous releases, this album is going to wow and impress the die hard lifelong fans as well as turn on a whole new generation to one of the best bands around that are doing it their own way.

BURN THIS / January 2015

1. Ben Howard "Rivers In Your Mouth"
2. Vance Joy "First Time"
3. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors "Here We Go"
4. Shakey Graves "Dearly Departed"
5. JD McPherson "Bossy"
6. Benjamin Booker "Happy Homes"
7. The Revivalists "When I'm Able"
8. O.A.R. "Favorite Song"
9. SOJA "Tear It Down"
10. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad "Whatever Cost"
11. Rebelution "Fade Away"
12. Blue King Brown "All Nations"
13. The Beautiful Girls "Until My Kingdom Comes"
14. Tristan Prettyman "Waves"
15. Guster "Never Coming Down"
16. Ray LaMontagne "Ojai"
17. Piers Faccini & Vincent Segal "Cradle To The Grave"
18. The Mattson 2 "Dif Juz"
19. Tommy Guerrero "The Lone Pistolero"
20. Adam Topol "Bumping At The Breakwater"

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2014

1. Phish - Fuego
2. G. Love & Special Sauce - Sugar
3. John Butler Trio - Flesh & Blood
4. Angus & Julia Stone - Angus & Julia Stone
5. moe. - No Guts, No Glory
6. SOJA - Amid The Noise And Haste
7. Ray LaMontagne - Supernova
8. Conor Oberst - Upside Down Mountain
9. Broken Bells - After The Disco
10. Beck - Morning Phase
11. Vance Joy - Dream Your Life Away
12. Maroon 5 - V
13. Bahamas - Bahamas Is Afie
14. Ben Howard - I Forgot Where We Were
15. Counting Crows - Somewhere Under Wonderland
16. Coldplay - Ghost Stories
17. The Black Keys - Turn Blue
18. Benjamin Booker - Benjamin Booker
19. Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
20. O.A.R. - The Rockville LP
21. Rebelution - Count Me In
22. Trevor Hall - Chapter Of The Forest
23. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Half The City
24. Jack White - Lazaretto
25. Hozier - Hozier
26. Tweedy - Sukierae
27. The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream
28. Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways
29. The Belle Brigade - Just Because
30. Royal Blood - Royal Blood

#reviewofthweek / Tristan Prettyman - Back To Home

After having been independent and then singing to a label, Tristan Prettyman has decided once again to go it alone and do it herself. As the title of the album suggests, she is returning to her roots, and this time she has a whole lot more in her bag of tricks. Her foundations in surfer folk music coupled with her experiences in the pop rock world combine perfectly on this short independent release that features a great collection of lyric driven tunes. "Who We Are" leads the way as the short album's first single, but it's song like "Waves" and "Perfect Storm" that remind us why Prettyman is a unique songstress and not some cookie cutter pop princess. The bottom line is that Tristan Prettyman has proven that you don't need major label backing. Just with some talent, some appeal, and some guts and you can do it however you want as good or even better than the best.

#reviewoftheweek / Lowell Thompson - Stranger's Advice

Lowell Thompson isn't well know all over the place, but certainly he's a name that many Vermonters and New Englanders know. His latest release is a refreshing bit of folk rock and Americana, that lends itself well to the northeast. You can imagine yourself hearing this music or seeing Thompson perform as a busker in the streets of Boston, MA or Burlington, VT or in small clubs all over the northeast in the aforementioned locations as well as others like Northampton, MA, Albany, NY, and Portland, ME. Envision pine trees, snow covered mountain tops, red plaid flannel shirts and the like in the crowd. His blend of rootsy sensibilities and heritage rock is not something that you hear on pop radio, but can draw comparisons to everyone from Mumford & Sons to Phish to John Mayer. If given the right audience and recognition, Lowell Thompson, with this latest album, could be as recognizable as those artists and surely share the stage with them in years to come.

#reviewoftheweek / Ben Ottewell - Rattlebag

As one of the voices of the British rock back Gomez, Ben Ottewell has experienced some incredible, underground success. But, with such a distinguishing voice, its hard for someone like Ottewell to break away and not sound like his band. On his second solo album, Ben has managed to make sure that the music, regardless of its sound, is his own. After having heard his folky solo music, it makes Gomez sound more like a jam band than an alternative rock group. The music on this album is driven by simplicity and hinges on the lyrics. Ben Ottewell has proven, with this new album, that he is one of his generation's best vocalists, and can stand as a band leader or as a solo musician equally and outstandingly.