The Milwaukees
American Anthems, Vol. 1

“We wanted to make a transition toward writing more durable songs with more memorable melodies, to make an album that was less disposable.”

Guitarist/songwriter Jeff Nordstedt is explaining the impetus for the Milwaukees’ latest opus, American Anthems Vol. 1, an album that’s as imposing as its title suggests. Borne from the band’s enduring road-warrior reputation, it retains the brash swagger of their three previous efforts. However, it also finds a hint of wistful nostalgia, culled from musical snapshots of people and places they’ve encountered in their journeys.

While the album title more or less presents an idealized view of their homegrown ethos, it’s also worth noting that the Milwaukees aren’t from Milwaukee at all. They’re Jersey boys fueled by the same sense of passion and purpose that binds the area’s other blue-collar brigades. Not surprisingly then, echoes of the E Street Band, Bon Jovi and Southside Johnny can all be heard in the relentless drive of songs such as “Moonshaker,” “Breakup Song” “Highway to the Sun” and “Save Me.” However, as Nordstedt is quick to point out, the set has its sentimental side as well.

Crafting a sound that absorbs both tear stains and beer stains certainly helps to fuel their populist stance, one the Milwaukees seem all too eager to embrace—even over the possibility of reaping larger rewards. “We’re as ambitious as any band,” Nordstedt insists. “But the smartest thing we could do career-wise would be to make a record that we really love.”

milwaukees.com

Lee Alexander
Out of Place

Lee Alexander must have been stung by heartbreak one too many times, because like Elvis Costello and Graham Parker, his remorseful tales bear a cynical streak. Spewing venom about unworthy ex-lovers, bittersweet ballads like “Better Him Than Me,” “Be on Your Way,” “Like a Knife” and “Fallen” use lyrical twists to weave barbs into their banter. The ploy’s especially potent when he turns his aim toward politics; the folksy “Soul of America” and a sprightly “Ain’t No Crime” are clearly drawn from insurgent intentions.

Still, for all the sly sarcasm, Alexander crafts genuinely beautiful songs that leave lingering impressions. “Waiting for Someday,” “What I Choose” and “Angelinas” are so tender and touching, one suspects his aggressive edge is simply a cover to shield his sensitive soul.

alexandersongs.com

Patterson Barrett
I Must Be Dreaming

Forget the fact this is Patterson Barrett’s solo debut; he bears impressive credentials and considerable star connections—Jerry Jeff Walker, Al Kooper, Hal Ketchum and Nanci Griffith among them. In fact, the album’s rowdy, aptly-titled opener, “Take the Stage,” reunites him with Buddy and Julie Miller, bandmates of his early on.

A native of Washington, D.C., Barrett’s blue-collar country reveals a no-nonsense delivery and a keen eye for detail, as expressed in his description of distraught lovers in “She Won’t Be Getting Any Sleep Tonight” and lines like “I jumped so hard I fell and broke my heart” from “Leap of Faith.” So too, a faithful read of the Band’s ballad “Sleeping” finds an appropriate fit among these songs about dreams and desire.

pattersonbarrett.com

Blue Cartoon
September Songs

Granted, their moniker and album title suggest Saturday morning kiddie shows and nostalgic narratives. Nevertheless, September Songs, the fourth album from L.A.’s best-kept secret, navigates the middle ground between ’70s-style country rock and slightly retro power pop. Their hushed harmonies and ever-engaging melodies recall Poco, Pure Prairie League and even the Eagles, albeit with less commercial connotations.

Blue Cartoon don’t always opt for the obvious ploys, relying instead on supple melodies, well-crafted hooks and exacting execution. Opening tracks “Just a Little More” and “Bonny Doon” are earnest and emphatic, but for the most part, the album coasts along on a gentle caress, with fiddle and mandolin underpinning the down-home demeanor. An assured delivery and familiar feel make September Songs an album that sounds fine any time.

bluecartoon.com

The Bowmans
Far From Home

The close-knit harmonies that mark the Bowmans’ debut comes as no surprise, considering they’re twin sisters sharing a genuine folk finesse. Often introspective, the music maintains a steady lilt, unencumbered by over-embellishment. Other than a subtle hint of brass, banjo and occasional violin, acoustic guitars dominate the arrangements, giving the album a laidback feel in both its ambiance and execution.

While the Bowmans’ ballads aim to embrace tradition, the music resonates with a distinctive personality all its own. On songs such as “Make It Last,” “Digging for Gold” and “World With No Boundaries,” their gentle demeanor finds them wistful and whimsical. It’s a sound that brings the Roches to mind … but only when those Roche siblings reveal their more sobering side.

thebowmansmusic.com

Go Motion
Kill the Love

Originally from Omaha, but sounding like they were birthed in Britain, Go Motion’s fidgety rhythms recall classic dance-rock combos like Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and the Cure, as well as the more modern breed personified by the Killers, Bloc Party and Interpol. Still, for all their propulsive energy, this debut disc finds it difficult at times to differentiate one track from another.

Nevertheless, singer Albert Kurniawan plays the effusive cheerleader; his kinetic croon makes him the perfect foil for James Luther’s edgy guitars and shimmering keyboards and the pumping, percolating undertow delivered by bassist Luke Mabie and drummer/percussionist David Luther. As their titles imply, “Dance” and “Charm Is Harmless” sidestep any cerebral sensibility, but a somewhat subdued “Dear Love” suggests Go Motion may be headed in the right direction.

gomotiongo.com

Alana Grace
Break the Silence

For one so young (she’s only 19!), Alana Grace has amassed an impressive résumé, including a number of high-profile performance, songwriting and acting credits. That’s reason she sounds so assured—she’s a dynamo of a diva, with bold, brash vocals that bring to mind Pat Benatar, Gwen Stefani and Martha Davis of the Motels.

No wonder then that songs like “Break the Silence” and “Domino” find Grace ready to wail—defiant, assertive and operating in overdrive. However, she does let her guard down, with contemplative ballads like “Cynical Girls” and “The Tunnel” revealing her tender soul. There’s obvious commercial potential here, and if the material sometimes seems formula-fed, it’s all the more reason to believe Break the Silence will accomplish all its title promises.

alanagrace.com

Sean Hayes
Flowering Spade

Not to be confused with the sitcom star of the same name, Sean Hayes is, nonetheless, a performer of some repute in his native San Francisco. On his fifth album—and first recorded in a proper studio—he applies his quivering, pleading vocals and scratchy acoustic strum to snaking rhythms and repetitious verse. The result is a sparse, understated effort that croaks and meanders with an unsettling effect.

While Hayes’ persona is that of the weary folkie-type troubadour, he occasionally shifts his stance—dabbling in jazz on “Hip Kids,” indulging in reggae with “Dolores Guerrero” and baring his bluesy side on “Sally Ann.” And while his organic sound sometimes tends to ramble, the title track crowns the album with a truly memorable melody.

seanhayesmusic.com

P. Hux
Kiss the Monster

P. Hux, aka Parthenon Huxley, is a veteran power-pop pundit who’s made his name (or names) though an adroit combination of earnest emotion and riveting rock refrains. Opening track “Perfect” is just that, a perfect case in point—a potent blend of cooing harmonies with an anthemic ring that recalls the Who early on. What P. proffers is an understated innocence, one that makes a line like “In the shadow of the night / You hit my eyeballs like broad daylight” somehow sound profound.

In Hux’s hands, brash confessionals like “Come Clean” and “My Friend Hates Me” are more triumph than trauma, their exuberant melodies and effusive delivery giving cause for celebration. Likewise, a jaunty take on the Beatles’ “I’m Looking Through You” simply reinforces his ’60s sensibilities.

parthenonhuxley.com

The Princes of Hollywood
A Change of Venue

A name like Princes of Hollywood hardly seems fitting for this unpretentious outfit, whose yearning vocals and affecting embrace seem more a matter of grit than glamour. The heartfelt “Late September,” a reflective “Anna Lee” and the quiet contemplation of “Zombies” show their affinity for back-porch ballads, while rugged opener “The Highest Good” and a resolute “One More Reason” echo the affirmative anthems that Steve Earle or Bruce Springsteen have made their stock in trade.

Mainstays Harlan Dalzell and Tris Kinsley boast authentic Americana credentials; raised in Appalachia, they mine a down-home sound from acoustic guitars, banjo, mandolin and pedal steel. A ragtime ramble, “Pretty Out,” suggests a momentary departure, the only time A Change of Venue finds them somewhere other than their rootsy realms.

theprincesofhollywood.com

The Red Button
She's About to Cross My Mind

While most pop practitioners attempt to emulate the Beatles, the Red Button could be considered the equivalent of the Knickerbockers, an American knock-off that had such an exact bead on the Fab Four’s sound, they were initially thought to be those lovable mop-tops under a different guise. Likewise, while the Button exude the same overflowing energy and ’60s soundbites—including a remarkably precise Lennon-esque wail—they put enough distance between themselves and their role models to ensure an identity all their own.

Nevertheless, the album’s best songs are those that bear Brit-pop connections—the robust “Cruel Girl,” an effusive “Floating By” and “Free,” which sounds like the Beatles circa Revolver. Then again, every touch of this Button provides a retro reminder.

myspace.com/theredbuttonband

Matt Woods' Plan A
Caught Up in the Fray

It’s only a matter of time before singer-songwriter Matt Woods finds wider recognition. His second album offers the immediacy and accessibility that major labels generally latch onto. On songs like “My Way,” “Flight to California” and “Lonely Ones,” Woods wades through one emotional tempest after another, garnering powerful, affecting performances that resonate even on first hearing.

Woods matches his commanding vocals with an ace backing band in Plan A. Together they provide the riveting, rock-solid arrangements these tunes call for—whether turning up the heat for a searing rocker or adding just the right touch of nuance to one of Woods’ searing, sad-eyed ballads. It’s that balance between frenzy and finesse that gives these rugged, restless narratives an unequivocal sense of determination and purpose.

theplanasound.com