This singer/songwriter is a veteran, albeit lesser known, member of the Tampa Bay music scene, having played around since the early 1980s in numerous bands (Brutal Lovers, Running Lovers) and worked at recording studios such as Florida Sound and Media Central, according to his website. On Like We Believe, the Alabama native sings in a Leonard Cohen-style croon on songs that are by turns political ("Nixon's Rainbow"), plaintive ("Wishing Well") and humorous ("The Devil's Ex-Wife"). But the lyrics lack the kind of bite that really sticks with a listener. The sound ranges from moody atmospherics to Americana, having been expertly produced by Zen Recording Studios' Steve Connelly. 2.5 stars
This article appears in May 2-8, 2007.