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Ben Averch, "Washington State"

By Roger "Red" Byrne
Freelancers United, Inc.

Definitely among the year's most ambitious independent releases is this 10-track project from Ben Averch (http://averch.blogspot.com).

Drawing upon both the molten metal of early '90s grunge in Seattle and the futurist, high-I.Q. progressive rock of Rush and Yes, Averch raises the bar for today's modern rock bands. The only difference is that Averch doesn't have a group. Each note on "Washington State" was played by Averch himself. If you didn't know that, it's doubtful that you would've figured it out as Averch has exceptional skills.

Much has been written about Rush being a super-powered trio, but what can you say about a solo act such as Averch, who can minimize Pearl Jam's amp wallop on "Reset the Clock" without any additional player? Averch must be an octopus, each tentacle having mastered every instrument, from guitar to drums to Moog synthesizer to bass.

This is a truly impressive effort, produced with muscle and smarts.

Jeff Eaton, "Wish You Were Here"

By Roger "Red" Byrne
Freelancers United, Inc.

It may share the same title as a classic Pink Floyd LP, but don't expect Jeff Eaton's "Wish You Were Here" (http://www.jeffeaton-music.com) to be the work of depressed individual. Quite the contrary, actually. Eaton is one of the freshest voices in Americana, bringing an optimistic, thoughtful perspective to a genre saturated with burned-out alcoholics.

Unlike many of today's roots rockers, Eaton's view of the world isn't one of dust and despair. "Take Your Breath Away" is a gentle love song that is romantic as a tune can be without being too syrupy. But it's on the second cut, "Flood," where Eaton's shining talent bursts through. With its breezy guitar riffs and highly melodic vocals, "Flood" is a glimmering jewel of a song.

If "Flood" reminds you of the Bible, it's not a coincidence. A number of Eaton's tunes unveil his Christian beliefs but not in a blatant fashion. Eaton is more of a poet. On "Your Love," he describes God as "This consuming fire/Reaching down from above." How invigorating it is to hear classic rock with substance. If Eaton's sound is retro - think Bruce Springsteen (without the histrionics), Tom Petty, Bob Dylan - it's not that he's trying to. He is simply being himself, avoiding the gimmicks of modern rock for timeless appeal.

Burgess Shale, "No Rest for the Weary"

By Roger "Red" Byrne
Freelancers United, Inc.

Adopting a mysterious appellation, especially one with a utterly fascinating origin (look it up yourself), creates a promise of spine-tingling creativity. True enough, the San Francisco unit Burgess Shale (http://www.burgessshale.us) are clearly inspired.

This is art rock with a bubblegum twist as the pop dynamic between singers Heather Hopson and Brian Fraser give the music-theory arrangements an accessibility they otherwise wouldn't have gotten.

Not too long ago, you had to really know how to play instruments to be in a rock group, before everything took a backseat to the visual flash of MTV. The trio of Burgess Shale have impressive skills, carving their tunes into crazy shapes. They're an imaginative bunch, leaving me perplexed as to how to categorize their material.

For all of their musical wizardry, their songwriting is surprisingly grounded in everyday matters, making them appealing to the general public as well as to college professors. Also, if King Crimson had a female vox then they wouldn't have been far removed from Burgess Shale.

Steve Conway, "It's About Time"

By Roger "Red" Byrne
Freelancers United, Inc.

Singer/songwriter Steve Conway (http://www.steveconwaymusic.com) conjures pleasant vibrations on his debut outing. Normally, it's young folk that put out first recordings and not older gentlemen such as Mr. Conway here. The title, "It's About Time," can be viewed as a statement about that, but it's also among the LP's strongest tracks.

Veering back and forth between traditional country and easy listening, Conway nearly sounds like a cross between Willie Nelson and John Denver. The music grasps branches of folk, roots rock, and classic country without letting any of them dominate the songs.

"Wondering Heart" has an upbeat pulse in its chorus but there's an inner sadness to it as well, portrait of a man who still hasn't found what he's looking for. Conway seems to be singing of what he's learned from his own experiences, such as the advice he gives on "The Train of Life." In other words, every minute is precious, and you have to keep moving. With songs as memorable and loveable as this, it makes living life a sunny proposition indeed.

Tenth Planet, "The Prophet Curse"

By Roger "Red" Byrne
Freelancers United, Inc.

If Rush were fed through the amp rage of Alice in Chains, the resulting cacophony wouldn't be dissimilar from Tenth Planet (http://www.tenthplanet.ca), a boulder-hard progressive outfit from Toronto, Canada. Combining bookish, high-I.Q. lyrics with tidal waves of guitar slush, Tenth Planet take art rock to its sharpest edges.

On "Shadow," the band slams ears against the wall with blistering heavy metal riffs. However, when Martin Ouellette reaches the high notes, he captures the soaring melancholy of Radiohead's Thom Yorke. From that point on, you realize that Tenth Planet have other influences going for them, that they're capable of more than blasting speakers to smithereens.

Sure enough, on "We Are the Cause of Everything," Tenth Planet echoes the shimmering guitars of U2's the Edge with a nearly crooning vocal delivery from Ouellette. "Ariane," on the other hand, recalls Alice in Chains at their rain-swept peak.

Back in the '80s, Canadian groups weren't afraid to mix and match their metal and New Wave inspirations. In some way Tenth Planet are carved with the same mold, taking the best of hard rock and alternative music and fusing them together for a smart, invigorating sound.

EJ Sebian, "Ontogeny"

By Roger "Red" Byrne
Freelancers United, Inc.

Somebody once said that the more personal a piece of art is, the more universal it becomes. As strange as it may sound, it's true, providing further evidence of how alike we actually are. EJ Sebian's "Ontogeny" is a bold example of that theory. These songs originate from personal experience, either living through them or observing others.

Sebian sings of racism, broken hearts, and indifference to the plight of minorities in America. "SOS (Same Old Song)" exposes the cycle of hardship and violence in today's communities, and the cold shoulders that greet it. The only time that Sebian uses a swear word is on this tune, and it registers tremendous force. Utilized sparingly, blunt profanity can shake the senses, and Sebian knocks the listener against the wall.

But this isn't a grim record. There is a sense of hope in Sebian's uplifting, peaceful vocals. Particularly touching is "Emily," an ode to his little daughter, complete with a bittersweet sampled phone conversation.

For more details, visit http://www.ejsebian.com.

Lifeline, "Cry"

By Roger "Red" Byrne
Freelancers United, Inc.

Those who are too quick to bury rock and roll, conceding to the overwhelming popularity of hip-hop, have spoken too soon. Popular music always revolves in cycles. And the East Coast outfit Lifeline circles back to an earlier time period, somewhere between the late '80s and early '90s.

I was hesitant to make comparisons to Living Colour, simply because leader Tyrone Williamson is also black. It's lazy for a critic to bring up Living Colour whenever another rock band led by an African-American appears. Neverthless, the influence is too strong to deny; like Living Colour, Lifeline fuses soulful vocals with slamming, metallic guitars. Do you see Def Leppard doing that? Or the late, lamented Soundgarden?

Lifeline has a social conscious, too, as revealed in "Cry for the Earth (C.F.T.E.)," which takes a slap against President Bush for his enviromental policies.

There's tremendous potential on "Cry." While it's a good rock record, I doubt this is the best the group has to offer. The old demos included on here are fairly rough, but they show the band's roots in a vivid manner, treating us new fans to their artistic evolution.

Visit http://www.lifelineproject.com for details.