Review: Joshua Radin -- The Rock And The Tide

Let me start by saying that I like this album.

However, this is a bit of a departure from previous albums. Testing new waters, perhaps. I found the record as a whole to be slightly overproduced. Much of the Radin mystique comes from his simplified, stripped down sound. The opening track almost sounds like someone completely different, until Radin vocally hits his stride. Streetlight is one of the high points of the album, calling back to Simple Times. Fortunately it nicely rebounds from the uncomfortable first track, Road to Ride On.

The album actually gains some momentum, as Radin begins to channel Ray LaMontagne in You Got What I Need and One Leap. Interspersed are several louder, faster songs with a full backing band. There is certainly nothing wrong with more produced songs. They're merely not representative of his body of work. It was an unnerving listen using the track order as is. Just as Think I'll Go Inside brings the mellow vibes on, we get slammed with a pop rock anthem in The Ones With The Light.

Aside from the poppy rock songs, the album is still well worth the buy. The Rock and the Tide is a relatively short disc, so there is really not much else to be said about it. New Radin fans should soak up Simple Times and We Were Here to gain an unbiased perspective of this new album.

Tracks to get rid of:

Road To Ride On

Here We Go

Rating (based on the scale, 1 being a worthless pile of crap and 10 being the greatest album ever known to mankind) 7.2/10

For more on this album and all things Radin, visit his website. http://us.joshuaradin.com/

The Avett Brothers Live, Volume 3

It may come as no surprise to those that follow me on Twitter that I adore The Avett Brothers. There's this shear energetic and genuine approach that they take to music. Whether it's picking 'n grinning to a roots bluegrass tune like Distraction #74, or the beautiful piano ballad, I And Love And You, they bring their "A" game with full gusto. I am traditionally not a fan of country music as a whole. I do, however, love the bluegrass/folk flavor that the Brothers offer.

That brings us to their third Live album. The Brothers Avett are notorious for wildly energetic live shows (See Talk on Indolence). This record is no different, and subsequently captures the spirit that has brought fans in by the droves. Each song on the set is a winner. Take my word for it. I enjoyed them all, but let's highlight a few for the sake of time. As mentioned before, Talk on Indolence is possibly their most notable live song. The song encapsulates their auditory vitality. It's possibly the most fun song you could ever listen to. That said, Salvation Song is a mellow, yet perfect way to close out the live show. Kick Drum Heart has that awesome thumping rhythm that gets works up the crowd. I killed Sally's Lover is just a good ol' Carolina knee slapper. 'nuff said!

Songs that I felt should have been on the set list:

If It's the Beaches

Pretty Girl From San Diego

Pretty Girl From Chile

Backwards With Time

I realize that they could not play every song. Just venting a tad bit. All in all, this a solid live album that fully tells the story of The Avett Brothers, old and new. I would recommend this to people who have first and foremost listened to their studio albums. The live experience becomes much more valuable when you can see where it all comes from. That is where their genius becomes so very evident.

Available now in stores, iTunes and Amazon. For more information, visit the band's website here http://www.theavettbrothers.com