Owsley Owsley (LP, colored Vinyl, Ltd.)

(Real Gone Music) 9 tracks, tan colored vinyl, limited edition to 1000 copies1000, includes printed inner sleeve

You've probably heard Alabama-born multi-instrumentalist Will Owsley before you've heard of him; he was a mainstay in Amy Grant and Shania Twain's bands in the mid-90s. Then a Tom Scholz moved from Boston and recorded his own album, which he pitched to major labels as a take it or leave it deal.

The Giant label bit, and good thing too; Owsley is one of the better power-pop albums of the '90s, and certainly one of the best debut power-pop albums ever to hit the market (that this self-recorded album received a Grammy nomination for best technical album is further evidence of Owsley's many talents). You hear a little Cars, a little Todd Rundgren, and a healthy dose of Owsley's former bandmate Ben Folds, but the crunch of Owsley's guitars ensures that the "power" takes up as much space as the "pop" Highlights include "Oh No the Radio," "Coming Up Roses," and "Good Old Days," but basically this is a remarkably consistent album, full of hooks and some sonic surprises (cello! organ!).