Owsley - Owsley (Tan Vinyl Edition)

You probably heard Alabama-born multiinstrumentalist Will Owsley before youheard of him; he was a mainstay in the bands of Amy Grant and Shania Twainduring the mid-'90s. He then pulled a Tom Scholz of Boston-style maneuverand recorded his own album, which he shopped to the major labels as atake-it-or-leave-it deal. The Giant label bit, as well they should have; Owsley is one of the better power pop albums of the '90s and certainly one of the best power pop debuts ever to come down the pike (that this self-recorded album got a Grammy nom for best engineered album is further testimony as toOwsley's many talents). You'll hear a little Cars, a little Todd Rundgren, anda healthy helping of Owsley's former bandmate Ben Folds, but the crunch ofOwsley's guitars makes sure the power gets as much play as the pop.Highlights include Oh No the Radio, Coming Up Roses, and Good OldDays, but really this is a remarkably consistent album, full of hooks and some sonic surprises (cello! organ!). Owsley makes its LP debut in a tan vinyl edition limited to 1000 copies, complete with a full-color inner sleeve.You'll be playing some of these songs on repeat in your head after a coupleof listens.