(UFO Records, CD)

In the wake of the recent success of Jason Mraz and the “American Idol” triumph of Kris Allen, Zach Deputy has recorded Sunshine in the same safe, white, pseudo-soul, acoustic-pop-troubadour vein. Problem is, Deputy comes off too much like Mraz and Allen to really make any impact — call him the poor man’s Brett Dennen.... Read more

(Self-released, CD)

I was asked recently which album I listened to when I was feeling really down. I responded that it depended upon whether I wanted to feel better or keep feeling bad. For those of you who enjoy wallowing, may I suggest Saving Your Side, the sophomore effort from Burlington’s The Leaves. Front woman Aya Inoue has delved into her personal journals and penned an album that paints a pretty clear portrait of hurt.... Read more

(Self-released, CD)... Read more

(Self-released, CD)... Read more

The Wait, the latest album from Providence, Rhode Island's Zox, is very good. Had it ended at track nine, it would have been excellent. Although there are plenty of engaging moments, the last four tracks are repetitive and tend to weigh down an otherwise quality effort.... Read more

(Self-released, CD)

Recent years have brought an explosion of white-boy funk bands; every city with a breathing music scene seems to have at least one. Some of the more potent groups gain a modicum of acclaim, à la Galactic, but most lack the heat to ignite. Such is the case with New Orleans' Brotherhood of Groove, whose disc BOG Style never really catches fire.

Guitarist/bandleader Brandon Tarricone puts his name ahead of the group's moniker, so the credit - good or bad - goes to him. Too bad there isn't more of the good.... Read more

(Harmonized Records, CD)

Let's get this out of the way right up front: Burlington rockers RAQ's latest, Ton These, is an eminently listenable album. The musicianship is great, perhaps flawless. Each of the 10 tunes is infectious. Unfortunately, the quartet still wears its influences on its sleeves; RAQ need to roll 'em up and get to work on establishing their own identity.... Read more

(Self-released, CD)

The cover art of Madhouse, by central Vermont's Pulse Prophets, shows the Earth in a state of disarray, with missiles, fires, mushroom clouds and a giant Band-Aid holding the planet together. Its flipside depicts Saddam, Osama and Dubya as the speak-, hear- and see-no-evil monkeys. So what should we do when the inmates are running the asylum? Hit the dance floor, apparently.... Read more

(Self-released, CD)

A recent "Saturday Night Live" skit parodied a Regis-style morning show, complete with an interminably cheesy theme song. The joke was that the house band played for so long that there was no time left for the show. Vermont funk act Viscus' new disc Merging feels a bit like that sketch.... Read more

(Self-released, CD)

On first listen, it's hard to tell: Is Portland, Maine's Sly Chi a white-funk band or a funky white band? Is there a difference, and should it matter? Although the band's latest disc, Wave Sound, is somewhat vanilla, it's hardly Grippo redux.... Read more