Regular Columnists

Artist: Soulthieves
Album: "Microphone In The Sugarbowl"
CD Review: Hailing from Colorado, Soulthieves distinguish themselves as songwriters and musicians on this strong outing.

There is good variety, yet every song has a characteristic sound. The lead vocals, mainly sung by Michael St. James, carry the songs well, and the recording is punctuated by tasteful guitar solos and tight playing from the rhythm section.

The uptempo material varies from the funky "A Little Down" to the more straight-ahead "Starting Tonight", the slower material includes the grunge-influenced rock ballad "Confess" and the gentle, folk-influenced "Free." The faster songs still groove and the slow songs don't drag.

The main problem with the CD is an inconsistency of material; there are some songs that aren't up to the caliber of the others. "Every Day", which opens the CD is pleasant enough, but lacks the depth of some of the other material. "A Little Down", which comes second, would have been a better choice for a leadoff track.

Nonetheless, this is definitely a very promising release from the Soulthieves, a band whom I hope to hear more from.

For more information, visit www.soulthieves.com or call the fan line at 303-271-SOUL.