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Artist: A.J. Rosales
Album: 'Resistor'
CD Review: Label: Independent
Tracks: 11
Released: 2004
For Fans Of: Counting Crows, Dan Hill, Mark Cohn
Fav Tracks: Union, Resistor (Instr.), Disturbance Around Me, Prophecy

This is A.J. in his first solo project, with the only backing help appearing on bass.
Right from the start, A.J. grabs your attention with his strong acoustic style and equally strong vocals within an excellent sense of rhythm & harmony. His sound is rich, precise and textured. The songs are worth listening to just for the acoustic experience.

His vocals are somewhat reminiscent of singers you may know, but A.J. can still be heard in there enough to keep listening. Although the lyrics aren't overly compelling, the delivery is confident and dynamic and holds your attention. He is passionate about playing and singing and it shows. I'd like to hear A.J. adventure a little further with his vocals and with backing himself up in key places.

Overall, these songs are still just a hook or two from becoming more memorable songs, those that would set him apart. His confidence, style and sound are a great foundation and point of departure and I think that if A.J. finds that missing ingredient, then he'll have something a little more intriguing next time around.
Instrumental passages were just as good as the 'songs', as A.J. plays as if he's still singing, only with his fingers. There are 3 of these on the disc, plus an interlude, which is almost too much of a good thing.

My main complaint is my most frequent one, and that is, there could be more in the way of hooks that reach out and grab you. Otherwise, a lot of the music just drifts by, as beautiful as most of it is.
There isn't a weak track in the bunch because of A.J.'s strength as a songwriter, but there still needs to be more.

I look forward to hearing the next step in the evolution of this very promising singer/songwriter.

Contact: Novelty Records
Website: A.J. Rosales