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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 31, 2008

ERIC MATTHEWS:

THE IMAGINATION STAGE

(EMPYREAN) **½

Eric Matthews albums are frustrating affairs. His chamber-pop arrangements are never less than gorgeous but they tend to overwhelm his fragile melodies. His singing, a head-down whisper so low you suspect he doesn't wish to be overheard, doesn't help either.

On "The Imagination Stage," Matthews raises his voice and scales back his ornate tendencies enough to make this his most listenable album since his 1995 debut, "It's Heavy in Here."

It's far from perfect and could use some trimming, but the high points outweigh the low.

Available for download now at iTunes and Amazon.com; CD comes out in March.

Download this: "The Kiss of Life"

Curtis Ross

CHRIS WALLA:

FIELD MANUAL

(BARSUK) **½

They want me to review the new Dishwalla CD? Are you kidding me?! Oh, wait ... this is Chris Walla? My bad.

That's the dude from Death Cab, right? Funny, his voice kind of sounds like Ben Gibbard's. So do a lot of his songs. Is there room in my CD collection for another sensitive guy singing demurely over bittersweet, midtempo indie-rock? Is there room in yours?

Poor guy seems a bit fixated on social and personal decay. "All hail an imminent collapse" is the disc's first line. Song titles include "It's Unsustainable" and "Our Plans, Collapsing." Good thing his melodic sense isn't so hopeless. He's even got me singing merrily about cell phones and FEMA trailers ("Everyone Needs a Home"). And "The Score" rocks like Death Cab hasn't since ... well, maybe ever.

Download this: "The Score"

Rommie Johnson

ONEREPUBLIC:

DREAMING OUT LOUD

(INTERSCOPE) **½

"Apologize" is one of those career-defining monster smashes that could turn OneRepublic into a one-hit wonder. But don't sleep on this quintet. They have more of the same in store. Maybe too much.

Just don't expect more of the "ehs" and drum-machine bloops featured on Timbaland's remix of "Apologize."

Lead singer Ryan Tedder is a protege of Timbo, who signed the band to his Mosley Music Group imprint. That's where Tim's influence ends. This band specializes in brooding but ultimately optimistic pop-rock that would fit well on the soundtrack to your favorite TV drama.

OneRepublic dwells in the emotional shadows, and they want some company. Join them. It's kinda nice.

Download this: "Say (All I Need)"

Joinville Michel

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