Jeff Caudill

Try To Be Here

[4/5]

We’re just gonna say it right here, right now: Try To Be Here is the best album featuring The Brady Bunch‘s Cousin Oliver (aka former child actor Robbie Rist) on drums. Rist has matured into a talented multi-instrumentalist and producer, co-producing this disc-which continues ex-Gameface pop-punker Jeff Caudill’s own journey of musical discovery-with the singer. (Farside’s Popeye Vogelsang also joins the party on lead guitar.) A few solo efforts in, SoCal’s Caudill has settled nicely into an alt-country space, and brings a refreshingly warm outlook to his tunes. Even during his more rocking past, Caudill knew how to craft a hook, and he continues to do so while looking back on his van-and-club days with "I Was The Lead Singer," channeling Elvis Costello & The Attractions on "Remember The Time," and getting all folk-trippy on "Dreaming In Realtime." But those are the parameters-at its heart, Try To Be Here is solid, open and honest music, and it goes down pretty damn easily because of it. (FORTUNATE SON; jeffcaudill.com) JR Griffin



ROCKS LIKE:

Ryan Adams’ Gold

Rhett Miller’s The Instigator

The Jayhawks’ Hollywood Town Hall