Cornerstone
A longstanding fixture on the New York scene, singer/guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Heyman is a master of the power-pop form, crafting effortlessly melodic gems whose formal majesty is matched by their emotional firepower. This 14-song collection contains his most accomplished work to date, demonstrating that Heyman's talents have, if anything, grown sharper in the six years since his sole major-label release,Hey Man!. On solidly crafted, aggressively played tunes like "If We Should Ever Meet Again," "Cornerstone," and "Out of My Hands," Heyman wields his impressive arsenal of hooks without succumbing to soft-centered wimpiness.--Scott Schinder