Put Your Ghost to Rest
With that ever-present catch in his plainspoken voice, Kevin Devine (Miracle of '86) is the epitome of the post-emo singer/songwriter. That vulnerability extends to the lyrics on his major label debut, following a well received trio of indie efforts. As the New York native explains, "These songs helped me figure out what I thought about the last year of my life." Backed by the Goddamn Band (Amy and Chris Bracco, Carey Brandenburg, Mike Skinner, Russell Smith, and Margaret White), the 26-year-old vows to "get his head on straight" in the country-tinged "Less Yesterday, More Today" and "prays for protection" on the spare "Heaven Bound & Glory Be." Clearly, there's some catharsis going on here. Highlights include the gentle pop of "Brooklyn Boy" and the Beatle-esque "Go Haunt Someone Else." Like the achingly vulnerable confessions of Conor Oberst's Bright Eyes and Chris Carrabba's Dashboard Confessional,Put Your Ghost to Restis sure to receive a lot of love from the producers of shows likeThe O.C.andOne Tree Hill--and tender souls throughout the land.--Kathleen C. Fennessy