Acoustic Rock

Porcelain – might be fragile, but it’s undeniably beautiful.

It’s also got a lot of class, for being old school. (It originated in China some three thousand years ago. And had its hey-dey in the 16th century, though it’s certainly still popular in the 21st.)

In a similar vein, the music of Edward Rogers touches on something long-gone and yet there it is – as solid as a porcelain plate – and just as beautiful.

Bethany and the Guitar, a lively acoustic pop band, consists of Bethany Parks, her brother Kurtis, and three other people. Their song, “Careful with Me,” starts off with two acoustic guitars and an added violin, and then the rest of the instruments join to collaborate and form a beautifully well-written song showcasing raw talent.

In the modern musical landscape, Crosby, Stills & Nash's unique blend of acoustic folk, subdued rock n' roll, and otherworldly vocal harmonies seems more relevant than ever. This is particularly evident in the stylistic resurgence of vocal harmonies in indie rock over the last few years. Many of the characteristics of today's most cutting edge underground music find their roots in music such as CSN's. However, few can do it better.

Their self-titled debut album demonstrates the mellow, deceptively simple nature that would come to define the band's music.

This is the record you always hoped your friend in high school would make. These are the tunes you'd trek to late night shows in inconvenient locations just to hear. And after the show, you'd tell your friend he was a talented songwriter and good things would come one day, though of course you had your doubts. This is the record that proves you wrong.

"War Elephant" is the debut release from Deer Tick, the moniker for singer/songwriter, John McCauley. It's not a cheerful record, but it's an accomplished one.