Son

It's obvious on first listen to the debut from Jeff Hanson, yet you can't help but immediately acknowledge his angelic, fairy tale voice. It possesses the lighter, lovely moments shared by Bright Eyes and JJ72, but without the aching angst. His songwriting, however, shouldn't be overlooked. Each song on Son is a gem, tugging at the heart as he expresses the sentiments of an honest, innocent boy. His guitar picking is just as delicate as his voice on standouts such as "Hiding Behind the Moon" and "You and I Alone." The piano (the only instrument here not played by Hanson) on "The End of Everything Known" fleshes out the six-minute epic, demonstrating Hanson's potential for bigger breakthroughs. This is an unusual addition to the Kill Rock Stars roster, but one that should receive much attention. And now that any confusion regarding his gender is resolved, hopefully he won't be mistaken as a brother from the pop group Hanson either. ~ Kenyon Hopkin