If you haven't heard of Douglas yet, knowing that his band opened for the likes of Yngwie Malmsteen, Bumblefoot and Gary Hoey on the Guitar Gods tour should be enough to get your attention; Douglas will certainly have you rapt when Keepin' Faith starts spinning. Douglas has a "from the heartland" kind of voice and songwriting style and the obvious comparison here is to John Mellencamp, with cuts like "Faith (Renewed)" sounding especially Mellencamp-ish, and others like "Out on the Highway" demonstrating a real talent for wrapping catchy vocals around hooky guitar riffs.

Quill
Brush with the Moon
(Self released)

This is the first worldwide release for this established band from the U.K. which now features Bev Bevan of ELO on percussion. The record is a tribute to Ben Brain, the band's late bass player, who wrote all the songs within, and his wife Joy Strachan-Brain handles most of the lead vocals throughout. The band's sound is an understated folk-inspired pop, buoyed by Strachan-Brain's vocals which recall those of Christine McVie's with a little bit of Marianne Faithful thrown in.

The Giraffes
Usury
Silver Sleeve