GREYHOUND SOUL
Tonight and Every Night

There has always been a rivalry of sorts between Arizona's two biggest (two only, really) cities; the sprawling Phoenix area is accused of being a cultural wasteland while Tucson is known for being tuned-in to the arts and spiritual matters. The argument will no doubt rage until all the desert sands blow away but one thing is undeniable---T-town is home to one of Arizona's most talented songwriters, Joe Pena, and his band Greyhound Soul. Pena sings with the consummate voice of experience. His vantage point is that of a man who's had the hell beaten out of his soul but doesn't necessarily consider that to be a bad thing; he wears a ruinous life like a favorite pair of fraying jeans---what's one more tear? The music here is similar in tenor to that of another great songwriter, Alejandro Escovedo, and in many circles Greyhound Soul racks up the commensurate amount of appreciation (they tour frequently in Europe where they're label-mates with Kris Kristofferson, Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle and the Drive-by Truckers.) Every track on Tonight and Every Night is a stand-out in its own way, particularly the Dire Straits-like "Midnight Radio" and the almost comical dressing-down that transpires during "Alligator Face (Reprise)." This is a phenomenal album that any fan of "Americana" should have on their playlist but if, like many of Pena's characters, you want to just take a sideways glance and keep moving, that's alright too. www.myspace.com/greyhoundsoul

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VANITY TWEAK

Vanity Tweak is a hard rock band fronted by teenaged singer Vanity. They have a sound similar to Flyleaf, or if you want to make a comparison to an oldies group, think of Vanity Tweak as an update on the Pat Benatar sound. A three-song sampler was given away in Tempe 12's "Girls of the Big 10" calendar for 2007-2008 not only because it was a good way to reach a lot of listeners but also because Vanity possesses a model's good looks along with her powerful voice. The songs on the E.P., "Swimming in Circles," "I'm Dead" and "Brother" only provide a brief taste of the band but it's enough to demonstrate that this young lady has a future in the music business if she wants to continue to pursue it. www.vanitytweak.com

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JACOB KOLLER
Music for Bowlers

Jacob Koller started playing the piano so young that you might suspect he had a toy Casio in the womb with him. The native Zonie was studying classical piano at age 4 and gave his first recital at age 5. Now, at age 27, Koller has almost a quarter of a century's worth of experience with the keyboard. Sometime during his high school years Koller turned his attention to composing jazz and that interest is fully realized on Music for Bowlers. This album is in a trio format with Koller being joined by bassist Chris Finet and drummer Corey Fogel. Most of the songs begin as traditional jazz arrangements but each takes a turn into the avant-garde; Fogel in particular produces a wealth of non-rhythmic sounds that the casual listener would be hard-pressed to identify as having come from a drum set. Nothing gets too "out there" though; Koller doesn't venture into Sun Ra territory. Music for Bowlers is very accommodating at setting a mood; pliant enough to be either relaxing or stimulating at the listeners discretion. Koller is a very easy-going and unassuming person, comfortable with his talents and probably resistant to a tag such as "genius." Give this one a few listens and you may disagree. www.jacobkoller.com

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FIGHT
K5-The War of Words Demos

HALFORD
Essentials Vol. 1

I don't think there's much I need to tell you about Rob Halford. His work with Judas Priest helped define what "metal" is and he has had a long successful career beyond that band. Many Phoenicians were shocked back in the '80s when they walked into local dive bar the Mason Jar to see some local band and found the metal god lurking in the dimly-lit club. The bar, now defunct, would come to be a favorite Halford hang-out as would the Phoenix area in general. The singer has maintained a residence in the Valley of the Sun for a long time and he's also done a significant amount of recording here. The music on The War of Words Demos, recorded at Phoenix's Vintage Studios in 1992, was originally meant to be used for reference by the band as they finished the sessions that would ultimately be released as The War of Words. Now available to fans for the first time, those vintage sessions are augmented with five cuts from 2006; "Now You Die," "Forbidden," "Down," "Beast Denies" and "Dead Men Talk." The Halford Essentials Vol. 1 release contains some of the same songs that are found on The War of the Words Demos but it's mostly chocked full of material recorded with the band Halford. Also included in the Halford package is a DVD featuring live material and behind-the-scenes footage. www.robhalford.com

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RAQUEL AURILIA
Finding My Way

Raquel is the wife of baseball player Rich Aurilia and Finding My Way is a nice intro to her as a recording artist. Working with a crack back-up band that includes players who've worked with the likes of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Pretenders, Rod Stewart and Jewel, Aurilia spins a vocal showcase with songs that particularly fit her adult-contemporary style like "Where Was I" and "The Need." The demographic she's going for is probably best summed-up by her choice of covers; the old Gary Wright hit "Dreamweaver" and the Buffalo Springfield chestnut "For What It's Worth." The latter song is not an easy cover but Aurilia infuses the song with a funky vibe and shares the mic at song's end with Kojo Obeng who spits a quick rap that makes the 40-year-old song sound modern. The album ends with a remix of "Where Was I" as a bonus track. www.raquelAurilia.com

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EYES SET TO KILL
Reach

Ever imagine what a soundtrack to a battle between heaven and hell might sound like? Listen to Eyes Set to Kill's "Song 2" and you just might get an idea. As the heavy metal thunders the devil screams his torment in the background (okay, it's actually ESTK singer Brandon Anderson) while an angel (yeah, it's only Alexia Rodriguez) ignores Old Nick and sings her own sweet song. That give-and-take is the modus operandi of this Tempe-based quintet that also features Alexia's sister Anissa laying down heavy bass riffs. Some of the songs are more hardcore---the rat-a-tat drums of "Darling" are relentless---while others ("Reach") are more mainstream-friendly. Not to detract from Anderson's screaming or the band's metal bent---it works nicely---but it's easy to hear that Alexia is a much more versatile singer than these arrangements allow for and I would expect that ultimately we will hear that side of her. www.myspace.com/eyessettokill

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PHUNK JUNKEEZ
Hydro Phonic

Phoenix's rap-metal kings have been around for 15 years and they are in fact one of the pioneers of the genre. While other groups have fizzled completely or tried to survive by doing the same old stuff over and over, the Phunk Junkeez have remained vital. The band is unparalleled at whipping up party anthems---"Join In" is an acute observation of daily life around the house that even makes grandma seem like a partier. As with much of the material here, "Join In" combines driving rock elements (Danny P guitar solo!) with a funky bounce for Soulman, DJ Roach and Milky to spit over. The band re-works the old Mungo Jerry hit "In the Summertime," changing up some of the lyrics and adding plenty of references to one of their favorite subjects, smoking weed. Hints of the Beastie Boys inhabit "What's the Time" and "People Following Me" borrows from the Thomas Dolby school of synth playing. What would be experimental for many groups is second nature to the Phunk Junkeez---they've twisted this one up nice for us and all they ask in return is that we twist one up for them. www.phunkjunkeez.com

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THE MAINE
The Way We Talk

Members of this Phoenix-based band are barely out of high school but they've got a leg up on most of their young peers---a recording contract with Fearless Records and a debut E.P. that is bound to open lots of doors. The 5-cut sampler opens with "If I Only Had the Heart," a poppy bit of emo that recalls another "local" band, Jimmy Eat World. "The Way We Talk" is addressed to a femme fatale, partly in praise of her wiles and partly a self-warning to leave the tease alone. "Give Me Anything" uses a couple of interesting techniques; a fuzzed out, discordant guitar riff at the song's beginning and then a sort of street chant at song's end. All in all an impressive first effort from this five-piece, and if the product release pattern of Fearless holds true you can expect a full-length before the year is out. www.myspace.com/themaine

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Lastly, a big old Hot shout out to Mr. Jimmy, better known as Snail Quail. He's a one-man band and he's quirky. He's snaily and a little bit quaily. Check out SQ's music at www.myspace.com/snailquail