::ROCKY VOTOLATO::

Rocky Votolato is easily one of my favorite artists of the year. Upon hearing "White Daisy Passing", from his 2006 album Makers, to hearing his newest release The Brag and Cuss, then searching out older releases, such as A Brief History and Suicide Medicine, there is nothing about this man's music that doesn't astound me every time I listen to it. Seeing him perform his material live, in an intimate, laid back setting, affirmed the notion that "Wow, this guy may just be one of my favorite artists for a while to come" stronger than almost any performance I have seen, and I have seen quite a few.

I'm not sure why I like Rocky's music so much...it might be the crackling honesty in his voice, the steel guitar and harmonica solos, or maybe it'd just be useless to try and figure it out, but one thing's for sure: if you haven't heard anything by Rocky Votolato, you're missing out. His musical style, ranging from folk rock, country, to the now-overused label "indie rock", is a good indicator that you're in for either a.) a treat, b.) a surprise, or c.) both. A good starting point into the world of Mr. Votolato would be tracks such as "White Daisy Passing" (Makers, 2006), "Before You Were Born" (The Brag and Cuss, 2007), or "Goldfield" (Makers, 2006). Whether you're in the mood for a smooth, relaxing melody, an emotional tune that'll pull at your heartstrings, or an upbeat song that'll keep your toe tapping for hours, Rocky Votolato is definitely an artist worth giving a second (third, fourth, and fifth) glance.