Stray
Move over, Mraz. Take a seat, Mr. Mayer. There's a new kid in town and he's poised to take over the pop-rock, singer-songwriter throne. And he's no Jason or John or even Dave. Derek James is his name, and his debut disc, Stray, is full of eleven perfectly poppy songs that are succinct, snappy, and damn sexy.
The disc starts out hot with the song "Free Love," in which James sings about a temptress who'll "Melt you down to a puddle of a man/ just looking for his pride." After repeated listens to this album, however, it's hard to imagine James loosing his cool. For a freshman release, this album is surprisingly confident. James never waivers, but he's also never cocky.
This confidence is evident in the hit "Summer," which is ready for relentless radio rotation. It'll make you want to sing the line "she doesn't know who I am" over and over with your car windows down and your shades on. "Ain't No Thing Is Perfect," another ready-for-radio ditty...