Legendary songwriter Michael Stoller (co-author of such hits as Hound Dog and Jailhouse Rock) has always had a fascination for Brazilian music, and when he saw Guilherme perform, and eventually formed a friendship, he had found the vehicle to get his music expressed. Verguerio is a Brazilian pianist/arranger who says Michael has a Brazilian soul. Thus comes "Amazon Moon," filled with delightful Latin rhythms and instrumentation and a number of guest artists surrounding Guilherme. This is bouncy up-tempo carnival music for the most part. You'll want to practice up on the samba before you play this disc. Brazilian music and jazz seem to be perfect partners - just listen to the title cut. It reminds me a lot of the late Henry Mancini. "Constant Surprise" was just that - an instrumental cornucopia. Check out "Lost in You" for some smoky rhythm, and "I remember" for a more mellow number. Brazil is a nation of many sounds and this album captures the same diversity on disc.

If you like mellow, acoustic jazz, Steven King's guitar stylings will fill the bill. There is a nice sound to his compositions, and excellent guitar play as might be expected from a National Fingerstyle Champion. But the addition of flute on many cuts makes the music more ethereal, pushing it more towards a new age type sound. There are no surprises on this album. The compositions are simple, yet it is a good simplicity, not covered up with dramatic, unnecessary flourishes. The most jaunty piece on the album is "Miller Meets the Count," and it is an obvious attempt to blend the kind of jazz stylings that Glenn Miller and Count Basie were known for. The fade, and then the upbeat return, is one trick used well, making this the most pleasing cut on the album. It's a bit of cotton candy for the ears, but we can all use a little of that.

I must first admit that "Reverend Horton Heat" is a band that I have heard much praise about, but have until now never actually heard myself. So I saw reviewing their new release "Space Heater" as an opportunity to crawl out of the proverbial rock that I had been under. At first listen, what immediately stands out is some very solid slide guitar playing throughout the record. In fact, the first track, "Pride of San Jacinto," is an instrumental piece that showcases vocalist/guitarist Jim Heath's slide work.

Unfortunately, what follows are extremely simple lyrics laid over power chord guitars and mundane drum and bass work. Track two, "Lie Detector," is a great example of this. The music is ridiculously simple and the lyric sheet consists of "You are the Lie Detector, You are the lie Detector, You are the truth protector, You are the Lie Detector Girl, Yeah." There are about 6 other lines in the whole song, no kidding.

This consistent repetition flows throughout the record, and frankly I find it boring. "Space Heater," in my opinion, is extremely generic, and while the average Heat fan may completely disagree with me, and perhaps I am ignorant to the ways of The Reverend, this is one sermon I think I'll skip.

After a two year sabbatical, "Mudhoney" return to release "Tomorrow Hit Today." Marking the band's tenth year of existence, "Tomorrow Hit Today" incorporates the driving guitarist, pounding drums and jammy nature that has become the signature of the band.

"A Thousand Forms of Mind," "Oblivion" and "This Is The Life" stand out as strong songs on the disc, keeping true to the "Mudhoney" form. "Try To Be Kind" and "Ghost" have a glam feel to them, striking a different shade to the record. "Poisoned Water" and "Move With the Wind" find more of a road house blues feel anchoring the record down to a players player vibe.

Ultimately "Mudhoney" provide solid tunes and pure musicianship. There is no doubt that these guys can play. Yet, the record leaves the listener with kind of a bad after-taste. The fact is, "Tomorrow Hit Today" is a bit on the stoic side. Perhaps more of a release for the core fans than for the general listening community.