Rock and the Tide

Audio Mixer: Mark Endert .
Recording information: Kensaltown Recording Studios, London; Little Big Room, Nashville, TN.
After releasing two albums of soft, understated folk-pop aimed squarely at the Gray's Anatomy crowd, Joshua Radin loosens the reins on The Rock and the Tide, an album that features several upbeat rock songs scattered across an otherwise intimate track list. "I'm starting over, so here we go," he sings on "Here We Go," his soft voice boosted by electric guitars, synthesizers, and a lush alternative rock arrangement. Most of the punchy numbers are located at the beginning of the album, and it's only during the homestretch that Radin reverts to the hushed, soft-spun acoustic numbers that filled his earlier albums. Still, the peppier material suits him best on this album, where songs like "Road to Ride On" and "Streetlight" contrast his affable croon with washes of instruments that are more than happy to make up for the lack in volume. ~ Andrew Leahey