AM --known for edgy tunes that are as much a snapshot of his inner life as they are an indication of the musical drive swirling within him-- has just released his sophomore album Soul Variations and having played it (over and over wearing a groove into my psyche) , it's definitely one of the "must have" CD/albums for 2007. The songs were all written within a month or two and I was lucky enough to attend his CD launch party recently in Los Angeles' Hotel Cafe




In his own words, AM states
"'Soul Variations' has more of a political edge. But like many of my songs I don't think it has to be restricted to that.
I try to write songs that can be applied to different situations so the listener can be free to interpret the songs and
not be restricted by what I "intended." Many of the songs off the album could be about politics,
but could also be about personal relationships. I've never really felt the two are that different.
Business, politics and personal relationships all deal with the same fundamental qualities: love, passion, power and sometimes evil.
I also feel this record has a much more communal vibe and more of a live feel.
There are very little overdubs and the record has a lot of space. I did the whole thing on 2-inch tape so the analog nature of the recording gives it a much deeper and richer feel than my first record. Musically I feel it has a lot more groove to it. I've been listening to a lot of jazz, R&B and Brazilian music over the last couple of years. I also produced this album myself so that was a great experience."

Hearing him perform most songs live at the Hotel Cafe was great -- and you can download tunes from iTUNES. " Stepping Stones" has been on AM's MySpace site for quite a while and it's definitely a commentary on more than just relationships. Buy the CD-- there's not enough words for me to tell you how great it is. Check his tour schedule because this is one concert/club date you should definitely plug into your calendar and get there early. A KCRW fave, AM"s music has been featured on a number of tv shows and he's a "hot" ticket for the next round of summer tours.