C.R. Avery

CR Avery is a singer/songwriter who refuses to succumb to predictability. Sure, the songs are number one here, with Avery laying down his soulful vocals over grooves that sway back and forth, but he also uses a beat-box, trumpet and, that 80s classic, the keytar, creating a multilayered album that constantly reveals something new.The first 10 songs flow together nicely, but Avery pushes it one further and wraps it up with Pocketknife, a dark and deeply disturbing tune with a mean bass groove and a vocal performance that builds from tender to viciously frustrated. Its a powerful track addressing some of the worlds evils, but it throws the album off balance right at the end, tearing everything back down and leaving us teetering on the brink. But maybe thats the whole point: no matter how much we dream, there will always be darkness lurking just around the corner. Maybe Avery is reminding us to keep our eyes open, just in case.