Stoned Emotion

Stoned Emotion's freshman release drips with echoes of My Morning Jacket, John Mayer, Warren Haynes and even '80s alt-rockers the Feelies. Lushly produced, the disc moves from one pleasing track to the next. Vocalist, lead guitarist and principal songwriter Phil Dudden's everyman voice proves flexible, whether biting into the Southern-rock inflections of "All the Same" or the buoyant and poppy strains of "A Long Time Ago," or when soulfully paired with the talented Amanda Hawkins on the gorgeous duet "Love." Dudden's mercurial fretwork, Karl Christofferson's tasteful bass playing and Jeff Hamm's bright acoustic strumming are equally satisfying. Other tracks, including "Rolling Me Down" and the disc's final cut, "Thirty Three," stack up to make an eclectic debut reminiscent of early outings from roots acts such as Widespread Panic or Blues Traveler. You don't need to be stoned to feel this emotion.