Get this gal the Advil and arnica. I thought I'd long since abandoned the mosh-pit, head-banging days of my youth. But yesterday I was blinded by my own flying hair as I listened to the exuberant "Happy" on Hemingway's churning, guitar-driven debut. This EP induced me into a frenzied, whiplash-inducing air guitar dance. Oh, my aching back! With only six songs, this disc conveys an array of human conditions worthy of Dante's journey: disillusion, ambivalence, betrayal, despair, and joy. Despite the pain, they never give in to self-pity, and the generally mid-tempo beat never drags. The lyrics are passionate in the grand, heavy pop/rock style of Pearl Jam, but this artfully produced CD is more up-to-date and textured.

Fans of Weezer, Incubus, and Thursday will slurp this up like a Big Gulp on a hot summer day. And for fans of scowling Radiohead-type angst, "Unimpressed" should delightfully darken your mood. Playing on the CD are Steevin on guitar/vocals, Josef on bass, and Gardner on drums. They'll start recording with their new drummer Perry in a "red barn on 50 acres in Upstate New York" this June. For more information, e-mail steevinhamilton@msn.com.

- Dina Pearlman

Sometimes when you listen to music, you want things to be simple, straightforward, grounded, even transparent to a certain degree. Far too many artists layer drum loops, overdub electronic strings, process their voices, and more, just to prove they're different. Not Kurt Henry. What you see, or hear, maybe,  is what you get. Even the artwork and title of this acoustic roots-tinged disc - Love's Enough - bear out that intention.

The songs fall right in line with the uncomplicated premise, as well. Nothing strays very far from the expected and familiar. And that's okay. It's all solid and cohesive, from the compositions to the production. "Emily" and the title track are as sweet and tender as ballads should be. The main piece that dares to differ is the one cover, "Fair Befall the Mountainside." As its naming suggests, the song draws its feel and syntax from the Celtic tradition.

Henry's overall sound is not quite rock, not quite country, not even quite folk. There's a mandolin in there on a few tunes, but it's not obvious or anywhere near as relied upon as is Alan Groth's steady bass. Thank goodness for folks like Henry who know how refreshing a healthy dose of simplicity can be.

- Kelly McCartney

The world of singer-songwriter Byrnes is a fantastic place - flames burn inside waterfalls, sunshine tastes of lemon, and an angelic, frothing devil is beseeched to put down his sword. Either there is greatness lurking here, or Byrnes inhabits a delusional state. No matter: The results are wholly enchanting.

On his self-produced debut album, local musician Tyler Byrnes brings to mind a latter-day Randy Newman, shaking his fist at love, God, and country.  Byrnes's vibrant voice keens and insinuates, nudging wry humor from the material. The nine offbeat compositions are leavened with solid strings and brass from a self-assured seven-man band. The resulting orchestration, nimble and mischievous, would be welcome at a Steely Dan jam session.

Occasionally, the fractured writing simply doesn't serve the instrumentation; Byrnes seems too eager to show off his quirky wordsmithery.  But intermittent excesses are forgiven when his yearning voice and shimmering music come together on stand-out tracks "Ma Ma", "21st Century God," and "Remember".

- Jay Blotcher