Blue Merle Burning in the Sun

Enjoying Blue Merle evokes the sort of guilt that otherwise-hip fans of Counting Crows and Coldplay know too well. The analogy is all the more apt in light of lead singer Luke Reynolds's expressive tenor, which alternates between spot-on impersonations of Adam Duritz and Chris Martin. But cool or not, the Nashville quartet combines jazzy instrumentation -- upright bass and mandolin contribute to a post-Metheny vibe -- with Stephen Harris's crisp production to offer a major-label debut of thoughtful and pristine adult acoustic pop.

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Blue Merle's Web site

"Every Ship Must Sail Away" mp3 (live)

Review by Theo Schell-Lambert

• Burning In The Sun
• If I Could
• Lucky To Know You
• Stay
• Every Ship Must Sail Away
• Boxcar Racer
• Made To Run
• Seeing Through You
• Places
• Part Of Your History
• Either Way It Goes
• Bittersweet Memory