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Release Date: March 18, 2008 Label: Bronze Radio Return Related Sites: · MySpace Page Grade: B-

What the world needs now is not love, sweet love, but another dose of John Mayer. Or Dave Matthews. Or Ben Folds. It's the only thing that there's just too little of, so the boys of Bronze Radio Return trot out more of the same in the form of a self-titled five-song EP. But initial impressions can be deceiving. Their particular intersection of rock and blues touches on the band's potential of genre-busting, but never quite rises above basic mimicry. That by no means makes this recorded effort bad -- for the talent on display is unquestionably good -- but neither does it distinguish itself beyond merely a have-a-good-time live band, where I suspect their strength lies.

Hailing from Hartford, Connecticut, Bronze Radio Return was formed by singer/songwriter/guitarist Chris Henderson -- front-man to several bands under his own name -- who solidified this lineup about a year ago and was promptly "discovered" by Doug Derryberry, acclaimed producer for all the names I dropped above. A collaboration resulted in a couple of tracks that land on this eponymous debut, while the other three gestated at a more leisurely pace. These were recorded by Rob Shaffer and mixed by Rob Murray, friends and fellow classmates of Henderson at the Hartt School of Music.

"Don't Wait Anymore" to pick up Bronze Radio Return's debut EP, says leader Chris Henderson, “It’s truly magical witnessing the final product of something that I’ve been mulling over in my head for years, and I couldn’t be more excited."

Chris Henderson: Lead vocals, guitar
Patrick "Packy" Fetkowitz: Lead guitar
Dan Travis: Bass, background vocals
Matt Warner: Keys, background vocals
Rob Griffith: Drums, background vocals

The disc opens with one of the Derryberry team-ups, "Mirrors and Smoke," and features a nifty syncopated guitar rhythm, and a chorus that stylistically swipes Rob Thomas on Carlos Santana's "Smooth." And, in case you missed the Mayer connection, "Don't Wait Anymore" actually name-drops the hit song from the wunderkind's latest record in the opening line ("Well, there's too many people in the world today, waiting on the world to change").

"If the Roof is Leaking" takes on a certain country twang, with Henderson occasionally evoking John Fogerty vocally and Marty Mellinger providing a killer organ solo. "Shade Tonight" is more subdued and deliberate in its pacing, owing obviously to its measured maturation. It breathes nicely with a great Rhodes line and harmonica accents by Ben Block. "The Truth" is a backyard jam shuffle that adds Jason Anick's mandolin to Block's harmonica in a spirited closer that kind of reminded me of Salamander Crossing's excellent "Burning Bridges," sans fiddle.

The band derives its name from the vintage bronze radios of yore, and a desire to recreate the musical timelessness of that epoch. As such, they seem to play "older" than expected from their youthfulness. The greatest asset of Bronze Radio Return may just be the group vocals -- including the female dynamic of Renee Dupuis ("Shade Tonight") and Tess Collins ("The Truth") -- that give each tune a richer, more organic sound. There are plenty of choices in this style, but when done well -- as Bronze Radio Return manifests here -- it is always an enjoyable alternative to technologically-possible highly-refined electronically-produced musical fare.