On the opening track, "Where You Are," the anguish and turns of Borgia's voice bring to mind Janis Joplin – throaty, gin-drenched, and filled with pain. Yet the following number, "You Were Something," is not a dirge, but an up-tempo pop number. You can still feel the pain and emotion in his voice in this song though, and in all songs for that matter. To keep things interesting, the numbers vary stylistically so that you get the sense Borgia is more of a songwriter than a guy with a hit or two and a bunch of filler. And I am a bit miffed at not getting the whole CD, and forced to make a judgment call off clips, in that getting a sense of dynamics and song architecture is near impossible. Miffed as well because this sounds like a disc worth having in one's collection. Borgia's first effort is mostly acoustic (though the breakout rock-and-roll numbers are good as well). Just his pipes and guitar, and as a troubadour he does a splendid job; there are gobs of emotion spilling out, crafty songwriting, and off I go to buy a copy. Check him out at www.mikeborgia.com.

I'm pretty much smirking and agreeing with the title as the disc plays while snow blasts by my window outside. And the title track is an engaging if bittersweet number, reminding one of Neil Finn or Split Enz, though Preston's voice doesn't hold an accent. You might remember Preston from his previous act, JEL, and then again, you might not. With this four-song EP, he stakes out on his own, and his music falls toward the crafted-pop side of things. I don't mean crafted in the sense of formulaic, more to the contrary, in that the songs are not formulaic, not standard progressions, but developed numbers that take you the long way to granny's house. His voice may be a little too squeaky clean for me (a little gruffness here and there wouldn't hurt), but it fits the music well. And though it's tough to make a call off just the four songs here, from what I've heard, Preston has a good shot at the limelight. His looks are good, the disc is polished and produced well, and if his live show is worthwhile, it's goodbye July, hello royalty checks. www.jeffprestonmusic.com

On the emotional side, we continue with Chris Grace, whose hard-driving and melodic numbers should be more than enough to make the little girls weep. Or sigh. The music is, well, like the rock of late, big and broad, shifting easily from thunderous crashing chords and cymbals into softer sections with chorused guitars and breathy vocals. Yet there is nothing processed in the sound, no sense that there's a big machine cranking out another pop idol. Grace and the band – guitarist Kiyanu Kim, bassist Jimmy Riot (a dead ringer for a young Johnny Lydon), and drummer Marc Slutsky – put together a disc that is as meaty and complex as it is melodic. On "Commercial Free," for example, the song begins with quiet electric guitars and Grace singing. Soon, though, the guitar volumes rise. Enter bass and drums, and the song explodes. And while it does quiet down, it's not for long. The heaviness soon returns as more layers are added (cello, for example), all with Grace's voice out front. An octave-grabbing guitar lead soon follows, and well, you get the picture. All 14 tracks are put together well, and fun to listen to. You can find them at www.chrisgrace.com (just take that sound clip off the home page, please).

Right off the bat, you note that Meredith DiMenna's voice is captivating – it's got a sultry heft to it, a growl, at least when she's in the lower register. Later in the song, when she rips, her voice thins out a bit, and I find myself wanting the sex kitten back. But, hey, you take what you're given. And while the Saucers generate interest, and I want to like them, there's something that's not there that keeps me from gushing. The production is fine, though on the lo-fi side, or more likely the band-with-a-limited-budget side (the songs were recorded over a year and a half). And that's not a knock, just the way things are. The band shines, though, on the Doors' "The Soft Parade," as their quirkiness applies well to the cover. On "Something Stop Me," they have more of a liquid lounge style, and this seems to be where they gel together best. DiMenna sounds at ease in that gray area between talking, singing, and rapping, and the song showcases this ability quite well. www.thesaucers.com

There's a certain irony to the title of this disc of remixes (seven original, two covers, if you're keeping score). The irony, of course, is that if the music is so beautiful, why did you have to extend it into an elongated dance number? Alas, I am no swift-footed club kid, so I cannot, in good faith, speak at length on the subject of remixes or dance music. But I will say something about what many DJs seem to understand that many bands do not, and that is the use of dynamics in a song. Given that the songs here average around seven-and-a-half minutes in length, the need to keep the listener attuned is important (given the short attention spans that seem to be ubiquitous today). And all the tunes here manage to captivate your attention, through myriad means, whether it's shifting instrumentation, catchy vocals, or other special effects. The songs all build, or tell a story (in a manner of speaking). And, in that respect, this is a successful disc, more so for dance fans than for bloated critics, but successful nonetheless. Dance music may not be my cup of tea, but I am glad to have this in my collection. www.d1music.biz

Former high-school chums and band mates reconnect in Brooklyn and grab a bass player. That's their creation story in a nutshell. The music is heavy, a mix between hard rock and heavy metal, with neither side dominating. Simply put, it delivers a good punch to the gut. "Quarter Life Crisis" is one of the better tracks, and though the lyrics perplex me a bit, the song has a strong driving feel to it. Overall, the music is similar to the grunge that came out of Seattle, or at least it deserves a nod to the inspiration. The band often makes use of dynamics, with acoustic guitar or chorused guitars, though they tend to steer away from the heavy vocals in fifths that often gives metal its darkness. Thus, they achieve a more melodic sound, so you don't feel like you've just come from a wake every time you play the disc. But it is heavy stuff indeed, and not for fans of, say, Clay Aiken. A good first disc. Cool website too, at www.vaeda.com.

So glad to get a roots-rock/Americana type disc this month, and a good one to boot. When I went looking for info, though, I was surprised to see the outfit was from NYC. Not that it's never happened before, but as the chords came out of the speakers, I was thinking of some guys in Nebraska or the like. My slipping mind aside, the band consists of Ray Greiche on vocals/guitar, J. Edmund T on guitars, Ben Zwerin on bass, and Patrick Carmichael on drums. I am reminded of the BoDeans, a band from way back. Though, here, Greiche's voice doesn't have that nasal twang like those boys did. But the music is similar in that it's clean and rocks when it has to. You get the sense of an honesty to the music. That is, you feel shades of country music, but not like that of a Chevy pickup ad. Again, I'm disappointed to find only six songs here, as I would have liked to hear more. Maybe it's a trend in the music biz, maybe it's the economy, maybe it's the dang internet, who knows. In any event, the half dozen songs here are real purdy, and you can find more about the band at www.raygreiche.com.

Closing out this month is a wonderful disc that is creative for its studio tricks, splendid for its songwriting and arranging, and a real joy to listen to. Though not much info was sent on Woodhams, I can tell you that he lives out San Francisco way, and this is his third disc (and the sounds of this one make finding his two previous discs a worthwhile endeavor). I hear a distant but ever-present Beatles influence that holds more of the adventurous Lennon side than the popish McCartney. As for the studio tricks, there is a lot going on, much twisting of dials and adding effects, almost to the point of getting in the way of the music, but more often than not providing some shimmer or misdirection for the listener. Kind of like when you ride in a train and get distracted by stuff flying by out the window. Woodhams also spends some time on his lyrics, and doesn't just offer the standard rock-and-roll subjects. For example, "In The Middle of His Life" is based on Dante's Inferno. And while I can't find too much on Woodhams himself, I can highly recommend this disc.