One of the premier musicians on the Central Coast, and arguably the finest rock guitarist, Travis Larson and his trio are busting out a new album, called Travis Larson Band. The 14-song epic delivers spectacular grooves and colorful soundscapes with Larson's knack for melodious lines driving this powerful record. I guess jazz has to be mentioned in the description because it certainly has a sense of spontaneous combustion, and the instrumental moodiness, but this record rocks too hard for it to be passed off as just another guy playing scales.

Basically, to describe Larson's sound you need to understand and get a sense of Rush. That legendary trio was full of overly competent players, but lost many casual listeners with falsetto-driven, operatic lyrics. Take away Geddy Lee, and you can start to get an idea of Larson et. al. This is metallic, sure, but filled with emotional and smart movement. The band's ability to shift gears and relate to each other's instrumentation is the foundation for many of the record's best work.

Take "Short Fuse," the record's second cut, which sounds so much like a full throttle drive in a hot car on a winding road, that you can almost feel your seat in the down-shift, and the wind in your hair. The rhythm work of Dale Moon and Jennifer Young is so tight and succinct, that Larson would have to work very hard to sound anything less than perfect.