As a member of
Jackopierce (the other principal being singer/songwriter Jack O'Neil),
Cary Pierce specialized in a slightly hipper, more collegey version of the heartland pop/rock popularized by Bryan Adams,
Tom Petty, and
John Mellencamp.
You Are Here continues in the same vein, although with a slicker, more "produced" sound similar to
the Goo Goo Dolls and
Toad the Wet Sprocket.
Pierce's voice is in fine form and on some songs he hints at a Nashville vibe, at times recalling country power poppers like
Foster & Lloyd or
the Warren Brothers. All the songs here were co-written by
Pierce and, although the sound is eminently radio-friendly and polished, much of the material sounds underdeveloped. The lyrics, in particular, are generally a bit vague, preventing any of the songs on
You Are Here from really catching fire and delivering on their readily apparent "hit" potential. The production and musicianship, on the other hand, is top-notch major-label quality, and although the album was recorded in several different locations, it remains totally consistent throughout. Overall, it's easy to imagine that, with a bit more focus in his writing,
Cary Pierce could join the ranks of commercially successful pop artists like
Duncan Sheik. That said, there's not a lot of sonic or emotional variety here, so without undeniable hooks, it's kind of a pointless exercise. ~ Pemberton Roach