Macon, GA's
Joey Stuckey is a Southern-fried, working-class classic rocker, who howls and croons on his multi-styled record. His unusual muse leads him everywhere from boogie rock with manic, bluesy harmonica solos ("The Light That Guides") to power folk ("Free") to light ballads to jazz blues ("My Sociology") to New Orleans R&B-inflected swamp rock and hints of
Springsteen and
Meat Loaf stadium rock. Too rough and ready to be major label AOR/MOR rock fodder, and way too commercially produced to cozy up any indie scene (for one thing, the flaccid sax solos have to go!), it's hard to say where he fits. But then again, he manages all these disparate styles with aplomb and ability, and it sounds like he doesn't really care who likes him.