[rating=3.50]
The debut EP CB Radio by Chris Burns is an energetic acoustic album with enough hooks to carry any full-length release. The metaphor-rich lyrics and soft, boy-next-door vocals punctuate the songs, but it’s Burns’ compositions that stand out.
The opening track, “Bread,” sets the tone with its slap rhythm and tap percussion, alongside Burns’ distinctive voice. “Drive” features up-tempo guitar arpeggios and an accompanying banjo riff. The song adds layers as it goes, stacking guitar and banjo solos and percussion. The rhythm gains intensity until the jam is brought to a crescendo and then scaled back to a single acoustic guitar. It is shifts like these, in addition to the smooth finger-picking that help Burns stand above most of those in the singer-songwriter genre. For anyone out there who hates Keller Williams, CB Radio should be skipped. For everyone else, this is a glimpse of an immense talent that has yet to reach his peak.
