Search - Julian Coryell :: Bitter To Sweet

Reminiscent of another famous son, Jeff Buckley (offspring of Tim), Julian Coryell (progeny of renowned jazz guitarist Larry Coryell) brings a precocious musicality to the table, veering between string-laden ballads, off-kilter pop, and straight-up guitar rock with dizzying fluidity. Sometimes this kitchen-sink approach creates clutter in the context of a little three-minute ditty such as "Looking for Confessions," but elsewhere, as on the soaring "Lucky," everything falls together in a clever and deeply involving manner. The album's focus, however, is squarely on quirky yet accessible pop. Coryell's esoteric heritage ultimately seems incidental as he treats discerning pop lovers to a delicious musical cornucopia. --Matthew Cooke