Description:
On Avenue Of Ten Cent Hearts, "rock & roll poet" Michael Ubaldini moves away from his Dylan/Springsteen troubadour style to offer up a Southern-tinged rock record that falls more in line with folks like Jason Ringenberg and Steve Earle. With a delivery that says "this guy`s giving his all," Ubaldini fills his songs with sharp lyrics and memorable refrains. After the somewhat deceiving jazz-pop standard style of the opening track, "I`m A Sucker 4 You", he lays into it with heartland soul and keeps it up through most of this 15-track disc. Although, he sidesteps the edgier rock at times for tracks like the countrified "Waitin` On A Day (That Never Comes)". The thoughtful, Memphis soul-touched numbers "River Of Time" and "Old Time Radio" stand out, as well as the folksy "Stone Cold Heart", which passes for terrific alt. country. Ubaldini doesn`t really come out of nowhere, with records released over the past decade, but he`s certainly geared up to break out with this terrific disc. -- Robinson, Miles Of Music (self-released)
