Artist: Bendicion
CD Name: Latin Explosion
Artist Site: All Americano

Having no background in this type of music, I was unsure what to expect and although it took me aback at first, the music definitely grew on me. Rife with expletives, it's not music for the faint of heart. Nonetheless, Bendicion's Latin Explosion is just that -- an explosion of Latin rap with clearly stated political views and a strong reggae backup. Excellent percussion beats and keyboards.

Bendicion's heart begins to show in "Everything" and "Sanctuary", soulful testaments to love for both a woman and a child respectively but then his whole sound threw me off with the changes in "Crash Landing". His rap speed in "Rapido" with Miky Bad Boy is impressive.

My stand-out favorite: "That's The Way".

Artist: John Batdorf
CD Name: Home Again
Artist Site: John Batdorf

Good music is that which replays in your head after the sound has been turned off. With this in mind, John Batdorf's CD "Home Again" is, in a word, solid. Not one song disappoints, speaking directly to the heart. John's strong vocals carry long and high tones yet seamlessly fall back to low. "Home Again" stays feel-good and upbeat all the way through, even in the angry "Can't Be Trusted" or the sad "Solitude".

John's voice is clear and strong and the backup vocals tight, as in "Me and You", a wonderfully poetic play on words. He brought me to tears like he was my grandfather taking me on his knee to whisper in my ear in "Something is Slipping Away".

"One Night Stand" is the song to listen to closely so you don't miss the true meaning, but it's "I Don't Always Win" that stands out amongst the rest. Anyone who has experienced addiction can relate to the lyrics and it is these that have implanted themselves in my head since starting to listen to the CD three days ago.

I had never heard of John Batdorf before, yet his resume demands attention. He has worked with a lot of diverse acts such as Rod Stewart, Motley Crue and Dwight Yoakum, and there's a whole batch of younger people who would really enjoy being introduced to John's music. It may not be music to bang your head to, but it reaches out, grabs you and keeps you.

Artist: Christy Clayton
CD Name: Devil's Paradise
Artist Site: Christy Clayton

Christy Clayton ROCKS!!!

Okay, I've got the understanding that my reviews should be a little longer, but when one sentence says it all, why say more?

Devil's Paradise is an open-your-car-windows-and-sing-at-the-top-of-your-voice CD from beginning to end. Christy sings from the heart  I think she sings from my heart too. Whether she's leaving love or telling a story about a little red caboose, she is one strong voice and one strong woman.

Christy's backup band is fantastic  the keyboards, the guitar, all of it. When shes not singing they fill in perfectly. You can't help but move to this groove. The instrumental on Abused showcases their work, as does the opening of Nowhere.

I'm not going to start listing the lyrics that I love because wed be here all day.

Christy is definitely a rocker -- check out this CD and play it as loudly as you can  you'll be singing along in no time.