Marty Casey & Lovehammers  (Audio CD) 
by Marty Casey & Lovehammers

It's hard to believe, on hearing Marty Casey & Lovehammers, that Marty Casey is the Bo Bice of "Rock Star: INXS"--that is, the guy who didn't win, but put his chops on display so fiercely night after night that he deserved a cushy consolation prize. So steeped are Casey and his backing players in pushing the surly, hard-charging agenda of modern rock that they come across as Nickelback's likable kid brothers--a fully realized band too farsighted to get sucked into a cred-shattering TV show. Where that leaves this disc is in a strange place: fans of Lovehammers, the band Marty Casey fronted before putting his name out front seemed a smart publicity move, will love the bulk of these 11 songs, especially the pained and furious "Clinic" and the hot-headed "The Tunnel." Fans of the show, on the other hand--pleased as they'll be with the infectiousness of "Trees" and "The Riddle," both of which creep in a vaguely Kelly Clarkson-ish direction--will wish Casey could find another vehicle for exploring his versatility. -Tammy La Gorce