A.J. Rosales is not trying to prove anything. His appealingly layered guitar playing and honest lyrics are just the pure expression of a unique musical vision, not some calculated product.

Rosales is already an acknowledged force in the rock/folk scene. His intelligent songwriting, which draws as much from pop as from jazz, classical, rock, jam, and folk, has been the basis for four well-received albums in his solo career. Fatigue (1997) introduced his intricate guitar lines interwoven with intimate lyrics. The Earth and Shoal EP (2001) added a maturity and depth of experience. With Resist... (+) expand

A.J. Rosales is not trying to prove anything. His appealingly layered guitar playing and honest lyrics are just the pure expression of a unique musical vision, not some calculated product.

Rosales is already an acknowledged force in the rock/folk scene. His intelligent songwriting, which draws as much from pop as from jazz, classical, rock, jam, and folk, has been the basis for four well-received albums in his solo career. Fatigue (1997) introduced his intricate guitar lines interwoven with intimate lyrics. The Earth and Shoal EP (2001) added a maturity and depth of experience. With Resistor (2004), Rosales' songwriting gained even greater resonance. Fueled by critical praise and airplay on hundreds of college and commercial FM radio stations, Rosales reached out to fans nationwide.

His latest release, Ultramarine (2007) also charted nationally on college radio stations and has been gaining buzz momentum. The songs on this album rock harder than most of his releases, and they also highlight his creative skill as a musician who is able to bend genres. He describes his music as "rock music run through an avant garde folk filter," but it's easy to hear a vast array of other, subtler influences underscoring his take on folk and rock.

There's a well rounded adventure here if you're willing to open your ears. (-) collapse