Surprisingly enough, my favorite CD that I have reviewed today is also the last one that I am reviewing this go round. I say surprisingly, because I wouldn’t generally like music like this. But for whatever reason, Steven Cooley’s “lost my faith” has really grabbed my ear and won’t let go. Steven writes songs that are full of hooks, soul and parts that reach out and grab the listener. The songs are obviously written with a pop mindset, but as a wise man once said, a great song will transcend all genres. This guy is truly proving that to be true. His songs are an odd mix of Jamiroquai, Jack Johnson, Train, and your local church choir. However, the songs still manage to keep their rock roots present at all times. The production on “Lost My Faith” is some of the best that you are going to hear in a local release. The drums are pounding and sound BIG! All of the acoustic guitars come through without being muddied or lost in the rest of the mix when the rest of the band comes in. The piano sounds wonderful, and has an almost haunting quality to it when played on songs like “Jocelyn.” Combine that with the string tracks accentuating the main vocals and you’ve got a recipe for what I think could be a MAJOR hit for this guy. This track makes me smile, and I can’t really say that about too many songs. Sorry for the bait and switch there on the flip from the production to the actual song, but I put in the CD again to make sure that this song was that good. I was wrong, it’s better.