Top local CDs of 2004 Local Scene column with Tom Lounges BY TOM LOUNGES Times Correspondent This story ran on nwitimes.com on Friday, December 17, 2004 12:30 AM CST My job entails a lot of listening all year long as an endless stream of local, regional and national CDs pour in, begging for attention. Over the course of my next two columns, I will share with you my "Personal Top 10" of regional music. These are Chicagoland artist CDs which I deem the cream of the crop. The criteria to make this list, was that each CD had to have been released since November 2003 and be full-length with eight or more songs. Hold on to your headphones, cause here we go ... 1. Michael McDermott -- "Ashes" & "Beneath The Ashes" (Pauper Sky Records) This is really a double entry. Chicago's McDermott released "Ashes" first and then followed up two months later with "Beneath The Ashes." The latter is a disc of session leftovers that did not sequence well on the first CD, but were songs the artist wanted folks to hear. McDermott is a soul-deep lyricist with a penchant for dwelling on the dark side. Most of his music is populated by tragic, down-trodden characters and society outcasts. His whiskey and nicotine voice are the perfect vehicle for conveying the passion, pain and emotion of this colorful characters. Michael McDermott remains for another year, my very favorite songwriter -- local or national. A true talent deserving of attention. www.michael-mcdermott.com 2. The Steepwater Band -- "Dharmakaya" (Funzola) This first nationally-released collection from Northwest Indiana's favorite blues boys is impressive. Their sound falls somewhere between the Allman Brothers and the Black Crowes. Jeff Massey's guitar lines are both dirty and sweet. Drummer Joe Winters is a pocket player a la Charlie Watts, who drives the band and anchors the capable bass lines of Tod Bower. Michael Connelly crowns the trio's sound with his throaty vocals and some very tasty harmonica. This national indie release, is an album any true fan of blues-soaked rock (Govt. Mule/Allmans/Canned Heat, etc.) will want to own. www.steepwaterband.com 3. The Crawpuppies -- "Peaceful Amnesty" (Starklark) Known in the region as a classic rock cover band, The Crawpuppies surprise us with their original music debut. The sound is overall very poppy. Largely acoustic driven and sporting a fair amount of Beatles influence on songs like "Outta My Head" and "Ode To The Eggman (Heartbeat Abused)." The softer "Slave To The Puppeteer" works just as well, driven by drummer Chris Karp's marching band snare rolls. "Out Of Control" has a strong James Taylor quality to it. Songwriter Chad Clifford writes compelling lyrics and blends them well with strong melody lines. In short, Clifford has crafted a nice collection of multi-flavored songs which his long-time band executes remarkably well.www.crawpuppies.com 4. M&R Rush -- "Thrill Of The Chase" (M&R Records) After 16 years away from a recording studio, the band who once ruled the South Side night club scene returned with a collection of newly written original music that retained the '80s sound of their glory days while embracing a modern edge. A pair of notable novelty songs may become local pop perennials. "I'm Dreamin'" is a name dropping tribute to the Chicago Cubs, likely will be resurrected by Wrigleyville fans every baseball season. "Heavy Metal Christmas" is one man's stand against always finding boxers and socks under his tree. It's a real rocker that could and should find a home on the infamous Dr. Demento holiday show. The band also offers up some tasty pop-rock numbers that feature the multi-voice harmonies for which the band is best known. Those stand out cuts include: "Million Seller," "Wish I Only Knew" and the title cut.www.mandrrush.com 5. Stellar Road -- "Better Than Yesterday" (Lucky Penny) Well written alt-rock loaded with melody and rife with acoustic guitar, tight rhythms and a lead singer (Jack Daley) whose voice falls somewhere between Dave Matthews and Darius Rucker of Hootie & The Blowfish. Another South Side group, Stellar Road, came out of nowhere in 2003. In a year's time they have released this impressive 11-song set, while creating a name for themselves live with packed shows at venues like the Metro, Joe's Bar and Double Door. Though soft-edged, acoustic driven and melodic, these songs still rock. While there is honestly not a bad tune here, highlights are: "Breath," "Rain," "Fade Away" and the title track. Pardon the pun, but the production here is ... stellar! www.stellarroad.com The second half of this list will be awaiting you here next Friday. Happy Holidays to all!