CIRCULAR HAZE

MAPLE MARS (Released 15 Jul 2003)

On it's debut, Maple Mars channeled the earthier aspects of Badfinger's Joey Molland and Tom Evans' Wish You Were Here period, gliding through a spate of tunes with all the assuredness of a band ready for a shot at Apple Records. For the follow-up CD, foreman and chief bottle-washer Rick Hromadka sharpens his muse on Todd Rundgren's kinetic Nazz excursions. The slightly silly "First Chick In Space", the wannabe somebody lament "Undiscovered" ("You always said that times so precious/Never lasts/Now the rearview mirror holds your past/You celebrated our son's birthday on the phone/But never said when you'd be home"), and "Search For Tomorrow" are stellar, mixing dollops of His Runtiness-molded melodies with artfully arranged piano and searing guitars. But for a real look-see into the formidable writing/production skills of Hromadka, punch in "Home", a six-plus-minute masterpiece celebrating the joys of being where you know you belong. As they say in all the hip music review sections, recommended.

(www.koolkatmusik.com)