Burning in the Sun

Burning in the Sun Music CD

This Nashville band may have lifted its name from the lyrics of a Led Zeppelin song but listeners expecting nine-minute guitar epics about medieval orgies and fiery demons are bound to be disappointed. Blue Merle favors a lighter touch, as sketched out on the wistful title track of its debut album, Burning In The Sun. The jangly song evokes the Dave Matthews Band with its lilting fiddles and spiraling rhythms, while singer-songwriter Luke Reynolds sounds like a dead ringer for Coldplay's Chris Martin. Having played Bonnaroo, toured with Donovan Frankenreiter and recoded with Matthews producer Stephen Haris, the band seems destined to find a home with the Relix crowd. It would be a shame if it settled there. Rich, emotionally detailed songs like "If I Could" and "Stay" not only transcend genres, they're capable of changing lives. -- Aidin Vaziri