iSound

THE BRUISER is the title of the new album by Chris Paul Overall. Former frontman of the melodic dropkick-rock band Wonderlove, CPO has cracked open the aftermath and come out with his finest sensibilities intact. A friend who was tragically taken before his time offered this powerful observation a few years back. “He referred to me as a bruiser with relationships. Part love bully and part bullied lover.” This album, Overall explains, is a tribute to the frank resonance of that moment - a reflection of how a candid look at a mixed up state of affairs can result in music rather than meltdown. These songs are as easy to listen to as they are a hard-hat trip into the depths of heart mine. The formidable pipes that carry the motherlode of the Chris Paul Overall sound have drawn in critics and fans alike. Secure within his own voice, his inspired singing gives off undercurrents reminiscent of soulful troubadours of the past. From the swagger of “push” to the breezy lope of “I love you sti...