1 CENT CD: Ian Moore 'To Be Loved' Accordion

Condition of CD: MINT CONDITION!

One review reads: ' Critics love nothing more than to laud a musician for taking artistic risks and forgoing familiar territory in search of new terrain. As such, I'm baffled by the fact that Ian Moore continues to fly so far under the radar. "To Be Loved" is another giant leap from Moore's former blues rock persona, so much so that the one-time guitar hero doesn't even offer a single solo on this disc, instead focusing his immense talents on a terrific collection of (mostly) upbeat pop songs. Those lamenting The New Pornographer's "mellowing" would be well-advised to give "To Be Loved" a spin. It may just put a smile on your face.

I started listening to Ian Moore in high school, when his first release came with a national platform and countless media promises of "the next Stevie Ray Vaughan." Those early records are still a lot of fun, though they mostly remind me of being 16 and in love with the idea of long hair and ripping guitar leads. As I got older, I was surprised to find that Ian Moore's ouput covered an increasingly broad range of styles and was often in sync with my own changing tastes. In college, I was especially drawn to the minimalist roots music of "Green Grass," and "Luminaria" emerged at a time when I was listening to a lot of dreamy, deliberately paced pop. While other relics of my youth long ago relegated themselves to nostalgia status, Ian Moore continues to change and experiment, defying me to lose interest. At this point, the guy has earned lifer status from me.

Hopefully, alternative pop fans will ignore the "blues/classic rock" label that has dogged Ian for years and embrace "To Be Loved," which is a truly gorgeous collection of smart, evocative pop/rock songs.   '