Joe Thompson - "The Hunting and the Hope"

With a voice that draws comparisons to greats like Marty Robbins, Gordon Lightfoot, and at times, the "Man in Black," Joe Thompson leads a band that swings as hard as a coal-burning iron horse that's running out of track. The Hunting and the Hope is like summer in a small town, a smooth refreshing cocktail of country, folk and rock & roll. But there's also a hint of New York City attitude in these 11 songs that come straight from the gut of an exciting new singer-songwriter. Using the concrete canyons of New York City and the blue-collar values of his native Western Pennsylvania as a backdrop, Joe Thompson combines a passionate, lyrical urgency with deliberate rhythms, wide-open hooks and lilting melodies.