I'll Start With Alice.

No one knows Alabama better than I do. I grew up there. However, Alice Peacock proves that she knows how to get to the heart of the matter in, "Alabama Boy, " the first track off of her self-titled, debut Aware/Columbia release. I was at once convinced that Alice had been a part of my life for years, and that this song was written for me. Not the truth, no, but the point is that Alice's music has that affect on most everyone that hears it.

Following up a solid independent release, Alice shines for all to see and love as she invites you into a world of haphazard love, emotional loss, and a country that has forgotten itself in light of it's ever changing environment and the sting of events that seem too out of our reach to handle on our own.

Alice reminds us that we are all capable of making a difference with, "I'll Start With Me," a gentle and uplifting ballad that was sprung from her folk roots. The record features a host of friends that she has made along the way, including singer-songwriter and label mate, John Mayer, whose vocal presence on, "Bliss" only adds fuel to it's already very addictive fire. Listen close for good friends, Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls fame, Kristen Hall, and John Gorka as they make guest appearances in various capacities all over the CD.

Peacock's sound has been compared to everyone from Sheryl Crow to Joni Mitchell. Listening to her current effort, those echoes can still be heard, but it's Alice's voice and the fine-tuning of the tracks that helped me to realize just how original and fresh her music is. One standout track that tends to keep you coming back for another pull of the heartstrings is, "Some Things Get Lost."

"Into The Light, " one of the few attempts to bring up the tempo and change the pace of the record, comes off as just that, but still leaving a very tasty hook in the mouth. This, once again, proves Peacock's ability to write and write well. As I mentioned before, there are several guest appearances on the record. Co-writing credits are listed for Saliers, Hall, as well as others, but it's the material that Alice has written on her own that seems to pull me in the most.

Other noteworthy tracks on the disc are "I Hear You Say," "Leading With My Heart," and the first single off the record, "I'll Be The One, " featuring Jon Brion. Alice Peacock from start to finish is a sweet listen filled with originality and heartfelt soul and experience. If you are unfamiliar with Alice, I highly suggest you start here.