Reviewer: Tim Wardyn of Music-Critic

Move aside John Mayer...There is a new king

Guitar-pickin’ singer-songwriters are as easy to find as a Paris Hilton sex tape. But just like the tapes, the quality is not always that great. They’re grainy and have that weird glowing eye thing going on, but I digress. Like any genre, it takes a lot to find artists who actually matter. Lee Rogers is one of those artists. His debut album "Drawing Clocks" is chock full of smooth contemplative blues/folk that paints 14 beautiful pictures, each systematically becoming engrained in your head.

"Ida" is an absolutely brilliant acoustic lament of a former flame and the heartbreak of leaving town and knowing that he’ll never see her again: "There’s a train coming Ida / I’d like to be on / Maybe you could meet me out in Boston / Or maybe you won’t / Maybe you won’t go." The reality of the lyrics coupled with the honesty of Rogers voice makes this one of the best tracks of the year, hands down.

"Easier" is another heart-on-sleeve tracks that is a little more upbeat, but has a strong rootsy-folk sound with a chorus that everybody can relate to: "I love you sometimes / And I need you sometimes / Something’s changed and I don’t know where / It’s just easier when you’re not there."

Every track on this album is a gem from the steady "Love, Love, Love" to the melancholy title track, Rogers’ honest delivery and real lyrics combined with guitar mastery make "Drawing Clocks" an absolute must have especially for those who enjoy creative lyrics and gorgeous music.

Reviewer: Derek Blackmon of Indie-Music.Com

I’ve always been under the impression the British press were on top of the situation until Lee Rogers’ Drawing Clocks made it into my hands. The Belfast musician has released one of the most interesting and beautiful albums that you haven’t heard. His sound comes from almost every corner of the pop world and doesn’t seem to rest in any of them.

From the opening “Brian Writes Poetry” to the closer “Long Gone Days,” there is something for everyone. Van Morrison, Sting and Joni Mitchell’s lyrics are laid out and performed to perfection for our enjoyment.

The production quality is top notch, and the musicianship is unrivalled. I would love to compare the persuasive vocals to James Blunt, but that would ultimately be a disservice to Rogers, who doesn’t need the campy falsetto or unnecessary commercialism to achieve mass appeal. Don’t believe me? Try not to enjoy the respective love and sadness of “Nevermind” and “Easier.”

Mellow and wholly enjoyable are the only other words to describe Drawing Clocks. There is little missing here except the promise of a follow up to ensure this is no accident. Lee Rogers could be the next great singer you hear on your favorite medical drama, but for the sake of overkill, let’s hope not.

Reviewer: Jennifer Layton of Music-Critic

This CD could honestly be rediscovered in 10 years, leaving people to ask themselves how something this eloquent was overlooked so easily. Track for track, Rogers holds his own against a younger David Gray and most of Ireland's rising stars. Should the right person finally hear this there is no doubt the word "indie" will never be associated with such a wonderful, underrated talent again. Drawing Clocks has the potential for mass appeal, and for the sake of all needy listeners, let's hope that its time comes sooner rather than later.

Reviewer: Mike McMlenathan of AmieStreet.com

Looks can be deceiving. So can sounds. Take Lee Rogers as an example: with vocals reminiscent of Marc Cohn (yeah, the "Walking in Memphis" guy), a list of influences including Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor, and songs referencing Boston, you would not seem foolish to peg Lee Rogers as an American singer/songwriter. You would, however, be mistaken.

Lee Rogers paid his dues playing residencies in the clubs and bars around Belfast, in Northern Ireland. Having outgrown mid-week residencies, Lee now spends his days touring steadily around the UK.

Drawing Clocks was recorded in Italy in 2005, and is now available for your enjoyment here on Amie Street. It's all pretty can't-miss, but the three standouts in this reviewer's humble opinion are Brian Writes Poetry, Ida and Long Gone Days. By Mike McMlenathan

Reviewer: Doug, CEO of BBS Radio

One of the best artists on BBS Radio, if not the best at this time! The CD is nothing short of Brilliant! More songs worth listening to than 2,000 independent artists CDs I've reviewed in the past two years!

Reviewer: Minor 7th Webzine

As a boy growing up on the east coast of Ireland in a working class town with the mellifluous name of Carrickfergus, Lee Rogers got an earful of Van Morrison, one of his father's favorite singers. Whether this exposure was an act of prescience or mere musical imprinting can be debated, but no one can argue the similarity between Rogers' and Van Morrison's soulful vibe today. "Drawing Clocks," Lee Rogers' debut CD, is a version of an earlier demo CD named "Promise of Day," reworked in the studio from a raw to polished product which even adds strings, an embellishment which might seem a bit oxymoronic for an R&B recording. But it works very well, especially on the atmospheric "How Will I Sleep?," chosen by Myriad Pictures for the soundtrack of the eerie drama "The River King." One of the lyrics embedded in this haunting tune reads "There's a fine line between my love and my fear" and could very well be a thematic recap of the film, in which Ed Burns plays a cop caught between conflicting passions of sorting out a tormented past and remaining true to his work. The standout track is "Love, Love, Love," ushered in by an unhurried drone of minor chords which is then pierced by impassioned vocals sounding like Sting at his stratospheric best. Lee Rogers' songwriting is incredible, but most will be awestruck by his voice which sounds much like Paul Carrack, Paul Rodgers or Elton John... a one-uppance of Van Morrison himself.

Reviewer: Chart Attack

Irish singer-songwriter with a captivating voice and story-telling ability. Made up of him on bluesy-soul guitar and an electric stand-up bass player so powerful he also provided beats unwillingly.

If you had walked in without knowing who Rogers was, you would have sworn he crawled out of a swamp in the deep south. His blues, soul and folk songs had a Southern comfort feel, while still showing strong hints of his Irish heritage.

Rogers explained each song before he started, because they all had a story to them. This show was like story time with a whiskey drinking Irish soulman. He knew how to work the crowd with his blazing blue eyes and made the whole crowd melt with deep vocals. He just sat there while his bass player played along, but that’s all he needed to do.

Rogers’ voice was breathy, deep, scratchy goodness. The mic’s sound revealed every breath. The show felt really intimate and even though the guitar strumming and bass were very simple, structure wise, the lyrics and rusty melodies made things seem more complex then they actually were. This was a mix of Tom Waits, The Commitments and John Lee Hooker in the form of a charming Irishman.

He had the ability to nicely ask people to buy him drinks (which multiple people did) without sounding demanding or annoying. He's quickly gaining momentum in the UK, and radio has started playing his stuff over there, so keep your ears open, you’ll know him as soon as you hear him.

Score: 99 / 100!

More Reviews Coming Soon