Damon Dotson

“Atmosphere” (Llama Records)

Compare to: John Mayer, Jack Johnson

REVIEW: 3 / 5

In short: Kudos for being an independent act with a well-produced sound. It sounds like cookie-cutter soft rock, but I would eat these cookies if I was hungry.

Recorded in Iowa’s own Cedar Rapids, aspiring songwriter and local favorite Damon Dotson presents a well-produced compilation of 12 songs. The musical stylings are reminiscent of the jam-band sounds of Dave Matthews Band and Jack Johnson, incorporating a huge range of instrumentation to give the songs unique flavor.

Standout track “Atmosphere” is full of dynamic swells, moving back and forth from gentle orchestrated sections to powerful jams with a bit of a country edge. Other standout tracks include “Wounds to Heal,” an emotionally charged ballad with soulful organ lines and twangy guitar riffs and “Flag Me Down Girl,” by far the most fun song on the album.

Several other tracks are embellished with flute and saxophone, adding an effective dash of flavor to the album.

The album has a fairly seamless flow, making it great to listen to straight through in a single session. It offers a steady blend of ear-pleasing soft rock, and the optimistic lyricism and syncopated instrumentation make this an ideal album for a sunny day or a pleasure drive.

Fans of the acoustic rock/jam band genre will definitely enjoy Dotson’s work, but those who aren’t enthusiastic about the genre probably won’t appreciate this album. For being his first major release, “Atmosphere” puts forth a solid effort – proving that Iowa does indeed have what it takes to produce quality music.

– Dan McClanahan