Chris Marz has crafted a terrific debut record with Follow Me. The album showcases the artists many talents, from songwriting to instrumentation and, most importantly: Execution. His lyrical content is far from fluff, and instead of recalling the superficiality behind all the bling and celebrity Marz chooses to go deeper in his work. He reflects heavily on the Elliott Smith-like "All I Feel is Dark". The mood is grey, but the sound is magnetic and beautiful. The harmonies are reminiscent of Smith's work on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack (think Miss Misery). The spacey intro to "Idly By" seemingly pays homage to Radiohead's post-Kid A sonic signature, while his vocal delivery and chorus sound like a cut off an early Jayhawks release. The overall theme here maybe a bit morose, but the music is surprisingly delightful. Marz comes off as a seasoned veteran, having lived a life full of experiences to draw upon. Follow Me is the kind of record you'd hear on Fordham University's cutting edge WFUV radio station (currently streaming, and one of the stations that helped break John Mayer and Norah Jones). Give this record a spin: you won't be disappointed. MM