"Notwithstanding" is the second fully produced release from bassist, singer, songwriter Seth Horan. Coming from a colorful major label background (he did time in MCA rap/metal band Darwin's Waiting Room and RCA pop supergroup Vertical Horizon), Horan has gained serious notoriety over the past two years since his debut release, "...this is the session." He performs in a variety of settings; as a soloist, accompanying his voice with only his five-string bass guitar, and more recently with a band, but still showcasing the funky, two-handed style that his fans have come to identify him by. "Notwithstanding" strikes a perfect balance between solo performances and more produced songs. Songs like "Eventually", "the song of Thanks", and "Keep To Myself" are powerfully spare in their arrangements, showcasing not only Horan's exquisite bass technique, but his increasingly powerful vocals, which have become hauntingly soulful since his first release. On the opposite end of the spectrum, "Become What You Resist" and "Beautiful" are masterpieces of band production, no doubt due to the co-production skills of Horan's former Vertical Horizon bandmate, Ed Toth, whose drumming throughout the record is top notch, and a welcome departure from the straight-ahead rock of his band's recent offerings. Fans of Horan's most popular song to date, "Tarot" (from his debut release), will no doubt feel at home with the album's opening cut, "Something Pretty", which strikes a familiar balance in groove and instrumentation without being derivative. With the release of "Notwithstanding", Horan has grown tenfold as an artist, and has more clearly defined his sound and his vision in a way bound to attract more attention. The result is one of the best independent releases to cross this reviewer's desk in over a year. Highly recommended. --T. A. Ryan, rockstar. magazine