After years of playing the rock and roll stages of New York City with a handful of bands, M. West is striking out on his own, untethered. This is his premier "solo" effort, which is not to say that it was done alone but that the talents that make this record great were hand picked instead of default band members and session musicians. The songwriting is a clear balance of spontaneous inspiration and clever craftsmanship. Listeners recognize fun and passion the first time through, but discover more subtle nuances and references with each repeated hearing. The music itself adds to the overall feel of each track by sometimes complementing the lyrics and sometimes contrasting with them. Produced by Bob of the Shirts, the "punk-pop" genre takes on a richly layered, almost orchestral feel. Engineered and mastered by Joe Ford at South Brooklyn Sound Studios, the performers include Nick Colt, Edgar Goss, Caren Messing, Andrew Oliphant, Adam Rosicke and of course Bob of the Shirts. Just a program note: No frogs were harmed in the production of this music.