Kevin Max

The Imposter
Northern Records

Kevin Max’s naturally “loungey”  vocal style at times leaves him sounding a little less than sincere. But even though it’s awfully tempting to imagine Max dressed in a loud leisure suit and playing a Las Vegas showroom, such foolish behavior is far from the top of his immediate to-do list. Instead the key word for Max’s latest solo CD, “The Imposter,” is honesty. With this one, he bares his soul and lays it all on the line.

During the CD’s R.E.M.-esque opener, “Confessional Booth,” Max admits, “If the truth didn’t hurt so much/Then I wouldn’t lie.” And later in the track, he further confesses, “If you were me/You wouldn’t sleep at night.” These are not the words of someone intent upon giving off Hollywood cool. Rather Max’s songs find him struggling to remain genuine and transparent in his image-obsessed new Hollywood hometown. Clearly this is no easy task.

We would all do well to do what Max does here — take a honest look at ourselves in the mirror.