You may not know it, but there is a ton of music out there waiting to be discovered. Much of it will never find an audience on the national stage, some will not even get to a regional level.

You may be wondering just what this has to do with Cove Road. Let me confront your wonderment with a question: Have you ever heard of Cove Road? I can just about guarantee that the vast majority of you are saying "no." Would you like to know why? It's because they are a local band. They are a band trying to forge their own path and make it on their own terms. Will they? Who knows? But with your help, they could have a shot.

This is not a plea on the behalf of the band; it is more something that everyone can do in their home towns. Seek out the clubs, bars, and dives that book local bands. Go see as many as you can, before long you are sure to find a band worth your time. Okay, enough of my plea on the behalf of local music in general. Is Cove Road a band you spend your time on? The short answer is yes.

Cove Road hails from Poughkeepsie, New York, and the summer of 2007 saw the release of their first album, the self-produced Psychadelephant. It is a pretty good disk, not perfect by any stretch, but impressive for a young act.

Their sound is created at the crossroads of a number of genres. Rock, metal, funk, groove, jam, and others converge to create a sound that is instantly familiar and welcoming as it is different. If you are sick to death of all those sond-alike bands on the radio and the myriad copycats that lurk around the outskirts looking for scraps like a remora on a shark, than Cove Road may serve as a nice antidote.

The album begins with a Ramones-like count as "Cheap Imitation Brand" gets off to a rocking start. Brett's vocals come in, reminiscent of Faith No More's original frontman, Chuck Mosley, as the band ratchets up the energy. The cut gives a good indication of what to expect for the rest of the album, but it is merely a step stone for the stronger songs.

Track two brings Rollins Band to mind as some hardcore influences make themselves apparent in "Science of Thieves." It is a lean and mean song, barely crossing the two and a half minute mark. However, it makes those moments memorable, with a nice 'n heavy breakdown at the midpoint. The energy is kept up with "Robert Conroy," offering up a funky vibe crossed with a touch of the heavy.

"Polly Clotte" slows the forward moment, introducing a psychedelic element to their sound. An alt-epic track that offers a big, room-filling sound that begs for little swaying as the guitars swirl around your head. Of course, while that is a big part of the song, it builds back into a cacophony the closer to end we move. By this time, the swaying has stopped and the flying elbows have begun. It is a finely crafted song that encompasses much of the different styles the band employs.