Like much of the country I am sick of today? media driven, image based, digitized and synthetically enhanced music. The so called ?rtists?who are studio packaged to marketing analyzed perfection complete with the synergistic packaging of cross promotional, cross sales compatibility. Reality television programs, perfumes, clothing lines, books, posters, and beauty products have overtaken and outweighed the importance of sound and soul. What is left is a sadly small handful of true talent, their existence almost an anomaly, a mere death rattle of the now mythical days when music meant something and talent was a factor.

         Due to this down spiraling trend, I have ceased listening to the radio and stuck to exploring indie labels and lesser known bands through the internet and friends recommendations. Last week when a friend invited me to go with them to see Britain? newest import, James Blunt, I arrived at Bowery Ballroom with little to no expectations except to hit up the bar.

         With jack and coke in hand, I watched as Blunt took the stage. Young, attractive with piercing blue eyes and unshaven face, downplayed style with a green t-shirt and sneakers, I figured that the view would keep me entertained even if the music didn?. From the first song, I was transfixed. The sound was affected, high yet masculine, tender with an undeniable strength of both voice and meaning. His ballad like lyrics, a mix of poetic waxings on dawns and beauty, managed to avoid clich?and instead invoke personal sensitivities with poignant delicacy. They resonated.

         The entire concert maintained an awe I have not felt for a long time. The sight of true talent, raw and emotive, is such a rarity that it leaves the listener almost breathless. His piano playing paired to stunning perfection with his vocal falsetto during ?o Bravery,?written in 1999 when he served as a soldier in Kosovo, almost produced a tear. The tucking of his guitar to the side during many of his songs came off as unrehearsed and a natural extension as he stood exposed, his voice raw and high with emotion. I bought the album the next day and have had it running on replay for two weeks now with no sign of getting sick of it.

         In the U.K. Blunt? debut Back to Bedlam has overtaken Coldplay selling 1.53 million albums and held the position of number one with the single ?eautiful,: for several weeks. This is the first song that has been released in the U.S. and has deservedly won him an instant fan base. Songs such as ?ise Man,??o Long Jimmy,?and ?ry,?are sure guarantees to keep him in the hearts of millions of adolescent girls and heartbroken lovers. I have personally experienced the spontaneous playing of the mental montage of ex-boyfriends while listening to ?oodbye My Lover,?and I am self-proclaimed die hard romantic cynic. My only complaint is the repeated reference to Dorian Gray in the chorus of ?ears and Rain,?which comes off as a strained attempt at literary intellectualism but manages only to conjure up a bad memory of the recent film League of Extraordinary Gentleman.

         Blunt? album was produced in L.A. by Tom Rothock and he is managed by the same person as Elton John which gives me a hope filled with a sincerity so lacking in the majority of today? music, that Blunt is able to maintain his genuineness and remain centered now that he has crossed continental borders.

         Mara Siegler graduated with a degree in English Creative Writing and now lives in New York working as a freelance writer.