Review by Doug Cornell

The first thing you might think upon seeing the cover for the new Val Emmich CD, Slow Down Kid, is oh, this guy is one of those singer-songwriters that gets his songs played during the tender moments of TV shows like "Joan of Arcadia."

But you'd be wrong.

Even though Val Emmich is a singer-songwriter, he knows how to rock.  The guitars in "Bury Me" are frigging amazing - they blast away with staccato sharp riffs, then open up to grandiose chunks of power chord mayhem, totally driving Emmich's singing to match the effort and intensity.

The album does have it's quiet, poppy moments.  "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" is a well performed ballad, but the rockier bits like "Separate Things" are what separates Emmich from the crowd.  Still, his honesty is to be commended in the quieter track "Shock," where he chants in a menacing voice, "I could punch your fucking face."

Other stand out tracks include the rockers "The Patient Patient,"  "Unstable,." and  "Medical Display."  The riffs in these tracks are reminiscent of the best Pearl Jam songs ("Rearviewmirror').