Jabe, featuring New Hampshire resident Jabe Beyer (vocals); Jay Aucella (bass); Dave Westner (drums); and Sean Staples (mandolin), is a mix of early Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and the Pogues. The songs on "Drama City" are direct, amped and boisterous.

Several tracks stand out. "Those Times Are Over," "Crazy Anne Marie," and "Damn Them Big Brown Eyes" are excellent. I also was partial to "Kelly McGuire," though, for a different reason. I admit the song is peppy but I liked it so much is because my cousin's wife is named Kelly Maguire. (OK, it's spelled differently but it sounds the same.)

At points the jams or interplay becomes a little overwrought and tedious. Toning some of them down ("Can't Be That Bad") would have worked a little better.

Jabe's lyrics are amusing and brutally honest. In "Into a Wall," he sings, "I been singing songs since the day I was born/My voice is shot but my heart is torn/My fingers are busted and all I got to show for it is debt/I shoulda listened to my father I coulda been a doctor/Or one of those guys who gets paid/No matter who wins the bet."

The second disc in this set consists of a CD-ROM with three videos, a trio of unreleased MP3s (two of which are live) and a link to the band's web site.

"Drama City" features a batch of intriguing - and intense - tunes. It is musically comprehensive and definitely deserves a listen.

"Drama City" will be released on April 8