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Written by Eammon Azizi Tuesday, 18 December 2007 02:57

If you're a fan of piano-based rock with light attitude, then you'll really enjoy listening to Ian Axel and his band's musical craft.

This six-song disc is fresh, young and upbeat. im on to you kicks off with the standout track "Stand Tall." It instantly sets the tone with its calm piano riff and soft-flowing vocals. Swift guitar lines fill the voids and the classic chant of "na-na-na-na" ensures the melody stays stuck in your head.

One of the most interesting songs is the hidden track/gem that fittingly caps off the album. Found about one minute after some silence, it's a moody, moving piece that's just one of the many instances where you can sit back and enjoy Axel's classical piano skills.

Throughout the album, Axel does a great job building tension and then breaking open into a large chorus or bridge. The overall sound has a college rock appeal that partly derives from his lyrics about games of the heart and breaking out from the norm. You can almost picture Axel writing lyrics in a dorm room, taking them down to the piano then testing them out against a riff.

The one criticism his sound is bound to be hit with is that his songs and vocal style sound eerily similar to Ben Folds Five. But don't let that deter you from giving Ian Axel a chance to win you over. It's not as if he's copying off Folds Five; it's just that he happens to have a passion for the same style of music.

In the end, im on to you is a short and sweet album that's fun and easy to digest. And if you're a fan of piano-based rock with light attitude, then you'll really enjoy listening to Ian Axel and his band's musical craft. B | Eammon Azizi

RIYL: Ben Folds Five, Guster, Ben Kweller

Online: www.ianaxel.com