By: David Schultz

Needing nothing more than an acoustic guitar, singer-songwriter Wes Tucker has quickly built a following in the D.C. area with his soulful voice and finely crafted songs. Tradition, Tucker's 2004 solo release, places the singer in the quiet environs of the studio, primarily featuring his acoustic compositions. Critically well received, three of Tradition's tracks received finalist recognition at the 2004 Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Competition. Resisting any temptation to rest on the laurels of his honored album, Tucker wasted no time in forming the Skillets with guitarist Bryan Washam and drummer Dave Rutkowski, who assisted Tucker on Tradition, and guitarist Arch Alcantara as a vehicle for his more upbeat songs.

More than just an ample backing band, The Skillets add a bluesy touch to Beauty In The Broken, giving deeper breadth to Tucker's musical range. The album covers a lot of ground, spanning different genres of music, but never strays far from its base, rootsy, countryish guitar-based rock and roll. The upbeat tracks on Beauty In The Broken provide the most enjoyable moments. The raucous guitars in the quasi-biblical "Casting Stones" and the swamp-tinged "Wasted Words" show the Skillets to be a capable band. "Road To Zion" contains some nifty Dave Matthews-like guitar and careful listeners will hear an occasional riff from the Jerry Garcia school of guitar amidst the mix. It's also why the garden-party background jazz guitar on "Into The Light" and "Around My Way," while catchy, fails to completely satisfy. Given what Tucker & The Skillets are clearly capable of doing, expecting more isn't unwarranted.

Musically, Tucker's slower pieces are not the strongest part of the album. However, they contain his more exceptional lyrics. Especially on "Costa Mesa" and "Bound To Rise," Tucker excels in expressing the feelings associated with finding what your heart truly desires and the burdens such knowledge can bring. Although the ballads slow down the album's pacing, they provide a nice showcase for Tucker's warm, voice with the closing ballads, "Intertwined" and "Nothing Less" comparing favorably to those of Ben Harper.

Listeners looking for something groundbreaking or revelatory might be disappointed with Beauty In The Broken. However, discerning listeners with appreciative ears will admire and relish the nuances of Tucker's thoughtful songwriting and the Skillets' skillful musicianship. Encouragingly, Tucker shows great growth on Beauty In The Broken, showing positive signs that he and the Skillets have a bright future ahead.