Kill Devil Hills

Don't be misled by the liner photos — this is a folk-rock group. Kittyhawk's context is defined as much by the geographical references of its band name and album title as it is by the gritty urban street scenes, leather accoutrements, and tough-guy postures that you see on the CD insert. Not that they sound country at all; on the contrary, they rock out in fine, gutsy style on their debut full-length. But the story-songs, the slide guitars, the acoustic-wielding lead singer, the gentle angst nestled in muscular but very straightforward grooves and progressions — this is folk-rock. And there's nothing wrong with that at all. Bandleader and songwriter Jennifer Zablocki's voice is a joy, assured without cockiness and solid without bombast. She belts it out with refined passion on "Do You Remember" and the anguished twang-a-thon "Really Over Now," while on the gospel-flavored "Touch" she evokes Elvis Costello with a better instrument. At times the melodies rise and fall just a bit too gently; there are a few opportunities for timelessness here that go wasted. But, overall, this is a very impressive debut from a young band that bears watching.