Matthew Solberg has said that his biggest influences are Nick Drake and Elliott Smith and this shows on his first musical solo effort, the 7-track EP, I am a Fool. Combining delicate finger-picking with soft-spoken lyrics, Solberg's album is even more bare-bones than some of his predecessors. Most songs are void of any overdubs, just an acoustic and his voice, but the listener can't help wondering what the songs would sound like with some more instrumentation, or even double-tracking on the vocals.

Nonetheless, Solberg's songs grow quickly on you. The guitar playing is skillful yet not overbearing or showy. Solberg's vocal delivery is above average and the lyrics are original. While the first song, the title track, is one of the strongest, the following song, 'Rainy Nights," is even better. To me, it invokes a beautiful melody that reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel.

''Nothing to Say' arguably showcases Solberg's best guitar playing, as well as sounding most like Elliott Smith's. Backing vocals also strengthen this song and the lyrics are interesting. "You tell me one thing that I don't want to hear/you push me further making it so crystal clear/that if you want me to stay/ I must have nothing to say." There are also two nice instrumentals, but I think one would have been enough for an EP.

Matthew Solberg is currently working on a full length album due sometime in 2010. I hope to see a few more acoustic guitar overdubs, but other than that the songwriting quality is high and you should support this artist by purchasing this CD at his website, www.MatthewSolberg.com.

Key tracks: Rainy Nights, Nothing to Say

www.MathewSolberg.com