On Douglas Cameron's new album "Ever Since You Left", you hear an artist emerging from inevitable transitions in life. The album is a journey through one such transition, and hearing Cameron's emotion and evolution on such identifiable tracks as "The Fire Dies Tonight" and "Runnin' Out of Jackson" is the reason why I've followed his career for the last decade. --Craig Waddell EVER SINCE YOU LEFT--Douglas Cameron Boise singer-songwriter Douglas Cameron has been on an aggressive run. In 2006, he made trips to Los Angeles in an attempt to make industry contacts. He spent money locally advertising his last CD "Remedies," which received regional radio play. Last month, he even gigged for thousands at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. In between, Cameron found time to record this nine song CD in Boise, Seattle and Denver. Although Cameron sounded comfortable on "Remedies"-a more elaborately produced yet twangier album- the guitar-bass-drums appeal here is undeniable. It's as if Cameron found his voice by simplifying, even if he's discovered over the past decade that playing music for a living is anything but. Anthemic guitar-rocker "Runnin' Out of Jackson" is buoyant yet spiked with self -loathing, hinting at Cameron's fondness for the Drive-By-Truckers: "Ever since you left, I can't get it right," he confesses. "I'll be drunk again on my whiskey tonight." Except he has gotten it right. These heartfelt acoustic tunes and rootsy rockers make you want to hear them jammed live. Guitarist Glenn Esparza (Little Women, Jerry Joseph) elevates several songs with spot-on playing. But even without him in Cameron's everyday backing band, delicate love songs such as "Want To" and easy-going riff-rockers like "Year Round November" should sparkle on stage. Cameron is obviously on a mission these days; this CD is proof. ---Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman