Garrett Sawyer is an Orange County, California folk-rocker who has just finished his third album. Eschewing shallow themes, Sawyer, like a white-collar Springsteen, takes on such diverse topics as the personal tragedies of unemployment and home loss, a tribute to a Shakespearean theater and the yearning for space travel. His first two albums were released to favorable reviews and significant airplay. If you're weary of shallow songs and trite vocals and crave an artist with unabashed originality and a flair for imaginative and thoughtful lyrical styling, check Sawyer out. Here's just a sample of the reviews on Sawyer's first album, "A Happening at Manchester Square": "Filled with songcraft and meticulous care...his acoustic guitar, at times accented with synth strings, takes an ambling journey through the album, giving an atmosphere of night, stars and secrets...dramatic and touching." - Mark Brown, Orange County Register "Has the mysticism and lyrical/acoustic textures of Al Steward in a lot of ways. Garrett paints a vivid picture with the deep themes of his songwriting." - M.K. "Tarkus" O'Neil, KEOL, Lagrande, Oregon. "There's WAY more to this than 'just 'nother folk singer' ... it's HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!" - Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation "We liked it...surprising and fun, comfortable...worth sending for." - Katherine N. Frog, Oil Magazine "Has the mysticism and lyrical/acoustic textures of Al Stewart in a lot of ways. Garrett paints a vivid picture with the deep themes of his songwriting." - M.K. "Tarkus" O'Neil, KEOL, Lagrande, Oregon "Using 6 and 12-string guitar as his weapon of choice, Sawyer lays out 11 remarkable tracks on 'A Happening at Manchester Square'... It's an independent folk rock masterpiece." - Parabrisas Magazine "This album will take you 'out there' and then bring you back. Trust me."- Jim Clark, Lee County Courier And here are just some of the reviews of Sawyer's second album, "Anthem": Sawyer's 6 & 12 string guitars are punched full of energy, as is his approach to each of the songs; he's able to express a full range of emotions with his vocals, from sad/sweet to outright rage. If you can't be inspired by his music, you're due for a headstone!" -Rotcod Zzaj, aka Dick Metcalf " Sawyer is a talented writer and guitarist with a very unique lyrical style." -Stacey Board, The Muse's Muse "Anthem alters amiably between happy, sad and mildly angry, floating on a continuous wave of acoustic guitar and electronic piano solos. The constant movement, combined with Sawyer’s quickly spoken, vivid poetry, gives the album a distinct energy and spirit " - Antonie Young, Score! Music Magazine "Anthem is a great title for this album. Garrett Sawyer has put together a collection of songs that have a greater scope, anthemic if you will, than your normal singer/songwriter or folk activist songs. Sawyer, in fact, strives for greater development and purpose in his songs, and takes his message and material very seriously. " - Heidi Rockelman, Indie-Music.com "Forceful and punchy progressive peaks followed by horn swells gives this CD its uniqueness. Along with the intelligent lyrics and acoustic and electric guitars the whole CD stands strong." - Real Time Records "When I first saw the cover of Garrett Sawyer’s new disc Anthem, I put it in expecting another “singer/songwriter”, and while that’s really what he is, that definition just doesn’t do justice to what I heard....Anthem is a very impressive, highly recommended disc." -Geoff Melton, The Music Korner The guy's a real original. The rhythmic play between the piano, keyboards, and guitars has driving force and takes unpredictable turns." -Turk's Head Review