If you've had just about enough of the throw away, cookie cutter music that the music industry has been forcing down your throat for the last 10 years, then take a listen to Scott Holden's debut CD. It's apparent from the very first track of this self-titled CD that this is not another next month’s bargain bin artist. This is gritty blues/rock at its best. Close your eyes, and it's easy to hear the retro influence of bands like Led Zeppelin and Van Halen. But to simply dub this CD as retro wouldn't capture the soul of Holden's music, and that's mainly due to the power of his voice, which lies somewhere in between Whitesnake's David Coverdale and Chris Cornell of Audioslave. The guitar solos are hauntingly reminiscent of guitar heroes Steve Vai or Joe Satriani with an occasional tip of the hat to Stevie Ray Vaughan. The music is familiar yet original, simple yet deep, and extremely cohesive. The songs incorporate the best features of metal, blues, and good, solid songwriting. Overall, Scott Holden's debut CD is an impressive effort, and with its strong retro flavor, it’s Holden's voice that makes it unique. His vocals are allowed to stand on their own merit, without the need for overblown background singers or processing until it’s unrecognizable. He sings as though he's lived the lyrics of his songs and now he's trying to work through the experiences by opening his heart to his audience. As the music business succumbs to a dead-end formula of boy bands and teenage pop sirens, it's gratifying to know that somewhere out there, someone is still writing and actually playing music that has a heart and soul. Scott Holden is that someone.