ALBUM REVIEW: "Lone on the Mountain" 

Miles Wide

"Lone on the Mountain"

 Self-released

 mileswide.bandcamp.com

Miles Wide, the stage name for Rochester-native Kyle Donovan, threw his hat into the local singer-songwriter ring after moving back to town from Colorado.

"Lone on the Mountain," Miles Wide's second album, contains live, acoustic renditions of original songs from his debut, "Moon Howls." This seven-track album highlights Donovan's wonderful voice, which regularly steals the spotlight away from the stripped-down tunes. "Lone on the Mountain" is as much a platform for Donovan's vocal skills as it is a showcase for his mellow, atmospheric numbers. "Trouble" kicks things off and sets the tone with its mix of hope and melancholy set to an ethereal groove. Donovan, a self-taught guitarist, does a fine job with an intentionally tense chord structure and the Spanish-style licks contained in the song.

Donovan sounds down right comfortable performing his signature tune, "Moon Howls," the album's best track. His vocal inflections bring to mind a certain pop vibe that makes it sound so sweet to the ear. In a nutshell, "Lone on the Mountain" is a positive statement from a young man who stands on the soft rock side of the highway.