Here we have a new Mitch Malloy release… well, sort of. The new project is SOUTH OF EDEN and although it features Malloy prominently throughout it also is seemingly a showcase for newcomer country and blonde bombshell Casey Thompson. SOUTH OF EDEN was born out of the chance meeting of the two at a local Nashville, TN club and the rest as they say, is history.

The record is a modern country-sounding affair with all the usual bells and whistles you get with contemporary country music these days. The production is spot on and to go with the mild country twang and violins you also get some extremely nice melodies and harmony vocals. Malloy released two very AOR-oriented albums back in the early Nineties and his influence shows through but he has also lived in Nashville for a number of years now, making his due as a professional songwriter, and so that influence shines just as brightly on “South Of Eden”.

The lead single off the 8-track album is “Love Made Liar Out Of Me”. It’s a catchy number with all the requisite glossiness of a modern country tune. It’s great to hear Malloy’s voice if you’re a fan but Ms. Thompson has nice tone too. I can hear shades of Faith Hill, Martina McBride and lesser-known country starlet Jamie O’Neal in Casey’s vocals, which is pretty cool. “What A Day” is an airy, mid-paced country track that features some great harmony vocals, which adds a certain “lushness” to the overall sound of the song.

“Places Only Love Can Go” is a typical ballad which again shows how well both Malloy’s and Thompson’s voices work together. “Breathless” starts of in mellow mode as Thompson’s voice starts it off before Malloy comes in and the pair play the part of a couple in the beginning stages of love. It’s a simple and playful tune that works well.

The duo rocks it up a slight bit with “Roll” as they introduce some electric guitar to the affair to go along with the underlying banjo sound. Not a particularly memorable track for me but they make up for it with “When The Smoke Clears”. The song is another country ballad with Thompson displaying that Faith Hill flair on the track and some great harmonies are turned in on this one as well.

“All The Way” is a great country/rock hybrid with some big-time vocal harmonies. It’s probably a bit more country than rock-n-roll but it’s great tune whatever way you call it.

The record ends with “Close To You” which starts off with a huge country flair but has moments of the AOR sound that was heard on Malloy’s debut. Again, the duo turns in some impressive vocal harmonies; something that is a definite strongpoint with these two.

SOUTH OF EDEN sits comfortably in the confines of the contemporary country genre and still offers just enough for the AOR/melodic rock fan to get by. This may not be the sound of choice for everyone but there is no denying the talent these two posses. I look forward to see what SOUTH OF EDEN comes up with as they continue to write and play together.