The field of new male singer/songwriters has been in grieviously short supply the last few years. Mark Schultz... Bebo Norman... Shaun Groves... Not many others. We've had so many great female singer/songwriters appear pop up over the last few years, but the men have been horribly under-represented.

Startup label Creative Trust Workshop is trying hard to remedy that, with the debut of 23-year-old Warren Barfield, who's been writing and singing songs for most of his life. Barfield writes with an earthy gentility, encouraging and motivating with simple truths spun in creative ways. Brown Bannister and Mark Hammond's production allows Barfield to keep his guitar firmly in hand, but provides a nice, mostly acoustic sound that suits him. His voice isn't the strongest weapon in his arsenal, but his extensive touring schedule should allow his prowess to grow. It's mostly his songwriting that takes the spotlight here, with intriguing twists on common themes and heartfelt messages of hope and joy, and enough spark and personality to set him apart from the crowd. Highly Recommended.