Kevin Salem was born in Pennsylvania but honed his skills in a Boston band, the Dumptruck. After moving to New York, Salem recorded Soma City (Roadrunner, 1994). Attention was drawn to his nasal Bob Dylan-like tone (Amnesia) and his knack for catchy, driving rock and roll (Lighthouse Keeper). Glimmer (Roadrunner, 1996) reworks his idols (Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Neil Young) with a more aggressive approach. Rock and roll and power-pop tracks such as Run Run Run and Chemical Night Train dominate. His voice has a certain charisma, but the compositions tend to carry the same anonymous tone as those of the Dumptruck. Ecstatic (Future Farmer, 2001) is more about production and lyrics than about songs. Salem tells stories that sound like sermons, and their arrangements are painstakingly detailed. (Party Song, Magnetic, Deepdarklove).