i1 is one of the freshest, more interesting and potentially important bands to hit the air waves in some time. After listening to their first few releases, I was impressed not only by the sound these four guys produce but also the diversity of style and lyrical import they inject into their music. Lead guitarist/songwriter Brandon Burke handles his instrument in a virtuoso manner, imbuing each song with constrained raw emotion and meaningful riffs. Lead singer Adam Daniel, who writes some of the band’s lyrics, has a gritty, southern soul voice that can handle ballads and kick a** rock with equal skill. Bassist Mike Jones is a veteran of the Low Country music scene and keeps songs on target with strong, carefully measured grooves and backup vocals. Drummer Eric Robertson drives the music through creative use of his ample percussion skills that enhance, never distract, from what the band feels are its most important qualities–original lyrics and melodies that fly in the face of today’s traditional pop/rock pablum. There is a definite blues feel to a number of i1’s songs, perhaps never more evident than on “Bottoms Up,” an ode to getting your balls kicked when you’re already down and out. But the band plays with your head, switches gears and roars through a rollicking “March of the Clowns,” a song that is full of cool gimmicks, solid work by Jones and Robertson, a guitar solo that Burke races off on for almost the entire song, and manic singing by Daniel that emphasizes the somewhat dark nature of the carnival-esque tune. i1 is a band certainly worth keeping an eye, and ear, on in the coming months. -Jack Rowley Independent Music Critic