Steve Judice may be an attorney by trade, but there is no doubt he’s a songwriter by heart. After releasing his debut, Stormy Goodbyes and Laughing Eyes, in 2009, Judice returns this year with a breakthrough effort. Drawing heavily from country, folk, and blues with a bit of Cajun spice, When Darkness Falls is a collection of songs firmly rooted in Americana tradition. As a storyteller, Judice’s songs follow an array of southern everymen as they try to find peace in the midst of struggle. They often grapple with unexpected hardship (“Rockin’ the Blues Away”), missed chances (“Opportunity Knocked”), and a life passed by (“Only By A Stone” & “Strangled”). Lost loved ones factor heavily in the particularly poignant track “Deepwater Horizon,” written after the death of Gordon Jones. Jones was the younger brother of a partner in Judice’s law firm, and one of the 11 men who lost their lives in the BP rig explosion. In memorial, the official release date of When Darkness Falls is April 20, 2011, the one-year anniversary of the tragedy in the Gulf. Ahead of its release, the album was selected as the All Access Album of the Month on Radio Free Texas, a popular internet radio station.