There's something about Corey Hart that distinguishes him from your everyday local troubadour. His brand of folk rock is anything but soothing. It leans more toward a mood that's jarring and strung-out, like hearing Bono sing along to psychedelic acoustic chords at a coffeehouse where he's imbibed way too much caffeine.
Then again, does the world need another conventional singer-songwriter? Hart's vocals may border on shrill, but oddball vocal styles (Cobain, Dylan, et al.) are frequently the stuff of great music.
What's clear is that Hart is out to make folk that's not about easy listening, that suggests the intensity of real life.
What else would you expect from a Berklee dropout? Words Like Wildfire may not have worked all the kinks out of Hart's raw style, but it's starkly authentic and full of promise.
