Free Kittens & Bread is what happens when a southern boy from Texas grows up with an Offspring education and a modern sensibility. Frontman Chase Spruiell leads a rotating cast of talented musicians in a homegrown rock project that spans Americana, punk, and singer-songwriter styles. Spruiell’s lyrics are introspective without being overly self-ruminative, confessional but never whiny. American Miserablist opens with a stripped-down twang establishing that it needs no production-as-filler; the drum-driven energy that follows only enhances the storytelling without attempting to replace it. This record is an equally enjoyable listen for punk and southern rock fans alike. –Michelle Kirk (Bad Wolf, phillipo[email protected], phillipodom.net, freekittensandbread.bandcamp.com)