Scott Mann is like a lot of us -- he sings a little, writes a little, plays a little guitar, and (at least seems to be) a fan of those who do those things well. The Road As I Know It is a mixture of original songs by Mann, as well as seven cover tunes.
Of the originals, two songs stand out above the others. "Seed Will Bask" is a tribute to John Lennon, and the high vocals blend perfectly with Mann's acoustic guitar on this track. "A Memory on Canvas," about Mann's grandmother, is a commentary on the woman who has influenced his life, and works quite well.
Mann's choices of covers are solid -- how can you go wrong with "Blowing in the Wind" (Dylan), "One" (U2), or "Step by Step" (written by Beaker, performed by Rich Mullins)? Yet the performance here falls flat -- Mann's guitar work is faithful to the originals for the most part, but the vocals don't meet the standard he sets for himself on his own songs. Cover songs are difficult to critique after having heard the originals, but Mann's choices here don't seem to fit into where his vocal talents are -- his voice is simply too high to carry "One" or "Lean On Me." A better decision, and the best of the standards here is his take on The Beatles "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away".
Overall, I think there is some talent here. I can easily see Mann making it on the coffeehouse circuit, performing his own music while mixing in a few cover tunes. I would like to hear him on a finished project, with a full band, with perhaps ten or twelve of his own songs fully fleshing out his sound.
Original material: 3.5 tocks. Cover tunes: 2 tocks. Overall: 3 tocks
