The Blue Door

Invisible Lines makes an apropos title for the solo debut from JM Stevens. The Austin-based singer-songwriter who fueled Moonlight Towers through 15 years, four albums and thousands of miles crisscrossing the country on shoestring tours has a knack for tapping the intangible elements of pop songcraft that elevate the enduring from the ephemeral. What Stevens leaves out of his songs is almost as important as what he puts in. There's no instrumental derring-do or insular lyricism. He's wise enough to know not to let musical ego get in the way of a good hook. Stevens would rather have you humming along and connecting with the songs on your own emotional terms. With forebears like Tom Petty and Neil Young as reference points, Invisible Lines aims for the prize of having listeners recognize themselves. The distillation of joy and sorrow into three-minute sermons that speak straight to the heart. Making the connections, one night at a time. "Recalls records from the Jayhawks, Drive-By Truckers, and Uncle Tupelo, blending acoustic, electric, and pedal steel guitars around smooth, upper tenor vocals." - Brian Standefer, Texas Monthly "Supremely tasteful arrangements keep excess far at bay... Stevens modestly but confidently knocks Invisible Lines out the the park." - Michael Toland, The Big Takeover "The majority of these songs sound as if they've been lingering in the ethos forever, uncannily familiar yet edgy enough to catch immediate attention and resonate well beyond." - Lee Zimmerman, Goldmine "Stevens hits a stride riding solo that mellows the Towers' raucous sound while maintaining the heavy hooks." - Doug Freeman, Austin Chronicle