New York singer/songwriter Sam Kogon recalls different kinds of rock while radiating his own whimsical pop on his irrestibly warm debut solo album ‘Before You Knew Me.’ Bookended by the guitar-seared songs "Before" and "On The Ceiling" while featuring the Wilco-esque Americana of "I Could Never" and the Electric Light Orchestra-like jubilance of "Plans" (streaming below), the Brooklyn-recorded effort has the Brian Wilson-admiring Kogon imbuing tracks of angst and heartbreak with both charm and sincerity. Ahead of the release of ‘Before You Knew Me’ on Friday (9.18), Sam Kogon plays at The Elvis Guesthouse tomorrow (9.17). – Zach Weg
