Josh Flagg’s debut album, Devastate Me, has the perfect balance of sweet and sour in an alt-rock format. The songs are, as it says on Flagg’s website, "brawlers with busted noses, but hearts of gold". Flagg, tired of the You-Me-Girl aspect that comprises much of songwriting, set out to undermine the classic pop format by disrupting those sentiments. For example, the song "Bring Me Back to Life" is about a zombie looking for his girlfriend and "Come Back To Me" is written from the perspective of a comic book villain. The music will make your heart soar, the lyrics will make you think and the record overall will make you smile. Josh Flagg will be playing Bowery Electric on March 31. – Leah Tribbett