Warren Bishop

Local singer-songwriter Warren Bishop wears his So-Cal roots proudly on his sleeve on the first cut of his solo album Gearhead, a largely autobiographical Ramones-meets-NRBQ number titled “Anaheim.” From there, the mood shifts to dark on “My Life,” the first of five cuts co-produced by the dark lord himself, David Houston, but “Happiest Unhappy Girl” gets things back on the sunny side. Four other cuts were co-produced with the Kimberly Trip’s Jeffry Wynne Prince. If there’s a problem here, it’s that Bishop cutting sides with three different producers makes this CD sound more like a collection of demos than a cohesive project. The best track is “Shadows,” with its Pete Townshend solo-project vibe. The least best is the ska-like number “Take Linda Home.” Overall, it’s a nice look at a talented guy.