Based in Gladys, Virginia, Outside Records started up shortly after Bruce Hornsby hit it big and gave some "official" definition to the Southern Virginia sound. Naturally, the scene and sound is far more expansive than the terrain mined by Hornsby, but the selections here suggest certain affinities. The bands on Outside Records might tackle different genres -- pop, softcore punk, country, bluegrass, folk and some twisted blends of all the above -- but all of them, like Hornsby (his Dead-related excesses notwithstanding), are committed to damn fine playing.

Some Rare Footage is the strongest group from the alt-rock field, with a good balance of guitars melodically countering each other in their "Cure"-influenced shoegaze (best evidenced in "Static Sound"). Bands like the Sums prove fellas can breathe in the Atlantic Ocean air and still make cruising instrumentals as sublime as those produced by their West Coast brethren. Their track, "Spooky Sums", is the first such song I've heard that also swipes music from Costello's "Pump It Up". It's ultimately impossible to identify the "best" bands on Let's Go Outside, as no genre goes untouched by greatness and personal preferences will ultimately dictate which songs you play the most.

As a huge fan of alt-country or anything with a touch of frontier, my five runner-ups for favorite artists/groups were Mike Tyree, Shytown, My Dear Ella, S.G. Swain and Jeff Dernlan, whose "Lost in the Fray" captures the heart behind every guilty pleasure Bon Jovi ever gave us (or at least me). Brian Hall captured personal favorite honors. "It Must be Cold Outside", from his recent solo effort, is absolutely beautiful, with straightforward lyrics ("And I hope that I did a good job/'Cause that's why I got hired") as strong as Walter Salas Humara's, and extra sweet touches of harmonica. I think I like it better than any of Joe Grushecky's material, or anything by anyone else with a latter-day Springsteen fixation. Hall's main band, Snake Forcefield, is also featured here. They're a bit poppier, but just as good; "September Single"'s only flaw is that the melody shines so strong you wish the song were ten minutes long. It also can make a guy a bit too lonesome for all those days he used to play football instead of just watching wrestlers talk about it on television.

While we prefer not to give too much of the spotlight to label samplers, Let's Go Outside was my first introduction to Outside Records, and I really want to encourage you to take note of the label's riches. As I said in the beginning, many of these bands have the musical virtuosity of a Bruce Hornsby, but they never resort to the kind of musical showing-off that detracts from the power of their songs. In the end, it's all about the song -- and, as people at my workplace know, about shoving these songs down thankful friends' ears.