Everyone has to start somewhere, and indeed, there are demos from obscure nobodies to the initial efforts of the most famous musical icons that prove this. What they all have in common is a crudity of presentation and a lack of maturity in the material that is usually made obvious by subsequent recordings and the passage of time. Stephen Simmons has started out with a similarly crude debut that highlights both his promising strengths and signs of immaturity. Throughout these five songs, which sound like a solo recording, just voice and guitar, done in front of a small crowd (perhaps a coffeehouse), Simmons exhibits the standard neophyte's tendency to wear influences too plainly; the fact that he comes up with a couple of excellent songs in spite of that flaw points to the possibilities ahead for him. “The Superstore,” is a Springsteen-like myth set in the America to which Simmons relates. “Memories,” begins with a gently strummed guitar and a harmonica that echo Nebraska-era Bruce in a good way, and Simmons has the monotone delivery of that album's best material down pat. On “Loserville,” Simmons gives away his other main influence, Steve Earle, with a drawling delivery that could be attributed to a half-dozen tunes in that alt-country icons' catalog. The Springsteen link still applies, as well, since the tune on the verses is nearly interchangeable with his classic, “Racing in the Street.” The narrative element present on this lengthy tale, however, makes up somewhat for the derivative nature of the music. “Sweet Salvation,” brings up a third influence, Jay Farrar of Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt fame. Here, Simmons takes the ultra-slow pacing of the most plodding Farrar tunes and lays out a touching, though simplistic, gospel song atop it. Simmons has a voice that will make people take notice, no matter what he sings. If he sounds a little too much like the son of his influences, that's okay for now, it leaves him plenty of room to grow.