Scott Hershberger's CD Spotlight (Taken from The Slate - Shippensburg University). Over the past few weeks, I have been using my column to help get the word out about a number of talented artists. Pennsylvania is home to a lot of great music, but the majority of the state’s residents have yet to discover it. Through some help from a friend, I recently made a discovery of my own. I got my hands on seven tracks from Fooling April, a Philadelphia-based quartet specializing in piano-rock music, my personal favorite genre...

West Chester native Brian Kenneth serves as the lead vocalist and pianist. In 2002, he assembled three other brilliant musicians to help him complete his project.

Kenneth, along with guitarist Rado Randriamamonjy, bassist Kevin Emery and drummer Vince Powell set out to make a name for themselves on the Philadelphia area’s local club scene. It wasn’t long before their energetic performances generated a buzz through the southeast corner of Pennsylvania.

Since then, Rado and Vince have left the band and been replaced by guitarist Tommy K and drummer Matt Ensminger. Meanwhile, Fooling April has gone on to share the stage with big-name artists such as Dave Matthews, Dido and John Mayer.

In early 2005, a collection of original material titled “Every Good Boy Does Fine” was released by independent record label Kool Kat Musik. I recently had the pleasure of listening to seven of the nine tracks on the disc and can honestly say that this band is for real.

The disc starts off with the dynamic “Firefly,” which would make a perfect summer anthem. The lively tune was a fantastic choice for the opening track.

Kenneth’s piano immediately caught my attention, and the solid musicality had me hanging on every beat. After one listen to “Firefly,” I knew I was quickly becoming a Fooling April fan.

The piano then takes on a darker tone as “Backslide” begins.

The song examines the current state of America and some existing problems that are not being solved. The guitar really gives strength to the track, and its rhythms are showcased three minutes into the song. The critical chorus reads, “Every time I think we’ve come far/ I realize how backwards we’ve gone/ a history book in a civilized age/ where no one is turning the page/ it’s a backslide from the progress we’ve made.”

The mood picks back up with the funky sounds of “Monet.” It is difficult to listen to this song without tapping your toe or moving in some way to the melody. Kenneth’s vocal ability is really able to shine on this particular tune, which sounds more like a 1970s disco classic than modern pop-rock.

The catchiest song on the CD is also the most humorous.

“C-4” tells the tale of a singer-songwriter who spent the day procrastinating instead of writing a new song at his manager’s request. Some of the activities the young man indulged in during the day include playing X-box, smoking pot and watching porn.

To complicate matters, the neighbor next door in Apartment C-4 is going to sleep. Kenneth uses one of the best lines on the disc as he describes his neighbor as “the only 23 year old, who goes to bed before Leno” before informing listeners, “I stay up for Conan.”

I can really relate to this lyric because my roommate is always going to bed around midnight or 1 a.m. while I’m watching “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and finally getting started on my schoolwork.

“She’s With Me” is the softest of the seven tracks and the only real love song.

Kenneth’s vocals are overflowing with raw emotion, and it’s easy for the listener to hear how much “she” means to him. The ballad was conveniently placed on the album right after “C-4” and served as a nice change of pace from its hilarious, up-tempo predecessor.

The band then rocks out on “Normal” before finishing things up with another comical song.

“E-dumped” stands apart from other modern rock music because it discusses a big part of everyday life, the use of online chat programs.

Almost every college student has used instant messaging at some point in their lives. Apparently, Penn State graduate Brian Kenneth is no exception. “E-dumped” is about his girlfriend using the Internet to inform him the relationship is over. The first verse includes humorous lines such as, “She IMs that things are fine/ recently, I think she lied” and “She drops me a smiley face/ but I know, she ain’t smiling/ a colon and parenthesis won’t trick me/ I know where you’re going.”

Wow. That was literally what I said once the album came to a stop.

I had heard good things about Fooling April before giving them a listen, but now I can see just how great this band is. They are currently among my list of favorite music artists, and it’s a real shame that they’re not signed to a record deal. Musicians like this deserve to have their material made available all over the world.

Featuring a blend of emotion-driven lyrics and amazing instrumentation, Fooling April will put a sound in your head you will not soon forget. Don’t take my word for it though. Listen to the goods at www.foolingapril.com or www.myspace.com/fa.

If you want to hear the boys perform one of their critically-acclaimed live shows, Fooling April will be playing here in Shippensburg at Knutes Pub & Grille on Friday night starting at 9:00 p.m.