Rock/Pop - Describing his forthcoming album as his "post-coming of age story", Howie Day makes his long awaited return to center stage with Sound The Alarm. Our preview back in February hinted at some promising indicators -- and what we've heard from Alarm thus far proves pretty clearly that Day's much publicized personal issues are behind him -- and he's ready to climb back back into the ring with some strong new tracks.

It's been six years since the Maine-raised singer-songwriter broke through with his platinum hit "Collide" and album Stop The World Now and Day says that the non-stop touring and incessant press spotlight left him "physically and emotionally burnt out" adding that it was a period of clearly defined extremes, which plays with your head a bit." But he says he's ready to start fresh. "This new album represents the end of one era and the start of another. It's about tipping your hat to the past, living in the here and now, and looking optimistically toward the future."

Fans looking for Day's signature brisk and breezy pop anthems will find much to like on the new project with new songs such as the first anthemic single "Be There" and the lovely, lamenting ballad "Counting On Me" leading a thoughtful and inspiring array of semi-confessional songs. "The new album very obviously echoes my own life, in all of its highs and lows, but not all of it is explicitly autobiographical," Day says. "Some of the songs draw inspiration from people and places I've observed, and then bits of my own experiences find their way in." He notes that recording the album over an extended period of time with a variety of producers in numerous studios also provided lyrical insights and moods. All told, a welcome return to form from the somewhat older and infinitely wiser Howie Day.

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