Kerry Candaele and the Left Helenians write music and lyrics to stir the heart and the mind. Some of the songs rouse our sense of injustice. Others awaken our empathy. And still others evoke personal and familial feeling. Some are just plain fun.It's refreshing to hear music that does more than get your toes tapping. The songs on Gas Money make you think and feel not just about yourself but also about the world around you.Candaele's music has echoes of John Hiatt and Dave Alvin. It tells stories of real people we know exist. They struggle, like we do, often with a sense of humor. The music is both personal and political, sometimes in the sense that the personal is political and sometimes in the sense that we have political responsibilities we too often abdicate. Not that Candaele is preachy or didactic. He's fun and ironic, while also serious and sincere.Gas Money is a great first album. Can't wait for the next one.