A fine debut acoustic release from erstwhile avant-noise-rocker (and founder of the appropriately named Barftones) Peter Stokes.

The songs are of the personal conflicts, soul-searching and observation generally associated with 90s singer songwriters.

However, Stokes manages to avoid the usual pitfalls of hypersensitivity that afflict most of the perpetrators of this genre (and their audiences) by coming at the themes from a different angle. For example, while "The Greasepit" is a tune centrally located in the over-explored territory of sensitive-guy introspection, he successfully uses his avocation of working on cars both as a metaphor and an explanation of how he came to be who he is. Without resorting to diatribe or cliche, he also comes up with a very understated but effective confrontation of religious intolerance with "Sometimes." The two other standouts on the CD are the gracefully melodic "In The Distance" and "Sense of Reason," which also has a very beautiful melody that is unfortunately overshadowed at times by a squirrelly distorted electric guitar wailing in the background.

Stokes plays acoustic and electric guitar, bass, percussion and oddly tuned banjo, and has some help from Pat Brickel on guitar, and Beth Amsel, Lorna Hunt, Marty Humphreys, Geoffrey Muireann, Kimmer Macarus, and Maggie Simpson on harmony vocals.

"Songs From The Pit" is a strong, laid-back acoustic CD with a twist.

Tracks:
The Doctor and the Mouse, Cowboy Tune, Do the Same, In the Distance, The Greasepit, The Things I See, Sense of Reason, A Key of Sorts, Sometimes, Well Alright.