(00.02:59) www.2minutes59.com

 From a founding member of the Dictators and the Del-Lords, you'd expect a pretty kick-ass record but that's not what you get on Kempner's second solo album. After recovering from romantic problems and health problems, he crafts music that's more mature, thoughtful and low-key than any of his previous work with some help from his friends in the Del-Lords and Smithereens and, ahem, a gentleman named Dion. Once you get over the short supply of  “flat-out rock” (as he calls it), Saving Grace reveals itself to be a nice survey of roots music, featuring a plaintive, moving ballad ("Love Out of Time"), ZZ Top boogie ("Stolen Kisses"), dirty blues ("Passion Red"), Buddy Holly rockabilly ("Here Comes My Love"), a sentimental slow dance song ("Shadows of Love") and even a few genuine rockers ("The Secret Everybody Knows"). While it's not earth-shaking, Kempner comes across as a world-weary rocker (think Jesse Malin) that's impossible not to like.

Standout Tracks: "Love Out of Time," "Stolen Kisses" JASON GROSS