Laid-back folk rocker Brett Dennen's finger-picked, jazz-influenced chord structures could be mistaken for Dave Matthews or early John Mayer tunes. And in fact, Hope for the Hopeless producer John Alagia has recorded both of those artists. First single "Make You Crazy" features Femi Kuti, and Dennen says, "I made the song catchy but it's about all the injustice in the world. 'It's enough to make you go crazy ... and I'm amazed I haven?t yet.' " Dennen adds that his follow-up to 2006's breakthrough disc So Much More is influenced by Joni Mitchell and the Rolling Stones, as well as his time on the road — some of which was spent with Mayer on his 2008 summer tour.

"Make You Crazy" (Feat. Fela Kuti)

Listen to "Make You Crazy" (Feat. Fela Kuti) in full:

Check out all of the albums in the 2008 Fall Music Preview