Much to the relief of his loyal fans, there will be no more watching or waiting for Todd Carey's new album — and the disc proves to be a worthwhile listen. The talented Chicago native has been quite busy. Watching Waiting is Todd's third album in four years. As a young and aspiring artist, Todd left the Midwest for Los Angeles and eventually went to study music at the University of Southern California. Until recently, he remained on the sunny coast to build his music career. Los Angeles was a good starting ground for Todd. He earned some credibility on the music scene as the front man of an improvisational band called Telepathy — a well-known group on the Southern California club scene known for its awesome live performances. Despite his success with Telepathy, Todd grew restless and missed the live shows and loyal fans who really cared about his music and supported him. His good old Midwestern values that the Los Angeles crowds were lacking contributed to his decision to return to the Windy City. His dream of making it as a musician traveled with him, and this life change became his inspiration and the catalyst for the creation of his newest album. Todd is living proof that a musician can make it anywhere, not just the coasts. However, his success didn't all happen overnight. It has been a long process. Watching Waiting took a good two years to complete and was not created through the standard writing and recording process. Todd utilized Chicago's many clubs as venues to test out his songs on crowds. The performance aspect of his music is important to him, and the essential elements on his album reflect this devotion to the audience. Listeners will notice intricate, reflective qualities throughout Todd's songs. In Watching Waiting, Todd put his desires for his life, his future and his emotions surrounding the changes in his life into moving pieces of prose. Many songs feature the artist singing as if he were having a direct conversation. There is constant purpose to his speech, and he draws the listener into his every word. Carey's voice is smooth and at times portrays some similarities to the voice of John Mayer. However, his music has much more going on simultaneously, and the expressive quality and tone of his voice, as well as the variety of rhythm and emotions expressed, distance him from Mayer as well. Songs that stand out are the upbeat tunes that make you want to move around, especially "Ain't Got Love" and "Back Off Baby." However, many of his other songs, including the title song "Watching Waiting" are more introspective and visibly reflect his feelings. Also unique about this album is its personal quality. Many of Carey's songs tend to be sung as if he is speaking directly to the audience. With the support of a great accompanying band, Carey's singing and guitar-playing abilities are illuminated. They bring a fresh, new face and sound to pop-rock and Todd brings the same energy that he displayed as the front man of Telepathy out of the recording studio and back onto the stage. These guys should all be proud of the album they have put together — not that their work has ended. With performances booked all over the map, they have some busy months ahead. Todd has already kicked off his 2007 tour in his hometown and will be touring much of the Midwest, as well as the East and West Coast. He has three upcoming shows in Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, Sturgeon Bay, and Madison, so you can check out his live performance firsthand. Grade: 3 out of 5