Music

By PAULINE MILLARD
Associated Press Writer

With all the guy-with-guitar acts out there, Teddy Geiger may seem to have his work cut out for him if he wants to stand out. A young man with floppy hair and a guitar could lead listeners to some preconceived notions.

Except that Teddy is not simply a guy with a guitar. He also plays the piano, writes all his own songs and — at just 17 — is a seasoned musician. On his first album, "Underage Thinking," he backs up the hype surrounding him as he successfully hops from rock to pop to swooping ballads while mixing keys and styles like an old hand.

Listening to his album, it is easy to forget that these songs were written by someone who isn't even of age. Teddy has an unforced maturity in his songwriting and a mastery of his instruments that some musicians 10 years older don't have.

Teddy's greatest gift may be his ability to write beautiful melodies full of subtle nuances that show off his prowess as composer. "Seven Days Without You" is a clear example — it's a love song in the truest sense, but he manages to steer clear of any sappy, angsty lyrics. Instead, he writes about longing for someone to come back, and how seven days feels like an utter eternity.

Most of Teddy's songs are upbeat and poppy, but not slick and over produced. "Try Too Hard" is happy little ditty, just Teddy and an acoustic guitar. "A Million Years" is an uptempo song about trying to get a girl to stay with him, regardless of what others may say.

The title track, "Thinking Underage" has a spooky feel, thanks in part to the minor key Teddy wrote it in. As he sings, "I'm not thinking underage anymore, just cut this string and let me fly," it doesn't seem like just a song title. For Teddy, it's a declaration.


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