When you listen to Matt Hires, what comes across is the sound of an artist at ease with being completely and utterly himself. On his debut F-Stop/ Atlantic release, "Take Us To The Start," this 23-year-old newcomer fuses the intimacy of the great singer-songwriters with terrific pop-rock hooks and propulsive rhythms. Produced by Eric Rosse (Sara Bareilles), the album showcases Hires's voice, an instrument striking in its warmth, expressiveness, and ability to convey a multitude of emotions within a single song. Growing up in Tampa, Matt first gravitated toward punk and post-hardcore music, then discovered the classics -- Tom Petty, the Band, the Byrds, and the Beatles. He put it all together with some fearsome contemporary songwriting chops, and an Atlantic label exec heard his songs and sent him an e- mail that he at first assumed was a prank. Tonight's opener is 2008 American Idol runner-up Jason Castro.