The name Glen Phillips may not ring any bells in your head right away, but about two minutes into his new release, Abulum, you'll recognize the distinctive voice of the former lead singer for seminal alt-rock band Toad The Wet Sprocket. As "Careless," the record's opener, comes through the speakers, it's easy to once again get lost in the reflective, evocative lyrics of one of alternative rocks more influential songwriters.

Toad was one of those bands that was able to produce a string of quality hits and garner a dedicated and passionate following without catering to television and radio or by compromising their style. At the core of that style sat Glen Phillips, and while Abulum won't be thought of as some continuation of Toad, Phillips has, if anything, admittedly emerged as a stronger songwriter. "You can't be lazy in your writing," Glen told us, "And expect the holes to get filled."

On Abulum, there aren't any glaring holes. Phillips shows no fear in dealing with personal, tragic issues and the realities of life. From the tragedy of his own father's death ("Darkest Hour") to post-apocalyptic life ("Fred Meyers"), Phillips seems to find the frailties that exist inside us all and leaves them open for discussion. He doesn't necessarily seem to have all the answers or pretend that he can explain it all away - it's much more an offering of perspective.

For those of us that have missed Glen's presence on the musical landscape, Abulum is an opportunity to see him as a much more complete singer/songwriter while also showing the promise of things to come.