The electric guitar has been the weapon of choice for rock and roll artists since the early pickers discovered that their amps really did go to eleven. Since that time, the more tasteful and contientious guitarists have elevated the art of guitar tone - how the guitar sounds - to high art. To some players, how their guitar sounds is as important as the notes they play. By ever so carefully selecting the proper guitar with just the right pickups, matching it to the perfect tube amplifier and running it through a few choice foot pedals the instrument can soar like Gilmour, wheeze like Neil, sing like Knopfler, chime like The Edge or howl like Eddie. Artists diligently cultivate their own sound and eke out a sonic identity to separate them from the countless other axe slingers. Some guitarists and producers specialize in arranging electric guitars and parts so that each has a specific place in the final mix. Enter Stephen Sowan. He's a young singer, songwriter and guitarist who is set to release his debut album, "Looks Like Nothing." Sowan's songs seem torn right from the best pages of the rock and roll instruction book and he imbues them with warm, grinding guitars played with a gentle and confident touch that belie his rookie status. His grasp of the finer points of guitar tone is impressive, his songs are solid and his playing is tasteful - and all this sets him apart from the crowd.