Michael Kane & The Morning Afters Hometown: Worcester, MA Album: Broke but Not Broken, out now via State Line Records If you write honest heartland rock and hail from the Northeast, every Tom, Dick, and Harry will name drop “The Boss,” Bruce Springsteen, but Michael Kane & The Morning Afters somehow feels older than that. Echoes of the best of Elton John and Billy Joel ring through their triumphant debut, Broke but not Broken. This is the kind of melodic rock that, like the best of friends and a bottle of Jack Daniels (or a bowl), is both unabashedly authentic yet always ends with a nudge of encouragement. Kane and company thrive in bridging the gap between bubbly pop and blue-collar rock, resulting in introspective songs with a ton of meat on their bones. Vocalist and guitarist ...