By sticking to the recipe that made SONGS WE SING such a solid debut, Matt Costa plays it safe--unusual for a former pro-skateboarder--on his sophomore outing UNFAMILIAR FACES. With instantly familiar hooks and direct, REVOLVER-esque production choices (courtesy of producer Tom Dumont of No Doubt) the album has many of the touchstones of the Jack Johnson school of indie pop. And while Costa's easy-on-the-ears material ( "Lilacs" and "Vienna") doesn't revolutionize the form, the album punches through on the strength of his alluring vocals, which resonate like a sun-kissed, California answer to Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch.