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.

Matt Costa's sophomore effort, Unfamiliar Faces, finds the singer/songwriter delving into similar territory to his 2006 debut, Songs We Sing, crafting hummable, somewhat intricate AM pop-influenced tracks. As with other similarly inclined artists like Josh Rouse, Costa trades in a kind of grab bag, post-alternative rock singer/songwriter style that references '80s British icons like Morrissey and the Cure as much as it does classic singer/songwriter and sunshine pop touchstones like Todd Rundgren, Brian Wilson, Jackson Browne, and others. A pleasant presence on record, Costa's vocal style does bring to mind a mix of the Shins' James Mercer and the Decemberists' Colin Meloy, and admittedly his odd penchant for affecting a British accent is a bit annoying -- he's from California for gosh sake. That said, tracks like "Mr. Pitiful" and "Cigarette Eyes" are immediately catchy and radio-ready singles that display Costa's obvious knack for Brit-pop-inspired songcraft. Similarly, such atmospheric and melancholy affairs as the very Smiths-sequel "Vienna" and countryish "Never Looking Back" are affecting and moving ballads perfect for the afterglow set. ~ Matt Collar