Discovered by No Doubt guitarist Tom Dumont and championed by famously laid-back neo-folkie Jack Johnson, young Huntington Beach, California-based singer/songwriter Matt Costa offers up a surprisingly eclectic, mature, and elegant debut with 2006's SONGS WE SING. Like his considerably more melancholy precursor Elliott Smith, Costa mixes delicate acoustic melodies (the lush, Nick Drake-like "Astair") with occasional rocked-out moments (the lurching "Sweet Thursday"), and roots much of his material in the territory in-between, most notably the chiming single "Cold December" and the slowly building "Ballad of Miss Kate," which calls attention to Costa's deft six-string work. Revealing a sophisticated sense of songcraft that sets him apart from many of his youthful peers, Costa proves that he's an artist to watch on this assured first outing. (Note: SONGS WE SING was previously issued in 2005 with a slightly different track listing.)