Southam's debut album is impressive

"DARIN SOUTHAM," Darin Southam (Tanglewood Records) **

Like Andrea Bocelli? If so, you ought to give local artist Darin Southam a try. A newcomer on the scene, tenor Southam has just released his first CD, the self-titled "Darin Southam."

It's actually the first track, "Figlio Mio," that is so reminiscent of Bocelli in crossover pop/classical sound and style. That, and perhaps, the duets with soprano Holly Jo Samuelson on Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Pie Jesu" and "Come What May" (from "Moulin Rouge").

The rest of the tracks settle pretty comfortably around an easy-listening, smooth pop style — like an arrangement of Dan Fogelberg's "Longer" and "The Water Is Wide," for example.

"Darin Southam" really has some good things going for it: Southam has a beautiful, clear voice that is pleasant to listen to. Also, the album is produced locally (by Tanglewood Records), but the production quality is definitely high enough to compete with the big dogs.

Southam has also contributed three original songs to the album, all of which blend well, in terms of quality, with the rest. Taken individually, the tracks are really good.

Taken together, however, there's not much variety.

All of the arrangements prominently feature thick, lush strings that over-sweeten. Instead of appreciating each track's beauty, toward the end of the album, it all starts sounding the same, and it's pretty sappy.

Even familiar tunes — "What a Wonderful World," for example — end up with the same treatment. Even the hint of big-band swing isn't enough to break it out of the mold. This album could have been very strong with more variety.

There is a silver lining to this, though. If you want to get into an ultramellow, relaxed mode and stay there, this is the album to put on.

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E-mail: rcline@desnews.com