Album review: Daniel Merriweather - Love and War (3/5)

Australian singer Daniel Merriweather's breakthrough album manages to hit a lot of the right notes. Produced by Mark Ronson, who became a superstar producer thanks to his work in reviving '60s sounds and combining them with hip-hop elements, has taken Merriweather under his wing, first featuring him on 2007 single "Stop Me," and now producing this album. His signature sound is a good match for Merriweather, whose debut is, while uneven, mostly winning.

New York is the setting for opening track "For the Money," which begins strong without fanfare, just piano and Merriweather's soulful croon. Laced with strings and drums and backed by a choir of voices, the youthful Merriweather comes across as wise beyond his years in this winning layered piece. My only quibble with this track is the ending, which goes on too long through too many key changes, coming off as needlessly protracted and showy rather than skillful.

The album's other two best moments have already been singles. Two-tapping, piano pop number "Change" was a good re-introduction to Merriweather on his own earlier this year. Even better is "Red," a truly divine pop song that exudes a satisfying blend of restraint and soulful release as it tells its story of a relationship on the rocks. Soft guitar and strings underpin the opening verse, although the strings come forward in the chorus before the drums kick in for verse two. Merriweather harmonizes pleasantly with his backing vocalists. It more than deserves its current position in the UK Top 5--it should be #1. Also good is bluesy "Cigarettes," which sounds like it should be sung in a smoky bar while sitting at a big out-of-tune grand piano.

As he did for Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson has once again worked his magic to pull together the old and the new to make "modern soul." At times his influences are really obvious. "Impossible" owes and obvious debt to late '60s songs and "Could You" is a cookie-cutter imitation of The Mamas and the Papas "California Dreamin'." Elsewhere, the songs are fine, but there's not a lot that distinguishes itself from the pack. "Chainsaw" is very Motown-sounding and "Getting Out" sounds like the mid '70s, but don't offer much other than their mimickry of those periods. Adele shows up on "Water and a Flame," but otherwise it lacks a needed punch.

Love and War doesn't come close to approaching the quality of other Ronson productions, like Amy Winehouse's divine 2006 album Back to Black, but he's a good match for Merriweather, who finds his voice on the few strong highlights here.

Best: Red, Change, For the Money