Brett Dennen is an intriguing artist. His songs feature long-lined melodies that unfold in a Bob Dylan-like rush of words and clever rhymes, often laid over subtle African pop rhythms that make him sound a bit like an even more mellowed-out Dave Matthews. He tackles big subjects like love and death and pain, but somehow manages to sound sunny and hopeful the whole way through. And then there’s his voice, which is high-pitched and softly frail, making him sound like a cross between Neil Young and Tracy Chapman; its fragility also suggests a slightly less melancholy Nick Drake. Loverboy is his fourth studio album and it doesn’t differ much from his previous efforts, although it’s perhaps sunnier in tone, more upbeat, and a little looser in feel. It’s even funky in spots, albeit delicately funky, because no matter how joyous and rhythmic Dennen gets on these tracks, there’s always the feeling that it’s a glass house he’s rocking in, which isn’t a bad thing, but one can’t help but wonder how he’d sound if he left-turned into Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night territory; he probably won’t make that turn anytime soon, if at all. There are some undeniably good songs here, like the jaunty “Dancing at a Funeral,” which sounds like a joyous celebration of life even as it explores the end of same, the goofy but endearing “Comeback Kid (That’s My Dog),” and the set closer, “Walk Away, Watch Me Burn,” which chimes along loosely with Dennen singing “I was thinking about my place in the universe” like the philosophical ghost of Jimmy Scott fronting a mellow jam band. Dennen doesn’t sound as deliberate, careful, and fussy on this outing, and that bodes well for his future work. He’s a singular talent but one gets the feeling that he hasn’t quite yet gotten to where he’s going to be as an artist. Loverboy is a step closer. – Steve Leggett