Elliott Yamin

Even if some of the writing sounds nicked from the urban radio boilerplate, there's much to like about Elliott Yamin's debut, which offers the blue-eyed answer to the strutting balladry of nu-soul wonderboy John Legend. Complemented by vintage electric pianos and glassy production, Yamin's thick tenor wails over tunes like the would-be Songs In the Key of Life B-side "I'm The Man" and the mod-funk opener, "Movin' On." When the production thins, giving his voice a little room to stretch out, as on "A Song for You," Yamin lets loose, providing the record's most soulful moments.