North Hollywood Skyline

While the title refers to the old Dylan album Nashville Skyline, Brady Harris' music is more Liverpool-meets-Laurel Canyon and Liverpool (for its Beatlesque touches, from Harris' Lennon-ish vocals to the George Martin-evoking string arrangements). And Laurel Canyon for the disc's relaxed Southern Californian country-rock elements. A Texas native, Harris now lives down the hill from Laurel Canyon in North Hollywood. The opening tune, "Get the Losers Out," gets the disc off with a sparkling start. Harris wraps up his jab at losers — be they politicians or just people who "come around and bring their doubts" — in a warm, melodic setting. Throughout the record, he impressively walks the line between pop and twang. "Bottom of the Bottle" suggests the Stones' "Dead Flowers" with a little less malice and none of Jagger's exaggerated Southern drawl. His use of strings and pedal steel (as in songs like "Sweethearts of the Rodeo" and "Westward Heaven") injects a dreamy quality to his music. This mood is enhanced by his tendency to layer his vocals. The lovely title track, with a gentle fingerpicked guitar exudes a lush folk feel that conjures up memories of the young Simon & Garfunkel. The disc, overall, has a more laid-back sound than his previous outing Lone Star. Harris, however, wisely shakes up the pace midway through with the sarcastic ditty "We're Alt.Country (& Yer Not)." This terrific jibe at the alternative country scene ranks up with Robbie Fulks' wickedly pointed "Roots Rock Weirdoes." North Hollywood Skyline, in fact, could benefit from a few more shots of energy. The album tends to drift off a bit, under the swell of strings and dreamy vocals. Still, his languorous leanings don't totally undercut the reality that Harris has crafted a highly pleasurable listening experience.