Pop/Rock - Recalling the laid back folk/soul vibe of early Van Morrison and the pensive and personal lyricism of Jackson Browne, Clarence Bucaro has quietly carved out his own special niche of singer/songwriter: a strumming acoustic romanticism tempered with a classic R+B undercurrent of Hammond B3 fills, rhythmic bass lines and gospel inspired harmonies. On his 2008 breakthrough album Til Spring, Bucaro captured his most potent, fully realized collection of songs yet, an eloquent and vibrant mix of jazzy troubador-spun R+B that critics hailed as "inspirational", "beautiful" and "timeless".

New Orleans is, like Bucaro's own personal style, a combination of both old and new. Originally recorded in The Crescent City in 2004 with producer, mentor and collaborator Anders Osborne, these tracks sprang from a particularly fertile time for the young songwriter, a period of new love and a new life in a city filled with history and musical roots. But when it came time to release the album, Bucaro had already moved on, emotionally and geographically (to L.A. and then New York), and the songs sat untouched.

Recently, Bucaro decided to "reopen" the recordings and complete them for release. With his warm, oft-falsetto vocals and a crack studio band behind him, Bucaro takes songs like "Let Me Let Go Of You" and "Light In Your Eyes" and, as he sings, "bares (his) soul cold and naked", telling the confessional tale of a all-consuming love affair. While not as blissfully masterful as Til Spring, New Orleans still shines with a warm knowing glow. Recommended.

Clarence Bucaro - "Let Me Let Go Of You" (from the album New Orleans)

Clarence Bucaro - "Light In Your Eyes" (from the album New Orleans)