Pop/Rock - "I feel like right about now I'm starting to hit my stride, which is cool," says LA singer/songwriter Josh Radin about his new sophomore album "Simple Times." "With this record I feel like I can come out and say, 'OK, I'm a fully formed artist now.'"

Following his 2006 debut "We Were Here" (**** from Rolling Stone), Radin's new project doesn't stray far from his intimate, confessional and low-keyed live shows. But with assistance from producer Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck), Radin's acoustic strumming is buttressed with an array of instruments to fill out the album's starkly-rendered compositions.

"I still wanted to keep an intimate sound, but I also knew I had to grow as an artist," Radin says. "So I opened myself up to Rob's production, and he had a lot of great ideas. We both had a really clear vision of what we wanted." For "Simple Times" Radin also enlisted noted songwriter Patty Griffin for some vocals on "You've Got Some Growing Up to Do."

Often mentioned with (and touring along side) the growing bevy of Hotel Cafe-styled nu-folk female performers such as Ingrid Michaelson and Meiko (who sings on the new track "Sky"), Radin and his hushed, early Paul Simon-styled songs have connected with a growing legion of fans. Constant touring and some key TV and film placements have brought Radin additional exposure.

"It's a personal account of my life through music,' says the Cleveland-born Radin of his latest effort. "They're all true and honest songs." New tracks such as "I'd Rather Be With You" and "No Envy No Fear" have a simple, timeless elegance that transcends trends and genres with ease. And at the core is Radin's ethereal vocal presence, a soothing elixir that goes down smooth, cool and refreshingly unaffected.

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