Al Sofia is a crooner with a contemporary approach. With a romantic baritone that could've been supported by '40s-styled orchestration, Sofia instead opts for a modern pop approach, one that is open to Latin and acoustic folk inspirations. This sets him apart from his peers like Michael Bublé and Harry Connick, Jr. Sofia's voice may sound like a blast from the past, but his songs are, for the most part, set in this era.

However, that doesn't mean Sofia refuses to dip into the time machine. "Feelin' Good," the Anthony Newley-Leslie Bricusse composition from the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint - the Smell of the Crowd and Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine" are both covered here. On "Feelin' Good," the focus is, at first, on the soulful power of Sofia's singing until the strings and the saxophones enter the premises. On a record like this, the emotional reach of the vocalist is crucial; if Sofia can't pull off the feelings in the lyrics, or if he is simply copying somebody else, the project crashes and burns. Thankfully, Sofia, with decades of live performance in his lungs, carries the material with palpable longing or joy, whatever is asked of him. 

"Seasons of Love," from the Broadway play Rent, has a slightly funky unplugged kick. Sofia's own "Destiny (Song for Alise)" is actually among the better tracks on the CD; Brien O'Callaghan's evocative acoustic riffs and Sofia's soaring vocals transform it into a moving confession of undying love. "It's Possible," from another Broadway play Seussical, has a Latin backbeat which also propels the danceable "Sway." This is a light, engaging affair, a record that perhaps would be more appropriate during the sweltering summer months than the coldness of winter.

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Track listing: Feelin' Good; Seasons of Love; Destiny (Song for Alise); It's Possible; That's What Friends Are For; You Raise Me Up; Sway; Grown Up Christmas List; A Girl Like You; Begin the Beguine; Destiny (edit).

Personnel: Al Sofia: vocals, percussion, avocado; Michael Benshish: keyboards; Brien O'Callaghan: electric and acoustic guitars, upright bass, percussion, avocado; Nate Lerohl: bass; Marc Rio: drums, percussion, avocado; Helen Blazie: violins; Howard Levy: harmonica; Kevin Tague: trumpet; Douglas Angelaccio: saxophone; Craig Denny: baritone sax; Craig Sunken: trombone; Kim Revere: background vocals.

Style: Vocal