Peter Cincotti - Metropolis (2012)

Onetime jazz piano wunderkind Peter Cincotti's 2012 effort Metropolis is his fifth studio album and second fully non-jazz release. In that sense, Metropolis picks up nicely where his equally pop/rock-oriented 2007 album East of Angel Town left off. Falling somewhere between the yearning alt-rock vibe of Coldplay and the soulful dance-rock of Maroon 5, this is melodic adult alternative pop with a focus on Cincotti's bright and passionate vocal style. Built around a loose conceptual theme of life and love in the city, Metropolis features such cuts as the cinematic, swooning title track opener, the Rupert Holmes-esque "Do or Die" with its story of elevator office romance, and the sensual and poignant anthem to lost love "Madeline." Elsewhere, Cincotti delves into the driving club-ready dance track "My Religion," the uplifting ballad "Take a Good Look," and the midtempo foot-tapper "Fit You Better." Slick and well-produced with a mix of electric guitars, synths, and beats, as well as plenty of organic-sounding instruments including Cincotti's own piano, Metropolis is a towering pop success.~© Matt Collar /TiVo