Nick O’Connor

While Nick O’Connor is only 21 years old, the breadth and scope of his solo debut, Lady in Pink, has the feel of an album made by someone a good decade or two older. Although O’Connor, whose voice at times recalls that of Cat Stevens, has a solid roots and folk foundation, he also draws from a fairly wide pool of musical inspiration. He takes a stab at a rock anthem with “Freeze Out,” dips into the funk on “My Debt Keep Comin’ Back” and “Spiritual Seasonings,” and delivers something of a Gerry Rafferty-meets-Bob Dylan foot-stomping tune with “Where Does the Road End?” While the disc has its share of sunny, up-tempo tracks, it’s on the slower ballads, like the title cut and “You Know I Love You,” where O’Connor really excels.