Tony Lucca has come a long, long way from the Mickey Mouse Club.  His sixth studio album, Rendezvous with the Angels, will be released on July13 and is full of the soulful acoustic melodies fans have come to expect, but with a richer, more emotionally mature sound and feel. Marriage and fatherhood suit him and his music beautifully.

Album opener “Like Love” is a gentle, bluesy number with well-crafted melodies and lyrics.  There is some interesting percussion and Lucca’s vocals ebb and flow with soulful ease.  “Make You Mine” is an upbeat song with a happy, infectious beat and lyrics catchy enough to make you sing along.  If you’ve ever seen Lucca live, you’ve heard “Stay with Me Tonight,” the bittersweet fan favorite long rumored to allude to Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.  There is lovely guitar work and whistling on “Undertow,” but the song mostly left me cold.  The too-rhythmic vocals belie the sweet lyrics and the song doesn’t quite flow.  I love “Anchored,” with its lovely strings and organ and gorgeous guitar solo.  The lyrics are elegantly simple, painting a vibrant picture.

“Long Love Letter” reminds me a bit of Elvis Costello with its snappy beat and smile-inducing lyrics.  Sarah Bareilles lends her gorgeous voice to “Back to Me,” a sweetly sad and rich ballad.  Lucca covers Billy Joel’s “Vienna,” more than doing it justice.  “Some Other Time” is another gently bittersweet tune with pretty guitar while “Love Light” is a bit too sappy for my taste.  “Always” is sappy, too, but it’s a lovely ode to Lucca’s new daughter, so the schmaltz is more than forgiven.  “Nobody But You” ends the album on an introspective note and with some of the best vocals on the disc.

Rendezvous with the Angels is a pretty record in the best sense of the word.  The songs flow into each other like gentle waves, leaving you relaxed and content.  Lucca’s vocals are excellent and the sweetly earnest lyrics, while occasionally too corny for me, have a nice emotional depth.  The arrangements are simple, with rich melodies and well-chosen instruments.  This is a good album to have on while sitting outside on a warm summer night with the one you love.

Track List:
1. Like Love
2. Make You Mine
3. Stay with Me Tonight
4. Undertow
5. Song to  a Martyr
6. Anchored
7. Long Love Letter
8. Back to Me
9. Vienna
10. Some Other Time
11. Love Light
12. Always
13. Nobody But You