LP

On his 2006 debut album for RCA, singer-songwriter Landon Pigg offers up a surprisingly mature set of alternative-pop tunes that often sound like Rufus Wainwright backed by Coldplay. It is to his credit that the young Nashville-born performer counts revered 1970s songsmith Harry Nilsson as a key influence, a claim backed by the emotive "Sailed On" and the breezy "Tin Man," both of which showcase Pigg's impressive vocal range. For fans of left-of-center pop and rock, this record is likely to be a pleasant discovery.