‘Glee’ star gets his first full-length disc and it’s more of the same 

The young chap known to millions of Americans as Mr. Schuester is stepping out of his television character to fulfill his aspirations as a pop singer. On his self-titled album, he proves he’s the man with the sweet innocent chords. He’s surrounded by a pool of decent pop-friendly songs, even if some of them carry the familiar safe attributes of a blossoming Disney superstar in the making. “Summer Rain” is radio accessible, using some of the ukulele powers of Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister” and finds a gleeful Morrison opening his album with satisfying results. The OneRepublic-tinseled “Still Got Tonight,” co-written by American Idol champ Kris Allen, allows him to out the breathy Nick Lachey effects on the opening and closings of his phrases, giving him heartthrob appeal.  Morrison also sings along with Sir Elton John on a very intimate pop-glossed pairing of “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” and “Rocket Man.” Where the album oftentimes curtails into sudden strangeness is when Morrison surrounds himself around odd genres and sounds. Guess it’s a trademark for Glee cast members to show off their theater pride, but Morrison’s aspirations to cover the bulk of America’s songbook – from soul-stirring gospel (“Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot”) to big Broadway entries (“Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” featuring a duet with Gweneth Paltrow) to synthpop (“Don’t Stop Dancing”) – exposes some of his weakness of not delivering the goods when needed, or simply hurting his chances of being taking serious as a legitimate pop singer. It’s a safe introduction of Matthew Morrison and what he is able to do – almost appearing as a well-rounded portfolio for a big Hollywood audition. But it still feels like an off-season project from the masterminds of Glee’s Matt Murphy.

J MATTHEW COBB

HIFI DETAILS

• Release Date: 10 May 2011
• Label: Mercury
• Producers: Rob Mathes, Matt Squire, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton,  Marc Shaiman, Kristian Lundin
• Spin This: “Summer Rain,” “Still Got Tonight,” “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters/Rocket Man”