Reviews of new pop, country/roots, jazz and classical releases.

Pop:

JUSTIN GUARINI "Justin Guarini" (RCA, 2 out of 4 stars)

The good part about Justin Guarini: You don't have to actually see the curly locks or bathroom-mirror-honed showbiz grin of the original American Idol runner-up while listening to his long-time-in-coming solo debut.

The worst part: Guarini never succeeds in imprinting anything remotely resembling a personal statement on any of the disc's 13 tracks, assembled by a multitude of producers including Babyface. The numbers include a respectable cover of "Unchained Melody," plus 12 new songs, none written by Guarini. One of the weakest is the cloying ballad "Timeless," a duet with Kelly Clarkson.

Which is not to say that this is a completely wretched pop product. If Guarini proved anything in "AI's" first season, it's that he was a suave entertainer who compensated for his puny range with a relaxed delivery that proved compelling in those rare moments when he wasn't trying too hard to please.

Sure, there are a handful of embarrassing moments, such as the overwrought "Inner Child" and the super-earnest "Get Here," on which he seems to be singing, "You can reach me by caravan/ cross the desert like an Arab man." But mostly, "Justin Guarini" is merely a slick serving of middle-of-the-road pop and featherweight R&B, easygoing in its empty competence.

_Dan DeLuca