JON MCLAUGHLIN
OK Now
(Island/Def Jam)
**
There’s no doubting the immense songwriting talent and musicianship of Jon McLaughlin. The bar stood at a significant height post-Indiana, McLaughlin’s major label debut. The ensuing thought was that further seasoning and maturity only would enhance the Hoosier native’s distinct piano-pop sound. Instead, what we’ve been given is a middling effort marked by out-of-step ’80s-tinged tracks and decent-enough ballads.
No matter, McLaughlin is still a premiere talent, and a young one at that. He will move on, and so will his fan base.
