Mario Matteoli

Mario Matteoli

Mario Matteoli's in love, and he doesn't care who knows it. The local songwriter's passions are splayed all over his second solo disc, but in a way that's easygoing and rarely gushing. Gone are his Weary Boys alt-bluegrass days, replaced by a sunlit vibe that recalls the disc's title, his California home. With some of Austin's best yet underappreciated sidemen, bassist Jeff Johnston and keyboard master Matt Hubbard, along for the ride, and his paramour, Cayce March, providing occasional vocals, Matteoli provides glimpses of a Dylan & the Band influence, though their roots music rarely sounded this warm and cuddly. With the dainty and lethargic "Bleeding My Heart," the front-porch rambling "My Best Friend," and twangy train beat of "Nothing Like You," he manages to roam through several styles and keep things appealing, all the while assuring the listener that his affections are real.