With most putative pop stars in their mid-teens, it is a brave record company that seeks to launch the career of a man approaching middle age. But in his 34 years, the singer-songwriter Daniel Powter has had time to accumulate experiences worth writing about, and his sophisticated and frequently excellent debut refreshes with its lack of impetuosity.

Powter’s vocals veer from a Liam Gallagher-style yowl with a few edges knocked off (the anthemic and distinctly Beatlesy Free Loop) to a growling male Macy Gray (Suspect, as near as this album gets to a snarl). Meanwhile, the meticulous, polished production from the Crowded House collaborator Mitchell Froom, ensures that the album occupies the same soul-infected adult rock territory that Maroon 5 and John Mayer have made their own. Bad Day entered the UK chart at Number Two after topping charts across Europe following its use in a Coke commercial. He may thank the soft drinks giant, but the association that is hardly apt; this is far more satisfying than any brand of sugary, over-marketed pop could ever be.

ANGUS BATEY

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