(self-released)

www.mikemangione.com

Like a less-raspy Ray LaMontagne, or perhaps a huskier Jason Isbell, Milwaukee (by way of Chicago) singer-songwriter Mike Mangione's got that soul thang going on in his voice - at once vulnerable enough to telegraph that he's known heartache, yet with just the right hint of swagger to suggest he's not afraid to take another chance at love. On Tenebrae (Latin for "shadows"), the followup to 2005's There and Back, Mangione surrounds himself with some likeminded players - among them, guitar whiz brother Tom and Samples keyboard virtuoso Karl Dietel - as well as a three-piece string section, and the results light up the night with, well... you know. Soul.

On "Waiting for No One," for example, a waltzing, nocturnal aura is pervasive as the thick tones of Hammond organ and upright bass are pierced by the warm, resonant twang of guitar and weeping violin - very much in an Alejandro Escovedo vein - while Mangione beseeches his paramour come on baby, give me your trust, and let's get out of this place. Meanwhile, a subtle choogle rhythm powers "You Don't Wanna Leave," a tale of loving a little (and maybe losing a lot) before hitting the road; the aforementioned Ray L vibe is distinctively present in the countryish number. Elsewhere, Mangione & Co. serve up tearstained folk, Memphis-styled gospel and bluesy-flavored pop.

The album's finest cut, however, is the six-minute "The Killing Floor" (an original, not the old blues standard). In it a luminous, almost Daniel Lanois-esque arrangement gradually builds in intensity until Mangione, clearly in the throes of passion, slides from an earthy growl into a heavenly falsetto as he repeats the word Hallelujah over and over; it's a little bit Leonard Cohen, a little bit Jeff Buckley, and maybe even a little bit Van Morrison, too. At that precise moment, any doubts you may have entertained over whether or not Mangione is a deeply soulful cat are completely erased.

Standout Tracks: "The Killing Floor," "You Don't Wanna Leave" FRED MILLS