After establishing himself in Christian music circles some years back, Matt Wertz seems poised to take a leap into the secular mainstream. Under Summer Sun features the best cuts from his last two albums along with newly-recorded tracks, and taken together these tunes present the Missouri-bred singer/songwriter as a footloose young romantic in the mold of John Mayer, Jason Mraz and (especially) Dave Barnes. As a vocalist, Wertz's breathy delivery and softly rhythmic phrasing lend a laid-back appeal to Marianne, Everything's Right, 5:19 and other pop-rock exercises. The tracks benefit from uncluttered production, veering from sparse folk-pop (“Back In June) to inviting light funk (“The Way I Feel) to balmy disco-inflected grooves (“Summer Sun). With the exception of the uplifting Keep Faith and the solemn I Will Not Take My Love Away, the songs generally avoid explicit spiritual language. Wertz's boyishly disarming persona shines best on Waiting, a quietly confessional piece set to a delicately wrought melody line. Under Summer Sun feels undemanding in some places but deserves kudos overall for its breezy musicality and warmhearted vibe. - iTunes
