'Soft.Lightes' softly serenades with cliched, uninspired lyrics

The Incredible Moses Leroy is neither incredible nor Moses Leroy. Fronted by San Diego-based Ron Fountenberry, the band's name is a nod to comic book culture and to Fountenberry's civil rights activist grandfather.

With their third album, TIML apparently "become the Soft.Lightes" in a Prince-esque move. The album consists of 12 sleepy, melodic songs laced with Fountenberry's gentle vocals.

On first listen, Soft.Lightes is unimpressive. In a pop world dominated by acts that rely on earth-shaking bass beats and aggressive guitars to command listeners' attentions, Fountenberry is almost too soft-spoken. At a time when cynicism, anger and eroticism are the most popular emotions, his earnestness can come across as cheesy. Lyrics like "We can blow balloons and find four leaf clovers/ Or stay inside and talk about life/ Love is the greatest thing on earth!" certainly don't help.

But giving Soft.Lightes a closer listen has its rewards. The album opens with a beautiful track that layers electronic beats, the piano, deep vocals and the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument with bittersweet strings. Another gem is "The Color of Sky," with Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori on vocals, a delicate and understated track.

"When I came up with the name The Soft.Lightes," explains Fountenberry , "it was kind of a reaction to turning on the television, with the commercials and the programs screaming at you, 'Watch me! Watch me!' Music too-'Listen to me!'-I wanted to do something really quiet, something that was the opposite of what I was perceiving was being thrown at me."

If you tire of reality television and MTV personalities, Soft.Lightes may offer a respite.

Grade: B