Poor Ryan Cabrera. You don’t remember him, but just a few short years ago, he was the impossibly coiffed half of a teen-pop power couple, introduced to viewers of “The Ashlee Simpson Show” as Simpson’s boyfriend and fellow budding recording artist. Though a debut album produced by John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls sold well, Cabrera arrived too late to take advantage of the genre’s late ‘90s explosion, and for his third release, he’s gone the indie route: The Moon Under Water arrives via Papa Joe Records, the EMI-distributed imprint helmed by Ashlee’s creepy dad, who has remained Cabrera’s manager. Despite the new logo on the album – and Cabrera’s new, carefully tousled image – these 11 songs offer more of the same immaculately produced, puddle-deep Abercrombie rock that took him to the Top 10 a few years ago. Imagine poppier Lifehouse, or marginally more rockin’ late-period Goo Goo Dolls, and you’re on the right track – which is unfortunate for Cabrera, because as easy as this stuff goes down, the ship has pretty much sailed on this type of music for anyone who doesn’t have either of those acts’ name value. The Moon Under Water is surprisingly solid, and has more than its share of sticky-sweet hooks, but that won’t keep Cabrera from playing ribfests this summer. Maybe another reality show is in order. (Papa Joe 2008)
