Geoff Koch

As you can probably tell from the title of his third CD, Geoff Koch is a Christian singer/songwriter. But his music isn’t overtly religious and, at his best, he has some gentle fun with his image. “Maybe I am a Christian boy/But baby not tonight,” he sings on “Christian Boys,” which evokes the humor and pop sensibilities of Matthew Sweet. The problem here is not too much preaching but too many clichéd lyrics: “So give me your hand/So soft to the touch/I miss you so much,” he sings on “Chasing After You.” Still, Koch shows that he’s a promising talent on tracks like the opener, “Oh, Tonight,” which displays a spontaneous feel and a giddy urgency. He’s got a great ear for melody and he’s not an ideologue; he just needs to start bringing his experiences to life through more original and cleverly articulated turns of phrase. 3 stars