Slow and sensual, Harry Connick Jr.'s ode to love is a shock to those accustomed to the pop stylings of his best-known work. In spirit,To See You represents a return to Connick's prestardom self, reflecting the imaginative musicality of that edgier sensibility. Yet Connick shows off a matured ability for composition and arrangement, creating poignant tapestries for his love-struck protagonists. On "Heart Beyond Repair," Connick confidently backs off midway through a torch-song vocal, giving saxophonist Charles Goold room to blow seductively through to a quiet swing groove. Connick lets the song fade in and out, finding a mysterious rhythm in the quiet patches, only to bring back that croon for a final coda. Elsewhere, the inventive use of the orchestra colors "Love Me Some You" with abrupt tonal and dynamic shifts, enhancing the song's jazzy, sometimes dissonant core. In exploring the oldest subject matter known to humanity, Connick has a trustworthy muse with which to experiment. Fortunately, his exploration of the heart yields riches of tuneful discovery.--Matthew Cooke

When My Heart Explodes
"To See You" is one of those discs that is so good that time does not make it fade from view. Connick as a composer and song stylist is actually quite experimental, remarkable given that he seems to be working within a fairly narrow genre of slow romantic jazz. On "Once," Charles Goold's languid tenor sax blows through the track like a gentle breeze. "Heart Beyond Repair" traces similar musical terrain. Connick gives the band tremendous latitude on which he layers his aching vocals, "All the edges worn&frayed, magnifying love betrayed." Reginald Veal's bass sounds like it's inspired by Jaco Pastorius with delightful horns and strings giving "Love Me Some You" a slow swinging sound. "In Love Again" likewise has some tremendously inventive arrangements, "I'll get off the road when my heart explodes." "To See You" is an inventive set that continues to wear well. Enjoy!

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