MARC COHN”The Rainy Season” Atlantic* * 1/2It’s...

MARC COHN

“The Rainy Season”

Atlantic

* * 1/2

It’s the season for lushly melodic, gently stated ruefulness: Witness Eric Clapton’s success with “Tears in Heaven” and the unplugged “Layla.” Cohn, winner of the Grammy for best new artist of 1991, taps a similar vein on his second album. There is nothing here to really complain about. Cohn’s songwriting is intelligent and sensitive, his craftsmanship strong, his supporting cast (including Bonnie Raitt and the Crosby-Nash harmony team) accomplished.

Having been subjected to Michael Bolton, we should be thankful for a soul-influenced pop singer of taste and nuance, not to mention an ability to skirt cliche and offer closely drawn lyrical sketches. But Cohn’s approach ultimately is too moderate and clean to hit home.

For all Cohn’s virtues, his artistry is undermined by his tendency to sand off every rough musical or emotional edge. At this point, he is a paler version of a singer he often echoes--John Hiatt, a hotter-blooded talent who evokes the unruly mess of feelings that Cohn tempers and neatly arranges for easier consumption.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent).