On his third solo album, singer/songwriter/stand-up bassist Tom Freund [ tickets ]--whose resume includes a stint in The Silos, a now-out-of-print album with Ben Harper and a place in Graham Parker's touring band--again proves that he's more than able to claim the spotlight for himself.

Though introspective, mid-tempo ballads dominate the set's 11 tracks, "Copper Moon" never borders on monotony. In fact, Freund seems to thrive most when he slows things down. On "C'est La Vie," he conveys the feel of a band that's been together for years--despite the fact that he plays many of the instruments himself--and he has the confidence to know that the piano-driven "New Moon of the 7th Sun" is strong enough to hold up fine with only minor orchestration.

Other highlights include the Tom Waits-inspired "Leavin' Town," which features cool vibe work from X drummer DJ Bonebrake, and the finger-popping "Comfortable in Your Arms."