For his second solo album, Innocent Things, Charlie Dentel invited several members of the Motor City Horns into the studio with him and came out with a jazzy album that’s livelier than his previous effort, Walls of Stone, yet still retains much of the singer/songwriter folkiness that seems at the core of the Midwesterner’s sound. Besides this folky essence, the pianist has also retained his producer and longtime collaborator, Brian Delaney, who with Gene Fiero (of Single Sound Recording) gives Innocent Things a spare yet glistening production that placesDentel‘s sweet and often soulfully inflected voice at the fore. The foundation of piano and horns elevate the singing and Dentel‘s self-penned lyrics (sans the Ray Charles cover, “What Would I Do?”), especially on the absolutely beautiful title track as well as the joyous and uplifting “Praise the Day.” These two highlights are joined by six others songs on Innocent Things, and all share a similar tone and style, which results in a solid 30-minute album that leaves you hungry for a bit more, as all rewarding listens should. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi