Upon hearing Paolo Nutini's second Atlantic outing, "Sunny Side Up," one would likely never guess the 22-year-old singer/songwriter is of Italian descent and Scottish roots. Nutini's gravely voice recalls more closely that of such singers as Otis Redding, and the soulful sounds of the American South pulse through his music. "Coming Up Easy" and "No Other Way" best exemplify this, while the easygoing "Simple Things" and the poppy, slide-guitar-backed "Candy" highlight Nutini's folky side. At times, there's a lack of consistency with too many ideas thrown onto the table (see the bouncy ska of "Ten Out of Ten" and the jazzy ragtime number "Pencil Full of Lead"), but it's that diversity heard throughout Nutini's sophomore effort that gives this AC singer/songwriter a leg up. —Jill Menze