POP MUSIC REVIEW : LIFE ON THE WILDE SIDE STILL MUCH TOO PLAIN AND SIMPLE

You have to admire Danny Wilde’s persistence. He took his first crack at pop success about a decade ago with the Quick, a local band dispensing stuff that gave bubblegum a bad name. A few years later, he led Great Buildings, one of several L.A. outfits whose Knack for zesty power-pop earned them a large local following and a record deal.

Apparently hoping that the third time really is the charm, Wilde recently launched his solo career, releasing an album and playing a series of local shows, including a date Tuesday at the Roxy. Save for a slight adjustment toward a more mainstream sound, Wilde’s songs pretty much remain the same: driving, catchy pop tunes that address the ups and downs of romance. Plain and simple.

Maybe too much so. Originality has never been Wilde’s strong suit, and he still has an unfortunate tendency to confuse simple songs with simplistic ones. So for all the hummable melodies and rich vocal harmonies, his material is fairly empty and monochromatic.

The shaggy-haired singer’s plaintive vocals did add some emotional depth to his songs of romantic longing and relationships on the wane. And Wilde’s backing trio played with spirited precision. Former Buildings member Phil Solem, in particular, provided a much-needed edge, injecting stinging guitar work into lightweight shuffles such as “Body to Body.”

It all made for a pleasant enough summer evening. But it didn’t create the impression that Danny Wilde’s persistence will pay off this time either.