‘Apollo’: Melodies of a Pop Goddess

If “Apollo” gets the blessing of the adult alternative-radio gods, Kerry Getz will be one of the format’s new heroines. Her long-delayed debut release is a beautifully arranged collaboration between a mature, assured artist with a great sense of melody and an array of excellent local players contributing everything from gleaming pianos to haunting accordions and strings. Getz’s now-dusky, now-airy voice can power a dark rock ballad like “Let Me Out,” dance lightly on the folk-jazz breeze of “Devil and the Deep Blues” or ladle out the Bangles-like pure-pop sweets of “I Could Fall for You.”

Slickness and overstatement are the dangers in polished recordings such as this, but Getz avoids those pitfalls with nuanced phrasing, concise writing and deep emotional commitment. Her songs are mainly unanswered prayers for love, peace of mind, artistic inspiration and spiritual connection, but collectively they should answer the prayers of anybody seeking a classy new singer-songwriter for grown-ups.

(“Apollo” is available from World in Motion Records, P.O. Box 5473, Newport Beach, CA 92662. Information: [714] 642-6517.)

Ratings range from * (poor) to **** (excellent), with three stars denoting a solid recommendation.