Grand Romantic

With the triumphant Fun. on hiatus, vocalist Nate Ruess strikes out on his own. Produced by Jeff Bhasker (who helmed Fun.’s Some Nights and Kanye West’s similarly gargantuan My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy), Grand Romantic is just as its title suggests: A bearhug of a pop album that’s by turns tough, tender, and cathartically sincere. Ruess’ solo debut recalls everything from doo-wop slowdances (“Take It Back”) to stomping pop-punk (“AhHa”) to '70s-style power ballads muscular enough to make Queen blush (“Great Big Storm”).