Nashville - Charlie Oxford is out to break the mold.

His debut self-titled album, released on March 11 on Rock Ridge Music, has stunning mixtures of rock, pop, jazz and a dash of classical that surprisingly work beautifully together. Everything about Oxford seems delightfully mysterious, from his inability to fit directly into one genre down to his album cover, which shows him floating roughly a foot off the ground in front of a sunlit lake. His back is to the camera; his whole body still and strong like a pillar with his head facing directly towards the other end of the body of water towards the mountains. It’s a stunningly serene picture and yet gives you no indication of what sort of music he might play.

His first song, “Waiting For” opens with a light, pretty, dancing set of chords played on the piano before launching into a bluesy pop song. His voice is smooth with slight grit to it that draws you in and holds you. His second song, though, “Drive Me Crazy” is even more captivating. Bluesy guitar greets your ears, welcomes you in and offers you a drink while you listen to Oxford’s easygoing lyrics.

Charlie Oxford seems to understand the concept that you do not necessarily have to be loud to capture the attention of a listener. His lyrics are easily heard, understood and enjoyed and yet there’s a complex backing of musical progression that creates intriguing layers.

Don’t get too used to the blues work, though. Charlie Oxford definitely has some rock up his sleeves. “Disappear” demonstrates his rock influence by doing away with the blues in order to employ the rough sound of a biting guitar. Ready for an even bigger twist? The very next song after this rock anthem is simply titled “Intermission” in which a strings section plays a stunning classical piece. Towards the end of the album, he reverts back to his rock and blues roots until the very last song titled “Another Thing Coming” in which Charlie Oxford goes all pop-rock.

Surprisingly, all of these genre changes and merges throughout the album work well together and yet they also show signs of an artist still trying to surely define who he is musically. There’s nothing wrong with this – there are many debut albums out there where the band or artist is a complete mess because of their uncertainty. Charlie Oxford is anything but a mess – he sounds meticulous, careful and sure about his selections. He fits into many genres by his own choice and talent, but he is still simply trying to figure out where he fits into the music world.

 Charlie Oxford is currently on tour promoting his debut album.