Warner Brothers executives must have smiled broadly when they signed this Texas-bred singer/guitarist/songwriter. Hit potential oozes from every well-hooked, sophisticated groove on Christopher Cross, which features guest spots by many of the artists it recalls: Mike McDonald, Don Henley, Nicolette Larson, Valerie Carter, among others. I like the album because highlights like “Say You’ll Be Mine” and “Ride the Wind” peddle a brand of harmonious Southern California soft rock that manages to be commercial without being offensive. But I don’t like it a lot, because the lyrics add up to zilch, much of the music is more pleasant than potent, and the band spends more time displaying its affection for Steely Dan than it does doing anything new.