Daniel Kirkley’s richly resonant, classically-trained voice is at the center of his 2007 debut Let Love Win. At times, he comes across like a Christian music answer to pop megastar Josh Groban — not altogether surprising, considering Let Love Win’s co-producer Mark Hammond handled similar duties on Groban’s Closer. But it’s likewise relevant to compare Kirkley to Michael W. Smith at the start of his career, when Smitty’s youthful charisma and gentlemanly style helped him to score hit after hit. Kirkley displays the potential for staying power on his first effort, embracing a strong batch of material (contributed by Cindy Morgan, Nicole Nordeman, Chris Eaton and other notables) with confidence. “My New Dawn,” “Lay It Down,” and “For the Life of Me” are soaring examples of piano-driven theater-pop, landing just on the safe side of excess. “Heavenly” finds Kirkley gliding on a sleek rhythm track; “All Things” lets him deliver a hymn-like folk piece with gentle restraint. “Make It Beautiful” and the title tune expand the album beyond personal declarations of faith to themes of social justice and family healing. Let Love Win introduces an artist distinguished by his poise, class and spiritual passion.