His name is Ben Kweller but you can call him BK. The Texan-raised, Brooklyn-based singer seems to have fulfilled the “Ben” singer-songwriter complex as found in Ben Folds and Ben Lee, which, coincidentally or in conspiracy, have recorded together under the name The Bens. BK’s voice has a quality similar to Ben Folds. It’s not a good voice, and sometimes strained and not quite on pitch, but it works for the type of music they play. The similarities don’t end there—both play piano. As for Ben Lee, both his and BK’s songs are constructed in a similar fashion, back to guitar and melody-centric pop rock.

BK stays true on his new sophomore disc On My Way (ATO Records) to the BK we liked so much on his first disc Sha Sha (ATO, 2002). His lyrics are straightforward, and not always the most poetic or intelligent, but his earnestness is evident. On “Believer,” a guitar-led ballad, he sings, “With your strength, I am stronger, at least I know I am real.” Oh, yeah, BK’s a newlywed. So on tracks like “Down,” a fine beat-driven song, he sings, “When I’m in your arms, nothing can bring me down.” “Living Life” is a beautiful ballad that makes use of BK’s piano skills, as is the last slow tune, “Different But the Same.”

The album opens up with call-and-answer guitars on the superb track, “I Need You Back,” an insanely catchy song that always sounds distinctly edgy, what we expect of Ben. His voice has matured, even though it still has that shaky tone and charming falsetto to it. The second track, “Hospital Bed,” also stands out as one of the best on the album. It is a playful song with a cabaret-like feel, due to the use of the heavy drum beats and piano. The strongest track is the surprising title track. It is perhaps BK at his simplest, just his voice and a guitar throughout the song, but the melancholy tone and the story that progresses during the song give it a haunting quality that makes it that much more special.

Ben Kweller’s new album On My Way is due in stores on Apr. 6, and more importantly, you can catch BK, Death Cab for Cutie and +/- at First Avenue for an all-ages show, Thursday, March 25, doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and at the door.