Bruce Springsteen's ears must be burning. First, The Killers tried (and failed) to turn Born to Run into Sam's Town. Now, the last guy you'd expect to harbour a Bruce jones -- eternally tuqued U.K. popster Damon Gough, aka Badly Drawn Boy -- pays homage to the Boss on his fifth disc Born in the U.K.

From its cribbed title to its liner-note shout-out, from its elegant pianos to its final lyric -- "If we still don't have a plan, we'll listen to Thunder Road" -- it's clear where the mellow Gough is taking his inspiration. Most of it, anyway -- you can also hear plenty of Robyn Hitchcock in his quirky tunes, some Harry Nilsson in his melancholy melodies, and more than a little Phil Spector in his grand arrangements.

Filtered through his unique perspective, these influences gently blend into a set of lovingly crafted (if slightly underwhelming) pop-rock with soul-searching lyrics about home, individuality, love and patriotism.

"Do you think it matters where you were born?" he asks. Not when it comes to penning endearing indie-pop.

Track Listing:

1. Swimming Pool
2. Born in the U.K.
3. Degrees of Separation
4. Welcome to the Overground
5. Journey from A to B
6. Nothing's Gonna Change Your Mind
7. Promises
8. Way Things Used to Be
9. Without a Kiss
10. Long Way Round (Swimming Pool)
11. Walk You Home Tonight
12. Time of Times
13. One Last Dance