Christopher Cross churn out music that knows its place: Top Forty radio. This San Antonio-born group, named after its lead singer-guitarist-songwriter, combines the Marshall Tucker Band's sophisticated country rock, Danny O'Keefe's soulful folk stylings and the kind of glossy, Los Angeles cha-cha sound that producer Ted Templeman helps Nicolette Larson and the Doobie Brothers make. Such a familiar yet unusual blend seems as striking and pleasurable as that of early Chicago (the group, not the city) in the days before commercial was a dirty word.

Several songs on Christopher Cross – especially "Say You'll Be Mine" and "I Really Don't Know Anymore" – exude the cheerful romanticism of an all-American Fleetwood Mac, and though a few go on too long in order to show off the band's not particularly spectacular musicianship (these guys would love to be Steely Dan), most of the tunes here are as hummable, singable and pleasantly insubstantial as anything you'd care to hear on the car radio.

Michael Omartian's production is glistening but unsterile, while guest stars Michael McDonald, Nicolette Larson and Valerie Carter turn in sterling supporting vocals. (Carter's solo singing in "Spinning" is her best work ever. Could she be studying with Rickie Lee Jones?)

Public Image Ltd. fetishists might consider Christopher Cross the ultimate in California decadence. But me, I like to hear music that's fun, fun, fun every now and then. (RS 320)

DON SHEWEY