BRIT PHENOM IMPRESSIVE, BUT REDUNDANCY HAMPERS SHOW.

Byline: Heather Wood Staff Writer

It's no wonder Craig David is a multiplatinum superstar. The British r&b/dance-pop artist has all the makings of a music icon: suave, sexy vocals (and an even sexier profile); a tight backing band that can lay down the funkiest funk to the softest r&b; and harmonizing choruses that invite singing along.

Within the past year, the Southampton, England, native went from underground DJ to 19-year-old phenom. The singer/songwriter set the London garage music scene on its heels with his fresh mix of r&b, hip-hop and house music, and has garnered millions of fans in the process.

This year David earned four 2001 Brit Award nominations (the U.K. version of the Grammys). And his debut album, ``Born to Do It,'' has sold more than 4 million copies in 21 countries since its summer release. David's album hit U.S. record stores Tuesday and the artist - who already wowed the likes of U2, Sisqo, Elton John and Britney Spears - is in the midst of a U.S. mini-tour, which played to a packed house at the El Rey Theatre on Thursday.

The 20-year-old artist's sound combines a wide range of influences - from garage music (the underbelly of the British dance music scene) to old-school American rhythm and blues. It's no surprise that such a mixture of styles would launch David to the top of the charts abroad, but the artist isn't poised to win over all American audiences just yet.

During Thursday's sold-out concert, David, joined by an eight-piece backing band, opened the hour-and-a-half set with the up-tempo ``Time to Party,'' a clubby mix with a catchy two-step beat that filled the room with electricity.

David charmed the crowd with a laid-back sex appeal that just dripped from his sultry vocals on r&b-tinged hits like ``Fill Me In'' and the bum- shaking ``Booty Man.'' When he took a break to talk to the audience, the girls in the front (apparently melting from his smooth British drawl) screamed like a pack of 'N Sync fans.

Midway through the set, however, things started to get redundant. David seemed to be recycling the first half-hour of the show with two breakdown jams, during which he left the stage, and countless cover songs from Soul II Soul to the Notorious B.I.G.

The former teen DJ has done a masterful job of mixing his global musical influences. And he's lucky to be counted in the group of emerging soul brothers and sisters (i.e. Alicia Keys, Musiq Soulchild and D'Angelo) who have carved out a niche in the largely repetitive r&b market.

Don't get me wrong - David is good. His vocals soar, his stage presence seduces and his music makes the hips shake. His effect, however, is limited. After a few songs, the appeal starts to fade. As with many r&b artists, the ``I love you, I need you, I miss you'' songs get a little old after awhile.

David's strengths lie in his multiple writing and singing styles. He would be best advised to keep things interesting with variation rather than a recycled set that winds down like a looped track. The performance would have benefited from his club-mix ``Rewind,'' a perfect get-your-groove-on song for a packed audience. Instead, we got two versions of ``Fill Me In,'' where one would have been sufficient, and during the Latin-infused ``Last Night,'' the effect was killed with a too-long singing/rap solo at the end.

David has the talent, the songwriting ability (a rarity in the r&b music scene) and the motivation to make it just as big in the States as he did abroad. And odds are he will. But David's act lacks a certain depth to warrant total worship just yet.

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Singer Craig David brought his soul-steeped mix of r&b and hip-hop to the El Rey on Thursday.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer