The heyday of the crooner may have passed, but don't tell that to Skip Heller and Athan Maroulis. In the spirit of Sinatra and Bennett, Heller and Maroulis have collaborated to create The Blue Dahlia (Stardust Records). Both Heller and Maroulis began their musical careers in Philadelphia and eventually met up in Los Angeles through their involvement in the record industry. Maroulis gained his experience as the singer and front man in Industrial/Goth bands, such as Executive Slacks and Spahn Ranch, while Heller is known as a solo musician with his own series of recordings, and as producer for the likes of Ray Campi and Big Jay McNeely. Together as The Blue Dahlia, the duo have produced a smooth and relaxing arrangement of eight romantic songs that give Maroulis the chance to debut his new crooner singing style with Heller's Nelson Riddle-esque big band orchestrations. The Blue Dahlia opens with the romantic "Stardust" and then moves right into "Love Is Here to Stay," which recalls a young Sinatra in his early Tommy Dorsey Big Band days. Other tracks include the classic "Brazil" and works by Cole Porter, such as "Night & Day," "In the Still of The Night" and Billy Erkstine's slow love song "I Want to Talk About You." You won't find yourself cutting a rug to The Blue Dahlia, but you may find yourself stealing a kiss while in your sweetheart's arms.