The first Ben Kweller

When Ben Kweller was 15, he was touted as “the next Kurt Cobain,” with none other than the New Yorker dedicating five pages to his fledgling band Radish. Now, almost eight years later, it’s obvious that they got that wrong: If the harmony-laden songs on Kweller’s second solo album, “On My Way,” are any indication, he’s much closer to a modern-day George Harrison.

“Living Life,” the album’s centerpiece, has all the hallmarks of a Harrison ballad, from a keys-based line that walks into a half-chorus outro to a mid-song guitar solo that’s as lyrical as it is melodic.

“I wanted to make a timeless-sounding album,” says Kweller, from the backstage bathroom at a tour stop in Seattle.

He certainly works with the right palette. While Kweller was recording “On My Way,” his regular listening diet included classics from Neil Young, Bob Dylan and alt-rock icons the Violent Femmes.

Kweller recently played “Kiss Off” with the Femmes at a show in Chicago, an experience he calls “a dream come true,” obviously a huge statement from a 22-year-old musician who’s lived through the hype of being the next-big-thing. “I never let that affect me.” he says. “[Now] I’m just the next Ben Kweller.”

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Ben Kweller, with French Kicks and On the Speakers, Henry Fonda Theatre, 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Friday, 7:30 p.m. $17. (323) 464-0808.