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Esperanza Spalding, "Chamber Music Society"
August 31, 2010 5:31 PM EDT 0 0 0 Esperanza Spalding is certainly not shy of ambition. The singer, bassist and composer lit up the jazz world with 2008's "Esperanza," and where she could have offered more of the same this time out she's instead raised the proverb ...
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Black Label Society, "Order of the Black"
August 31, 2010 4:28 PM EDT 0 0 0 With the dust having settled around Zakk Wylde's unexpected departure from Ozzy Osbourne 's band, better attention can be paid to "Order of the Black," the new album from Wylde's Black Label Society . The change in work stat ...
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Darker My Love, "Alive As You Are"
August 31, 2010 4:24 PM EDT 0 0 0 Los Angeles-based psychedelic rock band Darker My Love trades distorted haze for a mellow, tighter arrangement that recalls '60s folk-rock on its latest album, "Alive As You Are." Byrds-reminiscent tracks like "Backseat" and ...
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David Gray, "Foundling"
August 31, 2010 4:16 PM EDT 0 0 0 The sense of abandonment hinted in the title of David Gray 's second album in less than a year, "Foundling," could be a reference to the work's minimalist nature. Unlike its 2009 predecessor, "Draw the Line," the new, s ...
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Kem, "Intimacy Album III"
August 31, 2010 4:13 PM EDT 0 0 0 Kem has long been a hopeless romantic. And his latest album, "Intimacy Album III," is a 10-song showcase of just that. Over a smooth-sounding piano and drum production on the song "When I'm Lovin' You," the R&B sing ...
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Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs, "God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise"
August 31, 2010 4:06 PM EDT 0 0 0 Ray LaMontagne has taken a few identity-affirming steps with his fourth studio album, "God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise": he anointed his touring band with a proper name (the Pariah Dogs) and, for the first time, recorded/s ...
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John Mellencamp, "No Better Than This"
August 27, 2010 8:36 PM EDT 0 0 0 It's so easy to get caught up in the mechanics of John Mellencamp 's 25th album, "No Better Than This," that the music itself can get short shrift. That's understandable given the uniqueness of the set. It was made with a si ...
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Brian Wilson, "Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershin"
August 27, 2010 8:29 PM EDT 0 0 0 Brian Wilson says he doesn't really need to cover someone else's material. But if he's going to, it may as well be one of the best. The Beach Boys mastermind's dip into the world of George & Ira Gershwin is a love's labo ...
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Robert Plant, "Band of Joy"
August 27, 2010 8:17 PM EDT 0 0 0 Robert Plant may seem an unlikely Americana artist. But the educated know the original Band of Joy-which he and future Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham played in, as well as Zep-was more than profoundly influenced by what drifted across the pond. Pl ...
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Usher, "Versus"
August 27, 2010 8:07 PM EDT 0 0 0 "Raymond v Raymond" may be the title of Usher 's latest album, but it also mirrors what's happening on the R&B/ hip-hop charts. The singer is competing with himself thanks to four songs-three of which (No. 1 hit "There G ...
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Secondhand Serenade "Hear Me Now"
August 27, 2010 8:03 PM EDT 0 0 0 Secondhand Serenade , helmed by California native John Vesely, delivers another package of tortured-love ballads on the group's third studio album, "Hear Me Now." Driven by piano and a drum machine, the midtempo single "Something ...
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Ryan Star, "11:59"
August 27, 2010 7:59 PM EDT 0 0 0 Long Island native Ryan Star delivers a melodic soft-rock package with his first full-length album, "11:59." The former Stage frontman gained buzz last fall when he released the video for his first solo single, "Breathe," a power ...
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Wavves, "King of the Beach"
August 27, 2010 7:54 PM EDT 0 0 0 Nathan Williams, the man behind noise-pop band Wavves , tightens up his sound on the group's third album, "King of the Beach." Instead of the lo-fi, DIY approach he took on the act's last two releases, Williams recruited a perman ...
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Daniel Cros, "Las Vueltas Que de la Vida"
August 27, 2010 7:50 PM EDT 0 0 0 Sufficiently seduced by Cuban music to study percussion in Havana, Daniel Cros, a veteran of Barcelona's rock scene, came home to form a band that includes Cuban musicians and record his latest album, "Las Vueltas Que da la Vida" (&qu ...
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Katie Melua, "The House"
August 27, 2010 7:37 PM EDT 0 0 0 After three albums that established her as a successful British female artist, no one can blame Katie Melua for staying the course. On her new album, "The House," Melua changes up dramatically, parting amicably with longtime collaborator M ...
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Mike Posner, "31 Minutes to Takeoff"
August 27, 2010 7:28 PM EDT 0 0 0 This recent Duke University grad recently hit the upper reaches of the Billboard Hot 100 with "Cooler Than Me," a slick club jam in which he pokes fun at a lady who keeps her emotions hidden behind her designer shades. Yet throughout " ...
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Lady Gaga, "The Remix"
August 20, 2010 5:12 PM EDT 0 0 0 With Lady Gaga becoming pop music's biggest star and releasing a handful of inescapable singles in the past year, a remix album of her recent work was all but inevitable. Thankfully, Gaga has employed a collection of more-than-capable producers ...
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Juvenile, "Beast Mode"
August 20, 2010 5:05 PM EDT 0 0 0 On his ninth solo album, "Beast Mode," New Orleans native Juvenile raps about what he knows best: thug life. The single "Drop That Azz" has a bright synth melody that coincides with a chorus about voluptuous women-a topic in whic ...
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Danger Mouse & Sparklehourse, "Dark Night of the Soul"
August 20, 2010 4:11 PM EDT 0 0 0 "Dark Night of the Soul," the long-awaited collaboration between producer Danger Mouse ( Gnarls Barkley , Gorillaz , the Black Keys ) and psych-rock act Sparklehorse (aka the late Mark Linkous), features an impressive list of contributors, ...
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Bombay Bicycle Club, "I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose"
August 20, 2010 4:03 PM EDT 0 0 0 London rock act Bombay Bicycle Club hasn't been playing together long, but the foursome boasts an impressive sound on debut album "I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose" (released last July in the United Kingdom). Despite its rookie ...
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Arcade Fire, "The Suburbs"
August 20, 2010 3:58 PM EDT 0 0 0 Near the end of "The Suburbs," Arcade Fire offers a pair of songs called "Sprawl I" and "Sprawl II," both of which tell you plenty about what this Canadian rock outfit thinks of the place its third studio album is named ...
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Menomena, "Mines"
August 20, 2010 3:47 PM EDT 0 0 0 It's rare when every member of a band can claim both vocal and instrumental contributions to an album, and even more rare when each contributor is exceptionally talented. Portland, Ore., rock trio Menomena 's latest album, "Mines,&quo ...
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Avenged Sevenfold, "Nightmare"
August 20, 2010 3:30 PM EDT 0 0 0 Avenged Sevenfold 's fifth studio album is a dream that became something of a "Nightmare" for the arty Southern California head-bangers following the death of drummer James "the Rev" Sullivan. But in its finished form, with ...
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Alexander O'Neal, "Five Questions -- The New Journey"
August 20, 2010 3:21 PM EDT 0 0 0 Add Alexander O'Neal to the growing ranks of R&B vets making comeback albums. Now residing in Great Britain, the singer returns with his first album in eight years, "Five Questions-The New Journey." Overall, the project is grounde ...
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Disturbed, "Asylum"
August 20, 2010 3:12 PM EDT 0 0 0 Changes from album to album tend to be subtle and incremental for Disturbed , which is exactly what its fans prefer. The Chicago quartet has a defined sound that's been consistently satisfying for the past decade, since it unleashed 2000's ...
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Mark Olson, "Many Colored Kite"
August 20, 2010 2:52 PM EDT 0 0 0 Mark Olson asks at the beginning of his second solo album: "What would you do . . . if you lost everything good?" This braces us for another heart-rending rumination along the lines of 2007's transformative "The Salvation Blues.& ...
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Brandon Boyd, "The Wild Trapeze"
August 13, 2010 4:45 PM EDT 0 0 0 Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd is known for his alluring vocal additions that shepherd the rock band-and on his debut solo set, "The Wild Trapeze," the artist's voice continues to lead the way of the music. Most of these 10 tracks coul ...
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The Maine, "Black & White"
August 13, 2010 3:52 PM EDT 0 0 0 Arizona rock act the Maine 's second album, "Black & White," finds the five-piece indulging in guitar pop-driven love anthems, mixed with a splash of '80s hair band flare. Teenage girls will likely swoon during the track &quo ...
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New Politics, "New Politics"
August 13, 2010 3:49 PM EDT 0 0 0 Danish rock act New Politics aims to revive the youth with a fusion of frantic rapping and danceable melodies on its self-titled debut. Wailing guitars and a "We Will Rock You"-like drumbeat awaken a sense of self-efficacy on the song &quo ...
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Fantasia, "Back to Me"
August 13, 2010 2:48 PM EDT 0 0 0 Fantasia has had her share of public ups and downs in the past few years. The season-three "American Idol" winner has at times been forced to support her family (as depicted on Vh1's "Fantasia for Real"), admitted to going b ...
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Rick Ross, "Teflon Don"
August 13, 2010 2:26 PM EDT 0 0 0 Despite living in a ganger's paradise - "I think I'm Big Meech/Larry Hoover," he raps on the track "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)," referencing incarcerated gang leaders - Rick Ross has always been a respected lyrici ...
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The Books, "The Way Out"
August 13, 2010 2:15 PM EDT 0 0 0 New York duo the Books continue their tradition of using intriguing vocal samples behind folk-and electronic-based compositions on fourth album "The Way Out." This time around, the group also mixes jazz-fusion with quirky dialogue that ran ...
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Hellyeah, "Stampede"
August 13, 2010 12:42 PM EDT 0 0 0 If you've ever wondered what sort of code of conduct the cowboy community lives by, the first track on this heavy-metal super-group's sophomore disc lays it out quite clearly: "What's mine is mine/What's yours is mine," ...
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Best Coast, "Crazy For You"
August 13, 2010 12:02 PM EDT 0 0 0 "I want you." "I miss you." "I wanna be with you all the time." "Wish he was my boyfriend." The ideas on Best Coast 's debut album, "Crazy for You," don't get much more complicated than the ...
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Sky Sailing, "An Airplane Carried Me to Bed"
August 13, 2010 11:49 AM EDT 0 0 0 Adam Young, the mastermind behind synth-pop act Owl City 's 2009 breakthrough, "Ocean Eyes," returns in stripped-down acoustic form on new musical project Sky Sailing. Instead of the lighthearted references to fireflies and manta rays ...
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Asleep at the Wheel & Leon Rausch, "It's a Good Day"
August 13, 2010 11:32 AM EDT 0 0 0 Whether you're a die-hard or casual fan of Asleep at the Wheel , one thing is certain: Everything this act has ever released is simply spectacular. And the veteran western swing band's latest album, "It's a Good Day" is no d ...
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Lady Gaga, "The Remix"
August 12, 2010 12:07 PM EDT 0 0 0 With Lady Gaga becoming pop music's biggest star and releasing a handful of inescapable singles over the past year, a remix album of her recent work was all but inevitable. Thankfully, Gaga has employed a collection of more-than-capable produce ...
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Big Boi, "Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty"
August 06, 2010 2:17 PM EDT 0 0 0 For years, Big Boi has played second fiddle to OutKast partner Andre 3000. So Big Boi did what anyone in his position would do: make his presence known. After years of setbacks, splitting with former label Jive Records and facing contractual issues ...
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Sun Kil Moon, "Admiral Fell Promises"
August 06, 2010 2:10 PM EDT 0 0 0 Sun Kil Moon principal member Mark Kozelek takes a stripped-down approach on the band's latest album, "Admiral Fell Promises," using only a nylon-string guitar to deliver the 10-song set. The slow drawl and masterfully rendered progre ...
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Crowded House, "Intriguer"
August 06, 2010 1:58 PM EDT 0 0 0 The urgent rocker "Saturday Sun" is a rousing, if somewhat misleading, way to open Crowded House 's sixth studio album. A collection of moody, meditative numbers that gradually reveals its charms after successive spins, "Intrigue ...
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Alejandro Escovedo, "Street Songs of Love"
August 06, 2010 1:49 PM EDT 0 0 0 Given Alejandro Escovedo 's struggles in the early '00s with near-fatal health problems, we should be grateful that the man is simply alive, much less making music as vibrant as what's found on his latest album. An exhilarating, life- ...
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Great Big Sea, "Safe Upon the Shore"
August 06, 2010 1:45 PM EDT 0 0 0 On Canadian folk-rock act Great Big Sea 's 10th studio album, "Safe Upon the Shore," the nearly 18-year-old band rediscovers its Newfoundland musical roots with accent-ridden anthems of nostalgia and relationships. "Dear Home Tow ...
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Tracy Bonham, "Masts of Manhatta"
August 06, 2010 1:42 PM EDT 0 0 0 After some success in the mid-'90s and a five-year wait since her last album, Tracy Bonham returns to listeners' radars with her fourth set, "Masts of Manhatta." The album opens with "Devil's Got Your Boyfriend," a ...
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Iron Maiden, "The Final Frontier"
August 06, 2010 1:37 PM EDT 0 0 0 Iron Maiden knows how to make up for lost time. Four years after "A Matter of Life or Death"-the longest wait for a new album in the British metal heroes' 35-year history-the sextet delivers its longest outing yet (more than 76 minute ...
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M.I.A., "/\/\ /\ Y /\"
August 06, 2010 1:29 PM EDT 0 0 0 Anticipation was feverishly high for M.I.A. 's third album, "/\/\ /\ Y /\," and why shouldn't it have been? Aside from finally breaching the U.S. pop charts with "Paper Planes" in 2008, Maya Arulpragasam has founded her ...
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Enrique Iglesias, "Euphoria"
August 06, 2010 1:20 PM EDT 0 0 0 Enrique Iglesias ' first almost fully bilingual album, "Euphoria" (the standard version includes six tracks in Spanish and four in English), is a cohesive set within the confines of two languages and a vast array of collaborators. The ...
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Ivy Queen, "Drama Queen"
August 06, 2010 1:10 PM EDT 0 0 0 Ivy Queen is the reigning diva of reggaetón-in fact, she's the only female in the genre who's a household name. In a male-dominated field filled with booty talk and braggadocio, Ivy Queen alone has carried the banner for pissed-off, heartb ...
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a-ha, "Hunting High and Low/Scoundrel Days (Remastered Deluxe Edition)"
July 30, 2010 5:28 PM EDT 0 0 0 Having announced their disbandment after 25 years, the members of iconic Norwegian pop band a-ha conclude their farewell with reissues of 1985 debut "Hunting High and Low" and 1986 follow-up "Scoundrel Days" that brim with demos ...
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Delphic, "Acolyte"
July 30, 2010 5:26 PM EDT 0 0 0 British electronic act Delphic 's debut album, "Acolyte," is a seamless fusion of electro beats and despondent vocals that serve as the backdrop to a lyrical theme about dealing with the end of a relationship. Singer James Cook pleads ...
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Kenny G, "Heart and Soul"
July 30, 2010 5:17 PM EDT 0 0 0 During his nearly 30-year career, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Kenny G has become one of the most celebrated artists in contemporary jazz. On his 13th studio album, "Heart and Soul," the artist returns to his R&B roots following 20 ...
