Kuti studied piano and revisited the trumpet, his original instrument, resulting in a more textured and jazz-influenced approach this time out.

While her introspection and understated approach bog things down at times, songs like "The Dreaming Road" and "King of Love" are finely crafted and often hauntingly beautiful.

A fascinating listen, a psychedelic journey through time and space, where vintage keyboards create a musical dream.

From the cheeky hip-hop of 'Konichiwa Bitches' and the warped bass underpinning her cover of Teddybears' 'Cobra Style' to the Kylie Minogue-esque 'With Every Heartbeat' and sweeping strings carrying 'Be Mine,' the album holds 14 sassy and sweet dance pop gems.

The group's rocket ride appears to have preserved its more appealingly eccentric tendencies: frontman Reggie Youngblood's ridiculous yelp of a singing voice, for instance, or Dawn Watley's ultra-cheesy synth lines, which quote pretty much every new wave hit of the '80s.

Though still short of career-defining, "Ms. Kelly" finds its author opening up more while welcoming the possibility that destiny may just find another star.

The musical doesn't begin production until 2010. The time lapse is confusing for listeners of the narrative, which focuses on a young woman named Eve. But Murdoch, who lends his vocals to two of the album's 14 tracks, plays his strengths as the man behind the music.

Longtime fans will find plenty to cherish on this very atmospheric and tuneful sortie.

Adventurous listeners are in for a treat.

Lucky is full of jangly little gems that could put a skip in the step of even the saddest of sacks.

Expertly tows the line between old-school hip-hop homage and forward-looking experimentation.

The backing tracks, brimming over with strings, guitars, vaguely Middle Eastern elements, and soundtrack snippets, are more musical than much hip-hop, proffering the perfect gateway to Aesop Rock's verbose world. Dig the dark sounds as you try to decipher the deep thoughts.

Emo kids will flock to German class when they hear the original version of 'Monsoon,' the band's biggest hit, which closes this strangely fascinating Euro-glam effort.

English songbird Polly Scattergood entrances, disturbs and impresses with her debut self-titled album.

I Created Disco feels renegade, and that's what makes it more than irresistibly fun synth-pop.

After taking care of some unfinished business in recent years, Brian Wilson shows he still has the stuff of conceptual brilliance on his eighth solo album.

On his third solo outing (and first for Columbia), songwriter/producer Raphael Saadiq takes the listener on a smooth carpet ride that seamlessly weaves the feel-good essence of soul music's storied roots.

Call Me Crazy, the follow-up to her highly lauded "There's More Where That Came From," is Womack's best album yet.

Frontman/lyricist Lillian Berlin urges his listeners to "take to the streets," if necessary, to enforce the will of the people. It's a heady manifesto, but Habeas Corpus never gets bogged down in rhetoric.

Highly cerebral, the visceral kick hits on the third or fourth play.

One would think the standard tension/release moments would get tiresome, but most of the album has an energy that makes you forget about anything that might seem redundant.

Randy Newman's shock-and-aw-shucks wit is so joyfully scathing at times on "Harps and Angels" that it's hard to believe it's been nine years since his last album of new material.

The combination of old-school melody and post-mod dissonance is risky, bold, and one of the most exciting releases of the year so far.

Taking pages out of some very strong playbooks (think Superchunk, Guided by Voices, early Wilco), the Whigs find a way to revive honest-to-goodness pop rock for a new generation.

The group may still rely on catchy vocal refrains, but the growth of Lazzara's songwriting has made its fourth effort a brisk, enjoyable outing.

Warpaint mines the same Allmans-to-Zappa synthesis of influences that's been the Crowes' stock in trade but finds the group fortified by sharp songwriting and lace-tight, live-sounding performances.

An aurally hypnotizing collection that is comparable to, if not better than, Endtroducing.

This is signature Erasure, and fans will find it pure delight. [26 May 2007]