NORAH JONES
“. . . Featuring”
3 STARS
Few women are as sought-after as a featured singer on other artists’ records as Norah Jones.
“. . . Featuring” highlights Jones’ many A-list collaborations and her chameleon-like ability to custom-fit her pipes to rock, jazz, country, hip-hop and the blues. The top duet here is between Jones and Willie Nelson on the he-said/she-said classic “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” The two sound sexy and in love on this jazzy, finger-snapping version. A close runner-up is her 2004 duet with Ray Charles on “Here We Go Again.” Where the disc falls flat is when her talents are tapped by rappers Q-Tip and later Talib Kweli on tracks that feel out of place.
NEIL DIAMOND
“Dreams”
4 STARS
Over the course of 30 studio albums and a staggering string of hits, Neil Diamond has cemented his reputation as one of America’s great singer-songwriters, but he still isn’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Perhaps “Dreams,” primarily an album of covers, could give Diamond, nominated again this year, a push. Diamond has stripped well-known tunes to simple arrangements of voice and either piano or guitar. The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine,” the Eagles’ “Desperado” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” are among the 14 rock standards on which Diamond’s powerful baritone demands you listen to the words carefully. Of his own tunes, Diamond gives “I’m a Believer” — originally written as a peppy love song for the Monkees — a molasses tempo, world-weary vocals and haunting guitar work. That reworking, like the other tunes on this fantastic record, make me a believer, too.
ELVIS COSTELLO
“National Ransom”
3 1/2 STARS
On “National Ransom,” Elvis Costello has no loyalty to any one style. It’s a record of musical experiments where he rocks, gets theatrical and even manages a Brit-style country twang. The rewards are there if you’re willing to spend time with the music and listen to lyrics packed with double meanings, poetic descriptions and songs that actually tell stories. The title track is an assault on Wall Street, where greed isn’t good. Then there’s the heartbreaking tale of “Jimmie Standing in the Rain,” where Costello nicely draws a picture of a failed entertainer who’s too depressed to step out of a downpour. Among the different styles on this album, Costello even takes time out to sound like himself on the tune “Five Small Words.”
GOOD CHARLOTTE
“Cardiology”
2 1/2 STARS
Although Good Charlotte hasn’t flatlined with their latest CD, “Cardiology,” the Maryland band featuring brothers Joel and Benji Madden, doesn’t have the punk energy of their early work or the pop pizazz of their last record, 2007’s “Good Morning Revival.” Instead, this 15-song collection is a safe rock album where none of the material offends the ear, but it’s also fairly bland — the 15 songs clean, polished and mostly forgettable as they explore the different facets in matters of the heart. The few standouts include the bouncy (yet lyrically inane) “Sex on the Radio”; “1979,” a tight best-year tune with a pretty acoustic turn in the center; and the party anthem “Like It’s Her Birthday.” Still, there are not enough songs like these to elevate Good Charlotte to more than OK Charlotte this time.
PAUL McCARTNEY AND WINGS
“Band on the Run”
4 STARS
In the wake of the Beatles breakup, in 1973 Paul McCartney formed Wings with his then-wife, Linda, and made a monster album called “Band on the Run.” There’s no down side to this disc. If you have an original vinyl copy, you should play it. If this album is missing from your record collection, it’s available again today on CD. There’s a four-disc collector’s edition that includes interviews with McCartney, a book of photo’s by Linda and an audio documentary about the making of the album, but all that just gilds the lily, the treat is in the simple nine-track remastered album. (It’s re-released on vinyl, too.)
HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS
“Soulville”
3 1/2 STARS
The sweet Stax style made familiar by Booker T and the MGs is alive and well in the hands of Huey Lewis & the News on a near perfect album that, like its title says, has soul. Lewis might seem like yesterday’s news, but this disc is a timeless homage to soul music featuring classic R&B covers such as Otis Redding’s “Just One More Day,” Wilson Pickett’s “Don’t Fight It” and a towering version of Eddie Floyd’s “I’ve Never Found a Girl.” Lewis is in tip-top vocal shape, delivering his blue-eye soul with power and emotion supported by blasts of brass, slinky guitars and piano thrills.