It took Jack Johnson two years to break into the mainstream with his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales, and by the time it went platinum in early 2003, his star power was unstoppable. Twentysomethings and college kids across the globe often compared Johnson's comfortable approach to the fiery Ben Harper, so when it came time to make a second album, Johnson basically picked up where the first album left off. On and On is a sparkling sophomore effort, carefully designed to avoid any kind of critical slump. Fans will enjoy Johnson's soothing ballads and boy-next-door charms, never looking beyond the surface of the songs themselves. Producer Mario Caldato, Jr. (Beastie Boys, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) hones Johnson's feel-good vibe and polishes his signature acoustic guitars, while the musician himself continues honing his genre-blending sound. Johnson gets serious this time, too: he playfully expounds on America's sickening dependence on material things ("Gone") and its subconscious ill will with today's youth ("Cookie Jar"). Other views on world war ("Traffic in the Sky") and a capitalistic, business-obsessed way of life ("The Horizon Has Been Defeated") are gently reflected upon without reproach. Johnson doesn't need to be an aggressive messenger to get his point across; the sales of Brushfire Fairytales make that quite clear. Instead, people listen to Johnson's musical commentary because he puts himself on their level, shunning the philosophical preaching of his counterpart, Harper. On and On keeps things simple in sound and time, and the only noticeable change is that Johnson didn't lyrically restrain himself. There are 17 solid tracks featured here, each one of them rooted in spiritual grooves,funk, and blues. In dire times, Johnson is sunny -- and sunny always feels good. © MacKenzie Wilson /TiVo

This eighth album from the South African post-grunge titans is the follow-up to 2017's Poison the Parish. The album, whose Latin title means "If you want peace, prepare for war," was recorded over two months in Nashville and marks the debut of their new guitarist Corey Lowery (ex-Saint Asonia). It sees the band turn in another dose of their melodic heavy rock -- this time with a markedly political slant -- and includes the brooding single "Dangerous."© TiVo

For six long years, our pop star hasn't brought out an album. Her last, and certainly not her best, was Lotus. The time since then has been relatively tough, and Christina Aguilera has had to contend with the complexities of a different world: television. A recurrent actor in the series Nashville, she quickly became a prisoner of a role that should have just been a job. But a bitter ball of anger was growing in her day after day. She had built her empire in music, not on a soap opera set; and never mind how long she'd been away, she would break her chains and, now aged 37, she signed off on a warlike record: Liberation. Her weapons? A strong base of hip-hop dressed up in pop, R&B and rock, and above all the powerful voice of rebel women. Because the #MeToo has seen Aguilera reveal more of her feminist side in a hip-hop world she accuses of misogyny. She has matured and become self-assured. For this eighth album, Kanye West wrote several tracks, including the sensational Maria and Accelerate. Demi Lovato comes in for a duet, Fall in Line a war-song, where women are soldiers commanded by a man's voice. It's a way of fighting against certain clichés, in a spirit of strength and rebellion. Aguilera has lost none of the intensity of her voice, the ingenuity that sees her bringing in children's choirs, synth melodies or sensual, emotional ballads. Liberation is more than just a hip-hop album, but the reconstruction of a woman, a benevolent cry that aims to bring comfort to those who, like her, have known trying times. Everything here has been subtly calculated to transmit a message through music that, like Aguilera herself, has evolved. © Clara Bismuth/Qobuz

While Willy DeVille was trying to perfect his blend of roots rock, fiery punk energy, and the heart-rending ballad style that established vocalists such as Ben E. King and Clyde McPhatter, he went through a few changes. Mink DeVille's previous recording, Le Chat Bleu, had opened the door to DeVille being as fine a ballad singer as any. Along with the Doc Pomus ballads there were a few rockers, and the seeds were sewn for the band to pursue this direction, with Willy DeVille stepping more and more out front as an enigma. The combination of DeVille and Jack Nitzsche brought the early rock and soul vibe deep into the heart of Coup De Grace. Louis Cortelezzi and Kenny Margolis provided the sound of the Jersey Shore and Coney Island on saxophone, keyboard and accordion and swirled around DeVille's and Rick Borgia's guitars, undercut by Tommy Price's drums. The band's sound combined with Nitzsche's timeless production style thatr, combined with his singing voice, created a rock & roll purer than even Bruce Springsteen's in 1981. The evidence is on the anthems "Maybe Tomorrow," the slippery doo wop feel of "Love & Emotion," and the devastating read of Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On" that includes in its soulful Spanish stroll mix a pair of marimbas and the ever-lamenting accordion, that turns the track into something that is so deadly serious it could have been in West Side Story. This was Mink DeVille near their zenith as a recording unit.© Thom Jurek /TiVo

There is lots of variety on this CD reissue, which features guitarist Jim Hall in several different settings. He has separate duets with pianist Don Thompson (Hoagy Carmichael's delightful "One Morning In May"), his wife Jane Hall (who sings "When I Fall In Love"), pianist Tommy Flanagan, and drummer Terry Clarke. He also overdubs acoustic and electric guitars on his solo "Down the Line," teams up with pianist Flanagan and flugelhornist Art Farmer on two duets, and uses a slightly larger group on "Lament for a Fallen Matador," a Don Sebesky adaptation of a classical piece that has the haunting voice of Joan LaBarbara. Overall, there is plenty of intriguing music on this recommended set.© Scott Yanow /TiVo

Three years after Gerry Mulligan initially sat in with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, the baritone saxophonist arrived at a point where he could perform alongside Brubeck's alto saxophonist, Paul Desmond, for this much anticipated session. When legal issues, wranglings with producer Norman Granz, and the question of which record label would subsidize and release this album were resolved, the two saxophonists went ahead to produce a delightful program of standards and originals where their more playful sides could fully blossom. The wonderful interaction between Mulligan's burly but agile horn and the ultimate smooth -- but in this case animated and energized -- sax of Desmond is more than just magical, and makes for a fluid, jaunty, delicious combination sure to please even the most jaded or stone-eared music listener. Weaving in and out of improvised phrases, the two sure sound like they are having a ball during Desmond's compositions -- the friendly and carefree discourse of "Blues in Time," the bop vehicle with its jaundiced title "Battle Hymn of the Republican," and "Wintersong" with its subdued blues-based theme where the alto is featured while the bari observantly sits on the side and comments on occasion. Of the three pieces written by Mulligan, one is quintessential in "Line for Lyons," a classic melody and enduring standard enhanced by the harmonic richness of the horns playing together -- it's a joy hearing their tones and styles mesh beautifully. "Standstill" and "Fallout" have as much merit as any of Mulligan's witty charts: the former a fun, melodic bop tune; the latter showcasing more of the harmonic compatibility of the two saxophonists. The lone popular standard, "Body and Soul," is mostly Mulligan pining on the age-old lover's plea, with Desmond listening as if to be convinced. Drummer Dave Bailey and bassist Joe Benjamin are along for the ride in this typical Mulligan pianoless quartet, doing their yeoman's work and letting the co-leaders have their spotlight. This is truly a fine example of modern mainstream jazz, another example from that definitive year of 1957, and though it's sadly a one-shot, it's a document thankfully preserved that should be treasured by all fans of jazz. © Michael G. Nastos /TiVo

After her hit of "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" in 1959, Dinah Washington largely discarded her blues and jazz roots (at least on recordings) and played the role of a pop star. This CD (which has the original LP program of 12 songs joined by six others) finds Washington singing brief (mostly under three-minute) versions of standards in hopes of gaining another hit. The backing is strictly commercial and, although some may enjoy "This Bitter Earth," "The Song Is Ended" and "A Bad Case of the Blues," the music is consistently predictable and disappointingly forgettable.© Scott Yanow /TiVo

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