Tommy Womack
Stubborn
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(Sideburn)
One of Nashville's many outta-the-mainstream treasures, Womack delivers a chewy slab of rock and roll aided by a crew of heroes that includes Dan Baird, Jason Ringenberg and the reliable George Bradfute. Womack's tunes crackle with superb sarcasm and cliche-free lyrics, a perfect match for the ragged, Stones-y vibe that graces this exceptional disc. Craving adult power chords for your drive time? Stick this in your auto CD and rock on. -- Jones
Yo La Tengo
And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out
(Matador)
For several years now, this Hoboken-based trio has been cranking out excellent albums that fluctuate between Velvets-y guitar drones and Nuggets-styled garage rock. This psychedelic collection of mostly mellow ruminations that focuses on the ups and downs of a long-term relationship is something of a departure. Aleatoric explosions are down to one (the Sonic Youth soundalike "Cherry Chapstick), and the creaks, clatters and echoes that dominate from the background of such tripped-out tracks as "Everyday," "Saturday" and "Night Falls in Hoboken" signal a more introspective ride. Though one may long for the usual helping of guitar antics, Yo La Tengo has more than made up in aura what it has subtracted in thrust and drive. -- Brown
WORLD King Sunny Ade
Seven Degrees North
(Mesa)
Sunny's best American-released record since he left Island in the mid-'80s is yet another joyous excursion into the heavily percussive juju music over which he reigns. Many songs are exaltations to God, while some, like "Congratulations (Happy Birthday), concern themselves with more mundane secular matters. All of the tunes are infused with Ade's overriding sense of optimism and faith, as well as the lilting tropicalismo of much of the music made seven degrees from the Equator. Perfect for escaping the winter blahs into the gorgeous, sun-drenched spot in your mind. -- Brown
Susana Baca
Echo of Shadows
(Luaka Bop)
The music of Baca, from Peru, is hypnotic and intoxicating, with the sounds of smoothly strummed guitars, lightly thumped hand drums and her own penetrating singing swirling around a listener like sweet smoke. On Echo, Western musicians such as guitarist Marc Ribot and Luaka Bop owner David Bryne make contributions, but they never overshadow Baca, an artist who has more than earned her time in the spotlight. -- Roberts
Beenie Man
Art and Life
(Virgin)
With his debut for Virgin, reggae/dancehall star Beenie Man broke through to an even larger stateside audience. The Neptunes-produced "Girls Dem Sugar" featured Mya's soft melodic touch and helped get the Kingston-bred artist major airplay. Beenie Man is a self-proclaimed "word garden," and on Art and Life, he cultivates a wide cross-section of plants and flowers: the hardcore "Haters and Fools"; the Latin-tinged "Tumble (La Caida)" (which features the legendary Arturo Sandoval); the celebratory "Jamaica Way" (with Kelis). This artist, born Moses Davis, clearly has his roots planted on solid hallowed ground. -- Mayo
Da Lata
Songs From the Tin
(Palm)
A hybrid in every sense of the word, Da Lata matches Brazilian vocalist Liliana Chachian with two Britishers, DJ Patrick Forge and the Brazil-obsessed Chris Franck. Songs From the Tin, incubated over the better part of a decade, is neither uncut folk music nor dance fodder, but rather a clever amalgamation of each, with some artsy atmospherics thrown in for good measure. Multiculturalism at its finest. -- RobertsNiamh Parsons
In My Prime
(Green Linnet)
Some reviewers have classified this CD as new-age, but that's not quite right: It's gentle, sure, but with a solid core of intelligence and emotion that promotes closer inspection rather than discouraging it. Parsons has a voice that feels shaped by the centuries, and that's ideal for these mostly traditional Celtic airs, which she rearranges for maximum poignancy. Her Prime is timeless. -- Roberts
Plena Libre
Más Libre
(Rykodisc)
"Plena" is a rhythm native to Puerto Rico, and on Más Libre, this ensemble, led by bassist/songwriter Gary Nuñez, sets it free. The music is delightfully eccentric, full of clever instrumental touches, like the accordion that unexpectedly graces "La Plena Bien Sabrosa." But the most important factors about the music are these: It's jazzy, it's energetic, and it grooves like mad. -- Roberts
Marc Ribot y los Cubanos Postizos
Muy Divertido! (Very Entertaining!)
(Atlantic)
Usually projects like these are diverting one-offs, destined to destroy their specialness on any followup by trying to recreate a moment that'll never exist again (see any Tom Tom Club album after the first for proof). But Ribot's never really had any kind of steady band to be diverted from and, as a result, he's put even more energy into the follow-up than he did in the delightful debut. Ribot's willing to play around with tradition, both Cuban and his own, and inject it with his sense of humor and style. A Cubanized guitar showcase by one of the best rock/jazz/blues guitarists out there, this beats its predecessor by a hair. -- Brown
Oumou Sangare
Ko Sira
(World Circuit/Nonesuch)
Recorded in 1993 but only reaching the U.S. this year, Ko Sira is popular African music at its most searing. Sangare, from the nation of Mali, is a rarity in a society in which the repression of women is imbedded deeply within the culture: She's strong, outspoken, and bold enough to challenge the patriarchy. Better yet, she accompanies her wise lyrics (English translations are provided) with music that's preternaturally magnetic. -- Roberts
