Adult Alternative
- I'm Getting Ready-Michael Kiwanuka (Engagingly written and sung lyrics about knowing when you shouldn't give up on a commitment and having the wisdom to see it through. A voice and guitar are all that's needed for these lyrics to sink in, without being the least bit heavy-handed.)
- Rio Vida-Da Lata (Vocally and instrumentally, this is a spicy blend of uptempo pop, jazz, and trance styles.)
- Nothing's Ever Said-The Wilderness Of Manitoba (I was pleased to hear this tune from "This Is Us" turn up on U-verse. Lyrically, it's a nice reminder that our lives are our own and that not every thought or emotion has to be spoken. Musically, it pulls off the impressive trick of sounding grandiose yet subtle.)
- Franz Liszt: 12 Lieder von Franz Schubert, S.558 : XII. Ave Maria (Valentina Lisitsa, piano) (A warm, lyrical interpretation, played with exactly the right amount of forcefulness during its crescendos.)
- Sing To Me-Luther Dickinson and Sisters Of The Strawberry Moon featuring Amy Helm (The bluesy organ underscoring serves Helm's vocals well. I'd be curious to hear Bonnie Raitt cover this.)
- Carnaval Toda La Vida-Katherine Plump (On first listen, this struck me as a motley mesh of styles. Listening a second time, however, I realized how effectively the techno underscoring blends with Plump's relaxed vocals. The keyboard accompaniment brought "Fine" by The Cardigans to mind.)
- Hambani-Amaryoni (The flute and vocals put this at the intersection of jazz and lounge music. It's easy for me to imagine a nightclub act performing Donald Fagen's "Walk Between Raindrops" in this style.)
