By the writers of Last Word Features

(RATINGS ON A 5-STAR BASIS)

The Avett Brothers: ‘I and Love and You’
4 1/2 stars
Every so often, you hear an act you just know is going to change the playing field a bit. The Avett Brothers is one of those bands.

The group’s live show is truly kinetic, but this album is an understated masterpiece of nuanced songwriting and musicianship. Even without music, it would be a sterling poetry collection, full of lines that stun with their stark nakedness and beauty.

Their folk-pop musical prowess sends it to another dimension (one well beyond their early bluegrass mislabeling). How much influence producer/guru Rick Rubin had is hard to tell; this band was fully formed before he signed them.

But “I and Love and You” is not just a major-league debut, it’s a World Series win. — Lynne Margolis
By if you like: Crosby, Stills & Nash, the Jayhawks

Brandi Carlile: ‘Give Up The Ghost’
4 stars
So far in her young career, Brandi Carlile has shown the ability to come up with at least one knockout song on each of her three albums. For instance, on her previous CD, the 2007 release “The Story,” that wow moment came on the title song, a ballad in which Carlile explodes into a huge chorus. She put so much effort into that moment, in fact, that heading into the second chorus, her voice cracked.
On her newly released third CD, “Give Up The Ghost,” there is “Dreams,” a melodically euphoric rocking pop tune that should be a huge hit single. It is one of the best songs any artist has released this year. Understandably nothing else on “Give Up The Ghost” can match “Dreams,” but Carlile continues to shine with her mix of earthy ballads and spirited rockers.
– Alan Sculley
Buy if you like: Sheryl Crow, KT Tunstall

The Raveonettes: ‘In and Out of Control’
4 stars
“In and Out of Control” is an album of gorgeous songs about horrible things. Danish duo Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo don’t depart from their Ronettes-meet-Jesus and Mary Chain combination of lush, cotton-candy spun ‘60s girl group vocals and melodies and dense, raspy guitars here. But they use that irresistible confection for songs about rape, drug addiction, death, both natural and by suicide. That’s hardly cheery fare and it gives “In and Out of Control” a subtly disturbing balance that engages – even on songs like the romantic “Last Dance,” about a woman making a reservation in case her man has overdosed for the last time. — L. Kent Wolgamott
Buy if you like: The Ronettes, Jesus and Mary Chain.

7 Worlds Collide: ‘The Sun Came Out’
3 1/2 stars
Any self-respecting musician would be foolish to turn down an opportunity to work with Neil Finn, which is why his ambitious 7 Worlds Collide projects draw such high-caliber talent. This time, he lured Wilco, Radiohead’s Phil Selway and Ed O’Brien, K.T. Tunstall, Bic Runga, Johnny Marr, Lisa Germano, sons Liam and Elroy, and even Finn brother Tim to his new studio for this double disc.
Intriguing collaborations, such as Tunstall and Runga’s “Long Black Ribbon,” and strong compositions and lead work by guys known as sidemen provide pleasant surprises, though eventually, the mid-tempo soft-rockers cry for some contrast. We get a little with the O’Brien/Liam Finn Beach Boys-meet-the-Beatles co-write “Bodhisattva Blues.” But softer songs like “Too Blue” and “Hazel Black” charm, while “Learn to Crawl” and “What Could Have Been” captivate in a low-key way, which is true of the entire album. — Lynne Margolis
Buy if you like the Finn Brothers

David Bazan: ‘Curse The Branches’ (Barzuk)
3 1/2 stars
Fans who mourned the breakup of the group Pedro The Lion will start feeling better about things after hearing “Curse Your Branches,” the first solo release by the group’s former frontman, David Bazan. That’s because much of the musical character of Pedro The Lion has carried over to “Curse Your Branches.” Like Pedro The Lion, the songs on the solo CD have a downbeat feel – thanks largely to Bazan, who still sounds like he’s singing with a hangover – that is offset with graceful melodies and literate lyrics.
Bazan doesn’t go for as much of a rocking edge here as he did with Pedro The Lion, and that occasional jolt of voltage is missed. But Bazan’s songwriting chops are still sharp, and he has several first-rate songs on “Curse Your Branches,” including “Please, Baby, Please,” “When We Fell” and “Hard To Be.” – Alan Sculley
Buy if you like: Sufjan Stevens, Death Cab For Cutie

Kurt Vile: ‘Childish Prodigy’ (Matador)
4 stars
An underground sensation for the last year or so, Philadelphia’s Kurt Vile lives up to the hipster hype and more on “Childish Prodigy,” his debut album. Captivating from the first 10 seconds of the bluesy opener “Hunchback,” “Childish Prodigy” ping-pongs through guitar-rooted sounds and styles – hazy and psychedelic here, edgy or poppy there. A refreshing combination of classic and modern rock, the album is on the lo-fi end of things but still impressively assembled. And Vile (that’s his real name) is an excellent songwriter too, often burying the lyrics under lots of guitar, making “Childish Prodigy” a rare record that demands and rewards repeat listening. – L. Kent Wolgamott
Buy if you like: Neil Young, Sonic Youth.