By the Writers of Last Word Features

Joss Stone: ‘Colour Me Free’
3 1/2 stars
Last year, Joss Stone got a group of musicians together and put together this fine, but raw, recording. The 12-tracks on “Colour Me Free” are warm and vital, ranging from vintage ‘60s soul to contemporary R&B, finger-snapping up-tempo numbers, to sultry ballads. A blue-eyed soul heir to the great Dusty Springfield, the 22-year-old Stone is powerful and vulnerable, smart and sexy, growling and pure, channeling the past and fully at home today, as can be heard on the thoroughly modern “Governmentalist,” on which Stone is joined ace rapper Nas. — L. Kent Wolgamott
Buy if you like: Duffy, Amy Winehouse

Lyle Lovett: ‘Natural Forces’
2 1/2 stars
Comprised of covers of songs by Texas songwriters and some originals, “Natural Forces” is very stylishly presented, with Lovett’s cool cosmopolitan country approach applied to swing, honky tonk and ballads, while his vocals drier and more nasally than ever. The double entendres in “Pantry” and “Farmer Brown/Chicken Reel” bring back his dry wit, and there are some killer versions of largely unheard songs, including David Ball’s “Don’t You Think I Feel It Too.” But “Natural Forces” drifts along with too many folk songs and a bizarre collaboration with Robert Earl Keen called “It’s Rock and Roll.” It all sounds good, but, in the end, very little sticks. — L. Kent Wolgamott
Buy if you like: Townes Van Zandt, Robert Earl Keen

The Verbs: ‘Trip’
4 stars
It’s surprising that “Trip” didn’t get more attention leading up to its early October release, considering the group features drummer (for John Mayer Trio and Keith Richards’ X-Pensive Winos, among others) and ace producer Steve Jordan and his wife, and the CD’s main songwriter, Meegan Voss (of the Antoinettes). An even better reason the CD deserved to far more advance buzz is it’s one of the year’s best pop-rock albums. On songs like “World’s A Mess” and “Hey Hey Uh-Huh,” Jordan, Voss and guest musicians that include bassist Pino Palladiono (whose other main gig is with the Who) and guitarist Danny Kortchmar turn out taut, extremely hooky and fast-paced rockers. The band slows things down a bit for the sweetly soulful “This Is How The Song Goes” and the punchy jazz-tinged “Dear Departed,” but once again show a talent for crafting engaging, fully formed melodies. It all makes for a trip any fan of first-rate pop-rock will want to take.
Buy if you like: The Bangles, Cracker

Sherwood: ‘QU’
3 1/2 stars
On “QU,” Sherwood makes a confident bid to break free from the cluster of modern pop bands trying to be the next Fall Out Boy or All-American Rejects. Instead of amped-up guitars to go with caffeinated pop melodies, Sherwood on “QU” dials back on the intensity and gives its songs room to breathe. It’s a smart move because songs like “Free,” “Shelter” and “What Are You Waiting For?” have melodies worth savoring.  That’s not to suggest that Sherwood has gone pop light. There’s still an appropriate level of energy. But the band’s unrushed approach to pop-rock gives “QU” more of a classic, and as a result, timeless sound that should allow its music to hold up long after fans of most of today’s modern pop bands have moved onto the next post-whatever music trend. – Alan Sculley
Buy if you like: Jimmy Eat World, Mae

Exene Cervenka: ‘Somewhere Gone’
4 stars
X singer Exene Cervenka may have begun as a punker, but her heart has long been knitted to roots music. On her latest solo effort, “Somewhere Gone,” she’s put together a marvelous collection of folk-influenced songs that showcase the purity of her voice (without the off-kilterness that defined much of her work), matched perfectly by Cindy Wasserman’s harmonies and the unadorned honesty of her poetic lyrics. In “Why Is It So,” for example, she sings, “It wasn’t something that you said/It was what you really meant instead.” The eloquent strings of recently departed Amy Farris, laced throughout these 14 tracks, mesh seamlessly with Joe Terry’s elegant classical piano and elemental organ, and become even more poignant on a song like “Pinpoints” (“because the end is near”). Terry’s boogie-woogie keys elevate “Walk Me Across the Night” into a hellacious rocker, boosting the energy level of this contemplative disc. But every player nails it throughout, contributing to what may one day be regarded as Cervenka’s masterpiece.
— Lynne Margolis
Buy if you like: The Knitters

Elvis Perkins in Dearland: ‘Doomsday EP’ (Matador)
3 1/2 stars
Elvis Perkins brackets this six-song effort with two versions of the title cut. The first is as it appeared on the band’s self-titled album, the closer titled “Slow Doomsday,” drops the tempo, adds piano and becomes a funeral dirge – a perfect casting of the themes Perkins brings to his music. In between are a pair of songs that tap into folk, “Stop Drop Rock and Roll” a shambling rock ‘n’ roll number ripped from the Bob Dylan songbook and the gospel of “Weeping Mary.” Like most EPs, this one winds up feeling too short. But it’s a fine introduction to Perkins and his distinctive brand of Americana, and a must-have stop-gap for his fans. – L. Kent Wolgamott
Buy if you like: The Decemberists, Death Cab For Cutie