‘A Little Bit Longer’

‘A Little Bit Longer’

Jonas Brothers (Hollywood)

Grade: A

Rather than think of Nicholas, Kevin and Joseph Jonas as Disney’s newest kiddie pop heroes (not that there’s anything wrong with kids or their pop), try to reposition the trio as part of bubblegum’s rich history. This allows the Jonas Brothers proximity to the family of fizzy pop that is the Raspberries, OK Go and Big Star rather than ’tween teases Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus. Caramel-coated choruses, ever-ascending melodies and amped-up fuzz tones are the order of the day on rave-ups such as “Video Girl” (itself a diss on teen celebrity) and “Pushin’ Me Away.” The Bros might stop for a simmering trek through mid-tempo R&B (“Burnin’ Up”) worthy of the grown-up New Edition and heartbroken ballads (“Sorry”). There are heavy-handed, hamfisted moments to be found, for sure. But from the bubblegum burst of “BB Good” to “Lovebug,” with its journey from acoustic smoothie to crunching Queen-esque finale, “Longer” is a sweet harmony-filled ride you won’t mind feeling childish for loving.

— A.D. Amorosi, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘Love on the Inside’

Sugarland (Mercury)

Grade: B

Say this much for Sugarland: The fast-rising duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush have used their success as an opportunity for artistic growth. And they sure did need to grow. They don’t sacrifice much in the way of commercial accessibility, but they also don’t retreat into the slicker and more superficial aspects of their appeal.

“Love on the Inside” has a warm, rootsy feel, with lots of acoustic instruments and a live-sounding immediacy that heightens the emotional force of Nettles’ powerhouse vocals. From the bluesy come-on of an opener, “All I Want to Do,” to the starkly reflective closer, “Very Last Country Song,” Nettles and Bush (and various co-writers) have come up with their most substantial collection of songs. (A deluxe edition adds five cuts to the original 12.)

Nettles shows admirable restraint with that vocal instrument of hers, rarely sounding overwrought. But she can’t help on occasion being unbearably cutesy, especially on “Steve Earle.”

— Nick Cristiano, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘Alas, I Cannot Swim’

Laura Marling (Astralwerks)

Grade: A

Never mind the British neo-soul invasion. The British neo-folk invasion starts with Laura Marling, the spookily prepossessed songwriter who seems to have absorbed a lifetime’s worth of wisdom in her haunting songs about love and death, though she’s just 18. With a cool, clear voice and spare, understated arrangements, Marlin’s songs like “Night Terror,” “Crawled Out of the Sea” and “Ghosts” recall Brit folk soulstresses such as Linda Thompson and Sandy Denny. They’re delivered with a preternatural calm, but in romantic narratives like “Tap at My Window” or seafaring tales such as “The Captain and the Hourglass,” it’s always clear that there’s trouble lurking beneath the surface.

— Dan DeLuca, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘Youth Novels’

Lykke Li (LL/Warners)

Grade: A

If you’ve been charmed by Lykke Li’s single “A Little Bit” — her chirping, girlish voice; her appealing accent that turns “love” into “luff”; the spacious, high-relief instrumentation — the good news is that the young Swede’s debut album follows suit. And if the song’s repetitions have worn thin or made it seem like a novelty (likely Lykke Li reactions), rest assured that the rest of “Youth Novels” stretches in different directions. Li likes pop hooks, but she also likes arty experimentation in minimalism.

Produced and co-written by Bjorn Yttling of Peter, Bjorn & John, “Youth Novels” highlights Li’s shy, inviting voice with sparse, precise arrangements, often just keyboards and drums, but also solitary horns, reggae bass, or tropical acoustic guitars. Songs such as the irresistibly catchy “I’m Done, I’m Gone” and the comparatively extroverted “Breaking It Up” assure that Li possesses more than a little bit of poppy inventiveness.

— Steve Klinge, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘No Deliverance’

The Toadies (Kirtland)

Grade: C

They’re back. The seedy Texas band that thrived in the “alternative nation” of mid-’90s America — thanks largely to the right-place, right-time album “Rubberneck” and its biggest single, “Possum Kingdom” — has contributed a new album to the stack of recent entries from reunited alt-rockers. Front man Todd Lewis’ gravel-raked, bluesy belch is as coarse as ever, armed with seething lyrics to match the Toadies’ strident yet undeniably catchy bar-band rock. Lewis wails on the title track as if Kurt Cobain had never died and grunge never faded, and “Song I Hate” is a glossy grab for a hit that will remind most people of an angrier Everclear or Cracker. Toadies fans should eagerly welcome this album, but the rest of us? Not so much.

— Doug Wallen, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘Simply Grand’

Irma Thomas (Rounder)

Grade: A

“Simply Grand” would fit as an album title for Irma Thomas on merits alone. At age 67, and ready to celebrate her 50th anniversary as a recording artist in 2009, the woman known as the Soul Queen of New Orleans is a national treasure. More than that, she remains at the top of her talent: If anything, her lush voice, with its earthy tones and full-note roundness, has grown more nuanced and emotionally resonant with time.

But “Simply Grand” also describes the collection’s setting. On her follow-up to the 2006’s Grammy-winning “After the Rain,” she pairs off with a series of pianists accompanying her on a concert grand. Some are famous, such as Norah Jones, who plays while Thomas performs a version of Jones’ hit, “Thinking About You,” turning it into a wise lament. Others are New Orleans heroes, such as Ellis Marsalis, father of jazz stars Wynton and Branford, who supports Thomas on the stunning ballad, “This Bitter Earth.”

The piano setting brings out Thomas’ jazz side, especially on “What Can I Do” and “Cold Rain,” both performed by Crescent City jazz man David Torkanowsky. She also celebrates her heritage on two funky R B tunes backed by Dr. John, including the outstanding “Be You,” an unrecorded tune co-written by the late Doc Pomus.

CHECK THIS OUT: Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” has been recorded often, and by such greats as Nina Simone and Dusty Springfield, but it’s never sounded more powerful or more poignant than on this voice-and-piano duet by Thomas and Newman.

—Michael McCall, Associated Press