‘DISTORTION’

‘DISTORTION’

The Magnetic Fields (Nonesuch)

Grade: B

Magnetic Fields mastermind Stephin Merritt is a bit of a hard case, albeit it one with a gift for writing darkly droll, difficult-to-resist pop songs. On “Distortion,” Merritt, the auteur behind 1999’s magnificent “69 Love Songs” and 2004’s “lesser i,” has given us another truth-in-titling, high-concept creative exercise. The model for “Distortion” is the Jesus & Mary Chain’s much-loved 1985 feedback blast “Psychocandy,” and as an act of homage, Merritt surrounded every instrumental part on the keyboard-heavy disc in a snowstorm of static. That may sound like an earache-inducing nightmare a la Lou Reed’s “Metal Machine Music,” but here the modest maelstrom acts only as a veil of noise behind which hide some delicious three-minute pop pleasures. The bitter tea is further sweetened by the presence of Shirley Simms, whose dulcet voice on such giggle-inducing stingers as “California Girls” and “The Nun’s Litany” balance Merritt’s sepulchral baritone on the wintry “Mr. Mistletoe” and hilarious “Too Drunk Too Dream.” It takes two or three listens to appreciate this one, but persistence pays off in the end.

— Dan DeLuca, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘LOVE/HATE’

The-Dream (DefJam)

Grade: B

Terius “The-Dream” Nash is the man behind Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and J. Holiday’s “Bed,” two of the year’s biggest hits. Along with producing/writing partner “Tricky” Stewart, The-Dream has fashioned a sound that’s spare, slow, and filled with oddly epic melodies and repetitious vocal phrases. His songs are steely, arranged with flickering synths. Yet, they ooze with a rhythmic flow that’s ever so slightly on the reggae tip. The-Dream commences his debut with tiny soul-filled tunes like the piano-plinking “Shawty Is Da Sh*!” with Fabolous and the moodily misogynistic “I Luv Your Girl.” His slight, high singing/rapping voice finds the eye of the quiet storm every time. But The-Dream also puts on his raspberry beret for the Prince-inspired likes of “Fast Car” and “Nikki,” and brings his best girl Rihanna back for the clicking, whirring “Livin’ a Lie.” Altogether it’s a set of songs you can’t get out of your head.

— A.D. Amorosi, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘SOME PEOPLE HAVE
REAL PROBLEMS’

Sia (Monkey Puzzle/Hear Music)

Grade: B

When “Breathe Me” played under the final scene of HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” Sia made a name for herself, albeit a shortened one (the Australian singer’s full name is Sia Kate Isobelle Furler). She wasn’t a newcomer: She had appeared on albums with Zero 7, and “Breathe Me” came from her second solo album (although her first U.S. one). She’s a veteran, but the new “Some People Have Real Problems” reveals an identity crisis. Currently based in Los Angeles, Sia has a penchant for quirky, bouncy tunes not unlike those of the Bird and the Bee (whose Inara George sings on several tracks). “Academia,” with backing vocals from Beck, is a lilting ditty riddled with mathematical terminology. She can also ache with quiet introspection, like Beth Orton, then turn around and belt out some blue-eyed soul, like Nelly Furtado. The constant is Sia’s voice: sultry, inviting, and not at all problematic.

— Steve Klinge, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘MADE OF BRICKS’

Kate Nash (Geffen)

Grade: B

Last January, the sharp-tongued lass with bouncy beats and across-the-pond buzz was Lily Allen. This year, it’s Kate Nash. Nash, who looks like a Hobbit-size version of Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis, even arrives with the imprimatur of Allen, who helped the 20-year-old singer-songwriter take off by praising Nash on her MySpace page last spring. And to be sure, “Made of Bricks” has its share of hype-justifying moments, like the strummy talking-to she gives a dubious boyfriend on “Foundations” (he proceeds to throw up on her sneakers) and the sing-songy life lesson “Merry Happy.” But while Nash shows plenty of promise, she puts her finger on the problem on “Mariella,” singing “I’m heavy-handed, to say the least.”

— Dan DeLuca, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘GOOD THING GOING’

Rhonda Vincent (Rounder)

Grade: B

The title of Rhonda Vincent’s new album comes from its fourth song, a celebration of domestic bliss in the face of adversity. But “Good Thing Going” could also refer to Vincent’s career, as this set reaffirms the singer and mandolinist’s stature as one of bluegrass’ leading lights. With its blend of passion and virtuosity, the album follows the pattern of Vincent’s recent studio collections. There’s straight-up bluegrass both fiery and sweet; numbers that stray beyond the stylistic boundaries of the form, like the swinging “World’s Biggest Fool”; and a traditional tune, “The Water Is Wide.” The last is a duet with the superfluous Keith Urban, who brings little to the proceedings musically but should at least help spread Vincent’s name beyond bluegrass circles.

— Nick Cristiano, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘ILEMBE: HONORING SHAKA ZULU’

Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Heads Up International)

Grade: C

It might seem impolite to disparage Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s “Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu,” but it would be dishonest to overlook one obvious pitfall of the release: It gets tedious if you don’t speak Zulu, and maybe even if you do. The esteemed and often-honored South African vocal group certainly has its collective heart in the right place by paying tribute to the great Zulu warrior. And the veteran eight-man act will wow listeners with its voices. Although the group has been teaming up with instrumentalists and other singers for decades, Ladysmith Black Mambazo goes strictly unaccompanied on “Ilembe.” At first that seems like a good idea, given the power of opening cut “O Mmu Beno Mmu” (“Somebody and Somebody”), where Ladysmith’s lower-end voices offer thick, anchoring resonance for the gently mesmerizing harmonies. And despite the limitations of an all-a-cappella endeavor, lead vocalist/musical director Joseph Shabalala does use numerous tricks to try to stir diversity into “Ilembe.” The power of these voices is transcendent on a track by track basis, but there’s no getting around their sameness. Inadvertently illustrating that point is the final cut, a revamped, “nature effects” version of an earlier track that pretty much just adds a bird’s voice to the background. Yet the modest addition is improbably striking — and an indication that a little something extra elsewhere could have gone a long way.

— Chuck Campbell, Knoxville News Sentinel