record reviews

November 14, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

The Greenhornes

Album: “[Four Stars]” (Third Man)

Grade: A

More people have probably heard of The Greenhornes than have actually heard the Cincinnati band’s music.

Hopefully that’s about to change.

The group that had its rhythm section raided by Jack White for the Raconteurs is back with its first new album in eight years. “[Four Stars]” reunites singer-guitarist Craig Fox with drummer Patrick Keeler and bassist Jack Lawrence, who also is in White’s third band, The Dead Weather.

After years on hiatus, the group reformed this summer and recorded another slab of good-time garage rock. The Greenhornes cop to their love of “Nuggets” and have laid down 12 tracks that fluctuate from earnest love songs to spacey slow jams to hazy pop songs with a lot of straight-forward rocking that spikes the band’s live show with adrenaline.

— Chris Talbott, Associated Press

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Album: “Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn” (Columbia)

Grade: A

The broad reach of Loretta Lynn’s influence is immediately evident in this salute: The all-star roster includes Alan Jackson, Lucinda Williams and Paramore. Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert join Lynn herself in a new version of the title track.

Gretchen Wilson handles Lynn’s advisory to a wayward man in “Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’ [With Lovin’ on Your Mind],” and Jack and Meg White get to the bare bones of “Rated X.”

Most songs here emphasize Lynn’s signature feistiness, but Williams zeroes in on the deep heartache she’s also adept at, choosing Lynn’s hit “Somebody Somewhere [Don’t Know What He’s Missing Tonight].”

— Randy Lewis, Los Angeles Times

CEE LO GREEN

Album: “The Lady Killer”

Grade: A

With “The Lady Killer” (Elektra), Cee Lo Green has secured his place among R&B’s greatest singers — in part by taking their strengths and twisting them into his broader plan.

So far, all the talk has centered around “ — You,” his expletive-filled rant set to an innocent slice of Motown soul crooned as sweetly as Smokey Robinson. The combination is compelling enough to be a song-of-the-year candidate, but “The Lady Killer” thrills don’t stop there.

“Bright Lights, Bigger City” feels like an homage to Michael Jackson, right down to the loping “Billie Jean” bass line. “Love Gun,” a duet with Lauren Bennett, sounds like Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell filtered through Amy Winehouse’s dangerous mind, while “I Want You” takes on bits of Luther Vandross’ smooth phrasing.

Teaming up with Philip Bailey on “Fool for You,” Green brings back the mid-’70s Earth, Wind & Fire R&B vibe. He goes back to Sam Cooke’s early-’60s soul on the gorgeous “Old Fashioned” and the infectious “Satisfied,” which throws in a bit of “Sign o’ the Times”-era Prince for good measure.

But that’s not to say that Cee Lo, best known for groundbreaking work with Danger Mouse in Gnarls Barkley, isn’t still looking to the future. On “Bodies,” he uncoils a murder mystery worthy of “Law & Order” over a trip-hop beat.

After two middling solo albums, Green finally gets everything right on “The Lady Killer.” For him, the third time is definitely the charm.

— Glenn Gamboa, Long Island Newsday

KID CUDI

Album: “Man on the Moon 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager”

Grade: B-

Kid Cudi has fallen in love with the night. While the Brooklyn-based rapper’s debut featured the lighthearted “Make Her Say” and the playful breakthrough “Day ’n’ Nite,” his follow-up is all dark. “Man on the Moon 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager” (Universal Motown) somehow even makes Mary J. Blige sound bleak. Only on the rockish single “Erase Me,” featuring Kanye West, and the driving “Maniac,” with St. Vincent, does Kid break out of the synthesized melancholy haze. “The Legend of Mr. Rager” could use a lot more rage.

— Glenn Gamboa, Long Island Newsday

JETHRO TULL

Album: “Stand Up: 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition” 3 discs (Chrysalis)

Grade: A

“Stand Up,” Jethro Tull’s 1969 breakout, stands up. If “Thick as a Brick” or “Aqualung” annoys, this deserved, celebratory 40th (really, 41st)-anniversary box reminds that Tull was once a hungry, jamming four-piece ensemble, with Ian Anderson pouring out brilliant originals. Disc 1 is “Stand Up” remastered: Tull investigates classical, Celtic, jazz, folk, from “New Day Yesterday,” a clever blues-riffer, to “Bouree,” the Bach takeoff that made the band famous, to “Reasons for Waiting,” proof Anderson can write pretty ballads. “Living in the Past” is here, too, in stereo and glorious mono. It might be Tull’s best-written collection. Martin Barre had just joined as guitarist, which he’s been ever since. He transformed the band’s sound and arrangements, and original drummer Clive Bunker and bass man Glenn Cornick were madly propulsive. Extra tunes are here, plus a four-set BBC fling, complete with tape hiss and in-your-living-room vibe. Discs 2 and 3 offer a wild, thrashing, November 1970 concert at Carnegie Hall (by which time pianist John Evan had joined), with eight tracks not released before. Skip the MP3 of Disc 2, get headphones, and listen to the DVD/DTS of Disc 3 — far superior sound. Too bad there’s no video; half the fun of Tull was/is the stage show. A 45-minute chat with Anderson is informative and piquant. This box, redolent with 1969-1970, gives a long, vivid look at Ian A. and mates in leaping-gnome troubadour white heat. Best of all, it’s got that cool cutout that stands up when you open the front flap!

— John Timpane, Philadelphia Inquirer