Whether covering Robert Johnson, Joni Mitchell, Hank Williams or The Monkees (Boyce and Hart), Cassandra Wilson’s sultry, commanding voice has always worked effectively set against spare, moody backdrops.



In this collaboration with Wilson, T-Bone Burnett freshens and clarifies the setting but he doesn’t tinker with that winning formula established by Craig Street on Wilson’s startling 1993 debut, Blue Light ‘til Dawn (Blue Note 81357).

Clearaudio couldn\\'t have gone into the record business to provide software support for its line of turntables. There’s no shortage of new vinyl in 2006. Perhaps the album’s producer is a friend.



Whatever the motivation, the company decided to produce a few records recently, including this one, from a trio calling itself B_ella. Sabine Bickel sings and plays acoustic guitar, Martin Schütz the “other guitars,” and Roland Havranek, double bass.

The latest Sigur Rós album is yet another soundtrack to an imaginary movie you’re asked to create in your own head. The swelling orchestral resolves mostly corral you into thinking goodness and heavenly inspiration with singer "Jonsi"’s high pitched child-like (and sometimes cat-like) vocals sung either in a language of his invention and on some tracks for the first time actual Icelandic, making it easier for your personal invention as you’ll have no idea what he singing about. Not that it matters. The group’s music wears its mostly uplifting emotional heart on its sleeves.