Music Reviews

The jazz pianist uses his new record to recall works of yesteryear and simultaneously illustrate his new sense of direction. Jamal isn't playing the way he did 60 years ago, now that he's finished warming up.

The duo incorporates many genre influences to fit its hard-edged pop sound. Critic Will Hermes says the formula still works on Bitter Rivals, which finds the two musicians trying to expand their boundaries even further.

Can the highly publicized band turn its hype into hits? Ken Tucker wants to join the fan club.

Prism features one of the loudest bands of the bassist's career. The pleasures of the groove here are complex and deep — it's not just about moving feet.

Schneider's Burden of Proof is a frequently beautiful, often morose, downcast album. You get the sense that, when he sings about not connecting with someone he loves, he's also singing about not connecting with a bigger audience.

When record producer and songwriter George "Shadow" Morton died on Valentine's Day this year, he left behind a legacy as murky as his nickname, which he got from disappearing on long benders. A new compilation collects Morton's hits for The Shangri-Las, Iron Butterfly and Janis Ian.

Frequently on her new album Timekeeper, Schwartz sounds like a throwback to another era. Her singing sometimes possesses the spirit of a more lighthearted Laura Nyro, and she has a healthy fondness for The Beatles.

The singer's new album is a work of great, accomplished craft about the pointlessness of crafting anything you care about, because the world is just going to ruin it on you.

The British musician is a fast-rising newcomer who's drawn both high praise and vicious pans in his home country. His debut album, Long Way Down, will likely draw similar reactions in the U.S., but the 22-year-old has considerable potential.

The jazz pianist's powerful 1976 album I Remember Bessie conveys a profound sense of loss.