Dept. of Good and Evil featuring Rachel Z: Dept. of Good and Evil
Savoy Jazz 17630
Format: CD

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Pianist Rachel Z already has nine solo albums under her belt; this, her tenth, follows suit in its inventive compositions and arrangements while branching out in both name and substance. Dept. of Good and Evil is the name of the album as well as of Z’s group. Most of these tracks are covers of "pop and Goth tunes," according to Z, and range from Death Cab for Cutie’s "Soul Meets Body" to Sting’s "King of Pain." Albums mostly comprising covers tend to be trite and poorly done -- most songs’ original versions are usually preferable to imitations, and albums of covers tend to drag on. Here, Z and her Dept. take only the most basic elements of any particular song, and build on them in a unique way, transforming rock and indie songs into symphony-like waves of sound. In fact, in many of these interpretations the originals are hardly recognizable. Z is an immensely talented pianist and composer (she wrote two of the album’s three original tracks), and listening to her play is fascinating. Her arpeggios, chords, and passion are heard clearly, and her Fazioli piano’s reputation for excellent sound is well deserved….Katherine Silkaitis

Kings of Leon: Because of the Times
RCA 88697 03776-2
Format: CD

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Kings of Leon? Yes, please. These longhaired southern rockers, sexy sons of a preacher man, invite us along on the very fun ride of their third album. Opening with "Knocked Up," an epic tale of teenage pregnancy and parental defiance, Because of the Times lets us know right from the start that there’s something achingly real and raw about this band and their style. Their willingness to venture beyond the confines of any particular stylistic niche sets them apart from other indie rockers. "Charmer" is driven by guitar-heavy riffs, and lead singer Caleb Followill’s frenetic vocals literally scream charm, while "On Call" uses reverb-enhanced vocal effects over an impenetrable wall of rock to give a hollow, arena-like quality and the big sound the band clearly strives for throughout most of this album. As one friend put it, "Every song pretty much rocks your face off." Yes, I must agree….Shannon Holliday

Stanton Moore: III
Telarc 83648
Format: CD

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New Orleans drummer Stanton Moore serves up a big greasy gumbo of funky stuff on III, his literally titled third solo release. Jazz, funk, and soul mix to groovilicious effect thanks to Moore’s collaborative chefs, organist Robert Walter and guitarist Will Bernard, who dismiss the notion that too many cooks spoil the broth. And cook they do. The opener, "Poison Pushy," simmers slowly over a low funk flame as Walter stirs in some tasty organ solos. The complex flavors of "Licorice" follow and begin to spice things up, and guest horn maestros Skerik and Mark Mullins add fuel to the fire on "Chilock" and "Big ’Uns Get the Ball Rolling." All the while, head chef Moore is perfecting the sauce, unleashing rapid-fire fills and dropping triplets and second-line chops into the mix. A gritty interpretation of "When the Levee Breaks" serves as an austere dinner bell and hometown homage, until a closing Grace is intoned with the spiritual "I Shall Not Be Moved." Dig in to this deeply satisfying dish -- it’s mmm, mmm, good….Shannon Holliday

Lucy Kaplansky: Over the Hills
Red Hill RHR CD 200
Format: CD

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Maybe you’re like me -- hearing a crisply recorded acoustic guitar open a song, you’re seized with anticipation that the song itself might actually say something. Well, the compositions on Lucy Kaplansky’s new CD, Over the Hills, keep delivering. Kaplansky cowrote five of the ten tracks with her husband, Richard Litvin, and the rest are covers thoughtfully chosen and performed. She warms up Bryan Ferry’s "More than This," lightens Johnny Cash’s well-known renditions of June Carter’s "Ring of Fire," and does a great job of renovating Ian Tyson’s "Someday Soon," its recording by Judy Collins now an aging gem. Some of Kaplansky’s own tunes deftly address such universal themes as losing a parent and watching a child grow. The heart of the attraction is Kaplansky’s lovely voice; unpretentiously musical, it wrenches the heart even at some of its plainest moments. Wise producing and mixing keep her pipes above the many well-played instruments and let her guitar ring through….David Cantor

Anberlin: Cities
Tooth & Nail 73637
Format: CD

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I’m always on the lookout for bands that introduce me to a new collection of music. I found Anberlin at a local record store one Saturday night after my wife and I had picked up new shoes for our two sons. Daddy had to get his fix, and on that night I introduced myself to an American band that could have easily been mistaken for some blokes across the pond. For Cities, vocalist Stephen Christian and his mates have crafted some extremely catchy melodies and drop-dead vocal harmonies. "The Unwinding Cable Car" and "Inevitable" are soaring ballads that lift the soul and send chills down the spine. The sound contributes to these tracks’ emotional weight by offering some of the most crisp, open highs I’ve heard on a pop recording, while the placement on the soundstage of vocals, bass, guitar, and percussion is striking. At times, the angelic sheen collapses under the weight of too many loud pop-punk guitars, the dynamic compression gets hairy, and the result is a muddy collage of vocals and instruments fighting for room on an overcrowded stage. But this doesn’t happen often enough to detract from the considerable talent behind this music….Anthony Di Marco