London,

CDs of the week

Cat Power: Mournful, mesmerising voice

Lupe Fiasco: Musically fearless

John Taylor Trio: Under-appreciated

Moving Hearts: Strong dance tunes

A collection of covers from Cat Power, hip-hop's most thoughtful voice, Lupe Fiasco, and jazz from the John Taylor Trio.

POP
Cat Power
Jukebox (Matador)
****
If she hadn't told us, people might not have noticed that Chan Marshall's latest album as Cat Power is another collection of covers. As with The Covers Record of 2000, little is overfamiliar, and even better-known tracks such as Theme from New York, New York and Joni Mitchell's Blue are so overhauled they're new creatures. With her Dirty Delta Blues Band, she creates a swampy soul sound, with Hammond organ and funky guitar, and though it's one-paced, her mournful voice is mesmerising. The highlight, ironically, is the one original, Song to Bobby, suggesting Marshall is on the way to joining the greats she toys with. DAVID SMYTH

Lupe Fiasco
The Cool (Atlantic)
****
Despite the punch of his debut, Food & Liquor, the former Wasalu Muhammad Jaco is probably still best-known for his verse on Kanye West's Touch the Sky. Nevertheless, the Chicago rapper is becoming hip-hop's most thoughtful voice. Fuelled by the death of his father and jailing of his business partner, The Cool features guests such as Snoop Dogg, Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump and Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme on an album taking in Iraq, cheeseburgers, ghetto madness, crack and self-lacerating self-analysis. This is no celebration of bling and loose women but a literate, musically fearless collection. JOHN AIZLEWOOD

JAZZ
John Taylor Trio
Whirlpool (CamJazz)
****
Time flies in the jazz world, and at 65 John Taylor has seniorstatesman status. Under-appreciated at home yet long lionised in continental Europe, the Mancunian pianist is at his best here. Beside him, Sweden's double-bass virtuoso Palle Danielsson shows the empathy that commended him to Keith Jarrett, Michel Petrucciani and Bill Evans, and Martin France is tastefully unobtrusive on drums. No hamfisted rabblerouser, Taylor is a seeker of beauty who grows ever closer to the refinement, lyricism and sensitivity that made Evans his guiding star. This world-class trio plays the Vortex on Monday and Tuesday. JACK MASSARIK

WORLD
Moving Hearts
Live in Dublin (Rubyworks)
***
It was singer Christy Moore and bouzouki player Donal Lunny who established Moving Hearts, from 1981 to 1985 one of Ireland's top bands. Their fourth and final album, The Storm, was a glorious instrumental send-off that has become a classic, and it was clearly an enthusiastic crowd that greeted last year's reunion in Dublin. Here they open with strong dance tunes driven by punchy bass and drums but it's the uilleann pipes and flute of Davy Spillane that are most memorable, particularly in Tribute to Peadar O'Donnell, and the throaty sax of Keith Donald in Finore. They play the Festival Hall on 26 January. SIMON BROUGHTON

Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.

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