London,

CDs of the week

Norah Jones

Mariah Carey

Them Crooked Vultures

Leona Lewis

Gwilym Simcock

Mayra Andrade

POP

Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures (Sony)
***

Those of you who listen to the eclectic, often excellent digital station BBC6 Music will have heard the debate on what is known in the trade as "side projects".

The general consensus is that, barring a couple of honourable exceptions, the side project is to be sidestepped, particularly if it involves Dave Grohl, the Foo Fighter who appears willing to sign up for every temporary gig in town.

Them Crooked Vultures features Grohl, plus Queen of the Stone Age Josh Homme and ex-Led Zeppelin quiet man John Paul Jones.

The result is what used to be called a power trio, a guitar/bass/drums assault with occasional sonic embellishment but little subtlety. The name of the band sums up the tone - that of a bunch of old pros indulging in lightweight rocking out.

Nothing here is actively bad - tracks such as No One Loves Me & Neither Do I and Mind Eraser, No Chaser are frisky and functional like a reliable old porn star.

But it leaves a niggling feeling of being music that was not crying out to be made. OK guys, time to reconsider the day jobs. PETE CLARK

Mariah Carey
Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (Mercury)
***

Having proved herself in the diaphragm department with her grandstanding old hits, on her 12th album Mariah Carey wants to sound current.

That means electronically enhancing her voice, as on Obsessed. Enjoyable though its uplifting melody is, processing Carey's vocals is like giving plastic surgery to Scarlett Johansson.

In a uniform production job by Tricky Stewart and The-Dream (who created Rihanna's Umbrella) the smoochy R&B continues over 17 songs, characterised by slow-motion hip-hop, subtle piano and layers of vocal tracks.

A closing trilogy of ballads sends us crashing back to the Carey of old. Her robot alter-ego is more fun. DAVID SMYTH

Norah Jones
The Fall (Blue Note)
***

All change. In grave peril of becoming a sleepwalking, supper-club staple (albeit one who has sold 36 million albums), Jones has rattled her own cage.

She has dumped her band, co-written a new song, Light as a Feather, with Ryan Adams and edged towards edginess. If The Fall isn't quite her Suzanne Vega or Bat For Lashes moment, there's no polite faux-jazz here.

It's Gonna Be is led by Burundi-style drums; I Wouldn't Need You is more sensual than she has ever allowed herself to be; and the spartan, clattering but terrific Chasing Pirates is the song of her career and so brave that Kate Bush would surely approve.

Jones's voice can still be child-like but she's finally flexing her wings. JOHN AIZLEWOOD

Leona Lewis
Echo (Sony)
***

Of all the warbling wannabes that Simon Cowell has labelled "world class", Leona Lewis is perhaps the only one to justify such praise.

The 2006 X Factor winner became a star when her 2007 debut, Spirit, topped the charts in both the UK and US.

With the bar set so dauntingly high, you can understand why her record company has taken no chances with the Londoner's follow-up.

Drafting in a crack team of songwriters including Justin Timberlake, Echo ticks all the usual Lewis boxes: glass-shattering power ballads (Alive), sure-fire hits (Naked) and a senseless massacre of an indie anthem (Oasis's Stop Crying Your Heart Out).

This is the sound of pop music at its most ruthlessly efficient. RICK PEARSON

JAZZ

Gwilym Simcock
Blues Vignette (Basho)
****

Britain's rapidly maturing jazz maestro refuses to be categorised. Greig's piano concerto sits comfortably between fluent originals on this ambitious double album, his most impressive work yet.

Heard solo, with strings and in a trio with drummer James Maddren and Russian bassist Yuri Goloubev, his playing pulses with life and covers a wide emotional range.

Some listeners liken him to fellow Brit John Taylor but his combination of lyricism and surging vitality more strongly suggests Chick Corea and the late Michel Petrucciani.

And in his spare time, this world-class improviser also plays some nimble French horn.

WORLD

Mayra Andrade
Storia, Storia... (Sterns)

Mayra Andrade, a beautiful young singer from Cape Verde, made a stunning impact with her debut album, Navega, and picked up a BBC award before appearing at a gala concert at the Proms in 2008.

This follow-up album is good but not as striking as her first.

It's strongly Brazilian in character - not surprising given Cape Verde's position as a Portuguese staging post between Africa and Brazil.

What's certain is Andrade has a gorgeous, slightly husky voice that seems more mature than her years (early twenties).

Even if she's slightly over-produced by Ale Siqueira, Andrade is a great new talent on the scene. She plays at the Festival Hall tomorrow.

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

What's on today   What's on tomorrow

Receive our newsletter