Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

What is it about Manchester bands that create melodically sweet sounds out of depressing subjects? Like the Smiths and the Stone Roses, Doves luxuriate in doom-and-gloom, as evidenced by the group’s appropriately titled first album, Lost Souls. The trio’s latest was recorded partly in pastoral Loch Ness, Scotland, which may explain the album’s more cheerful tone on songs like the guitar-driven “Sky Starts Falling” and the Jam-inspired “Black & White Town.” Clearly, the boys need to get out of Manchester more often. Mar. 1   

Remarkable voice, unremarkable material. Call it the Céline Syndrome. Stott, a farm girl from Brandon, Manitoba, has been dazzling listeners ever since winning her first singing contest at 11. Now 22, Stott is already a veteran, with her second CD on as many record labels. But saccharine songs like “My Real Life” and “Undeniably Real” are about as real as a Disney feel-good movie. “People concentrate so much on negativity,” says Stott. “I want to focus on positive, uplifting things.” Admirable intentions, but boring results. Feb. 22

“Don’t call me hippie cause the way that I look,” sings the dreadlocked Butler on opener “Treat Yo Mama.” Australia’s answer to Ben Harper writes songs about corporate greed, Mother Earth and the resulting karma when the former mistreats the latter. He probably smokes herb and eats granola as well. But Butler has much to recommend, including a flair for country-blues guitar and catchy reggae tunes like “Zebra.” And he brings a rich soulfulness to his Phish-style jam number “Sometimes” which closes the album. Feb. 22