Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

Yes, they favor heavy-duty riffage and jackhammer beats. But QOTSA are no hard-rock Neanderthals. There’s an intelligence to Josh Homme’s modus operandi that even pop queens like Nelly Furtado find appealing. The band’s fifth album offers the usual serving of thrashy tracks such as “3’s & 7’s,” the corrosive “Battery Acid” and the frenetic “Sick, Sick, Sick,” featuring the Strokes’ Julian Casablancas. But there are also such softer psych sounds like “Into the Hollow” and the oh-so-sweet-and-sexy “Make It Wit Chu.” June 12

Like Tal Bachman, Adam Cohen and Rufus Wainwright, Titcomb has impressive musical genes (Liam’s father is singer-songwriter Brent Titcomb). Songs like “It’s You” and the title track nod to his dad’s folky influence. But most of this second album aims for a more upbeat stance—with mixed results. Songs like “Nothing at All” and “Life Me Up” strive too hard for commerciality. Better are spirited numbers like “Got a Lot,” co-written with Craig Northey (the Odds), and “That’s All for Now, which truly rock out. June 5   

“Come over to the sick side,” sings Wiley. Clearly his producer, Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, welcomed the invitation to get a little weird and funky on the P.E.I. singer-songwriter’s third album. From the voodoo blues of “One Bad Woman” and the junkyard dub of “Wouldn’t You” to the moody, drum-laden title track, Wiley displays a penchant for not only Dick Dale and Tom Waits but Lee “Scratch” Perry. He also knows his way around sweet ballads like “Back to Bed.” But Wiley’s darker side is the real revelation here. May 29