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The good Reverend, who abandoned sexually-charged soul music in 1976 for the sacred sounds of gospel, made an inspired secular comeback album with 2003’s I Can’t Stop. His latest pairs him again with Willie Mitchell, the producer of such ever-Green hits as “Let’s Stay Together” and “Still in Love with You.” Backed by the New Memphis Strings, Green summons a preacher’s conviction on songs like “Perfect to Me.” And when he tackles affairs of the heart on songs like “Real Love,” his passion is palpable. Mar. 1   

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   

They came on like cartoon hillbillies, rural Ramones, with each member sharing the same last name. Only the Kings of Leon were for real: three bearded brothers—sons of a southern preacher man—and their cousin. The band’s rowdy debut, Youth and Young Manhood, drew favorable comparisons to Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers. The group’s followup is even better, with raw, adventurous tracks like the frenetic “Slow Night, So Long,” the gorgeous “Milk” and the wacky “Razz.” A wild and wooly gem. Feb. 22

Fans of Alan Parker’s 1991 hit film The Commitments will recognize the Frames’ Glen Hansard as the movie’s red-haired guitarist Outspan Foster. But that was long ago, and Hansard and his real-life Irish band have done plenty since to deserve their own recognition, including the formidable For the Birds and Set List, studio and live albums respectively. New music like the soaring melodic pop of “Happy” and the raging alt-rock of “Fake” only strengthens the band’s reputation for thoughtful, emotion-packed songs.

His voice remains as warm and rugged as a well-worn saddle. And his songs still resonate, although he’s singing about bronco riders, the canyons of New Mexico and his beloved “big Alberta sky.” That’s because Tyson, a real working cowboy, never hits a false note when singing about the western way of life. Although he’s rightly revered for his ’60s folk (Ian & Sylvia) and early country rock (Great Speckled Bird), Tyson is now making music that’s strong and true—and maybe better than anything he’s done to date.

Last time around, she collaborated with Beck and Billy Corgan, with mixed results. This time, Faithfull picks the perfect partners for her tortured cabaret-singer persona: iconoclasts Nick Cave and PJ Harvey. Cave contributes “Crazy Love,” with its gypsy strings, and the strange “Desperanto,” which features Faithfull rapping. Harvey produced five songs, including the disturbing “No Child of Mine” and “The Mystery of Love,” which rivals Faithfull’s best work on her 1979 classic Broken English. Chilling stuff.

MacDonald is one of Canadian music’s little-known treasures, a gifted singer whose songs straddle traditional Cape Breton tunes and modern electronic sounds. It’s an engaging, hypnotic fusion that has lent itself to choreography by Les Grandes Ballets Canadiens and remixing by Transglobal Underground. Her latest CD is another strikingly original work, featuring the chanting “Murmur of Pearl,” the jazzy title track and the dreamy “Song for this Child,” with its pulsing rhythms and rich, cascading vocals. Jan. 18

Once again, Gwen tries to inject some hip-hop flavor into her dance-pop sound. But where Love.Angel.Music.Baby. shimmered with the sheen of something fresh, Stefani’s latest is just impossibly dull. The Neptunes-produced tracks are the worst, especially “Wind it Up,” a limp remake of Black Eyed Peas’ horrible “My Humps.” Stefani’s painful attempts at rapping are best avoided and only the Nellee Hooper-produced “Early Winter” and “Wonderful Life” are remotely musical. More sour than sweet, in fact.