Mini music reviews
Ciara
Fantasy Ride
Ride spends a lot of time in the car-pool lane, with guests like Justin Timberlake (”Love Sex Magic”) and Ludacris (”High Price,” a slinky, if lyrically obnoxious, ode to acquisitiveness). Still, her solo turn on the morning-after ballad ”I Don’t Remember” hints at something deeper under the high-gloss sheen. B — Leah Greenblatt
The Boxmasters
Modbilly
Boxmaster Billy Bob Thornton’s recent radio meltdown begged to be heard over and over. The same can’t be said of this unmemorable collection, the band’s third album in less than a year. Note to Hollywood: Keep this guy busier. C — Clark Collis
Ben Harper and Relentless7
White Lies for Dark Times
Harper’s new band makes a fabulous racket, and the singer himself sounds reenergized on the soulful likes of ”Lay There and Hate Me.” B+ — Clark Collis
Yusuf
Roadsinger
The artist formerly known as Cat Stevens hasn’t lost his knack for melody. But with clunkers like ”When I hold your hand I could fly a zillion miles with you,” he could use a lyrical refresher course. B- — Mikael Wood
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band
Outer South
Fans used to the intimacy of Oberst’s earlier work may be flummoxed by the collaborative Traveling Wilburys vibe here, but they’ll find it again on the elegant, mournful ”White Shoes.” B — Leah Greenblatt
Richard Goode
Beethoven: The Complete Piano Concertos
This sublime set reaffirms Goode’s authority with the early Romantics. Each is so lethally realized we nearly overlook the little miracles Ivan Fischer conjures up with the Budapest Festival Orchestra. A — Bryant Manning
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