BRAZILIAN GIRLS

"New York City"

(Verve Forecast)

With a couple of releases already under their belt, the eclectic Brazilian Girls don't sound quite so random with their new "New York City." That's partly because the element of surprise is diminished -- fans of the New York-based trio know to expect the unexpected -- and partly because they sound more cohesive on the new release than on their self-titled debut and subsequent "Talk to La Bomb."

Except for the six-plus minute free-form track "Internacional," the Brazilian Girls aren't as self-indulgent on "New York City" as they have been. Fortunately, they're as self-assured as ever, which plays out convincingly on exotica-steeped cuts such as "Strangeboy," "I Want Out" and the off-kilter celebration of joi de vivre, "St Petersburg."

Lead singer Sabina Sciubba (an Italian/German, incidentally) is sublime as the multinational mouthpiece, a queen of coo who gives an exponential boost to the surrealism of the arrangements of Didi Gutman's keyboards and Aaron Johnston's drums.

Naturally this band veers into several directions, but they do so with more of a sense of purpose than in the past. They give grainy punch to the rocking hook of "Losing Myself," make sultry work of multiple languages on the escapist cabaret of "Berlin," lilt into propulsive electronica on "Nouveau Americain" and bring "Good Time" to a head with a festive group chorus.

On the latter track, the Brazilian Girls ask the question, "Who doesn't want to have a good time all the time?" And as if in answer, they consistently provide one on "New York City."

BUFFALO KILLERS

"Let It Ride"

(Alive)

What's behind the flat, accusing stare of zombies? (The slo-mo George Romero kind, not the "28 Days Later" turbo kind.) Do they feel joy and/or anguish, or are they just indifferent? Do they think about anything other than themselves as they stumble out of pace through their wretched existences? When they seek brains, are they merely feeding, or are they eager to convert more zombies? Does the experience of being a zombie vary from one to the other, much like the definition of a "good" drug trip versus a "bad" drug trip? Most important, do zombies have songs running through their heads? Because if they do, those songs would probably sound like Buffalo Killers' "Let It Ride."

The Cincinnati trio of brothers Zachary (vocals/bass) and Andrew Gabbard (guitar/bass) plus drummer Joseph Sebaali burns through mind-bending 1970s-style psychedelic blues-rock. It's distorted and wobbly, and despite Sebaali's often-manic rhythms, the group generally sounds addled by lazy, albeit effective, vocals that may or may not have lyrical purpose. The tattered and fragmented sound is compelling in its rawness, especially on hallucinatory cuts such as "It's a Shame," "On the Prowl," "Get Together Now Today" and the title track.

Take into account the band members' painted-on eyes on "Let It Ride's" cover and the ominous final line -- "I can do nothing to save you" -- and this could well be an effective tool for the recruitment of a Buffalo-Killers type of zombie.

And once they've seared their sound into your soul, it just might take a bullet to the head to free you.

LLOYD

"Lessons In Love"

(Universal Motown)

Lloyd has already established himself as a successful crooner: He's hopped on numerous hooks, teamed with Ashanti for a duet and had a major hit with Lil Wayne.

Lloyd makes a valiant effort to keep up the momentum as R&B's love doctor on his third release, "Lessons In Love." But he lacks the magic found on his past albums, "Southside" and "Street Love."

Lloyd rides solo for most of the album, except for his first single on which he reteams with Lil Wayne on "Girls Around The World" -- a catchy record sampled from Eric B & Rakim classic "Paid In Full." It's is reminiscent of "You," a song that both made a huge success in 2006.

Lloyd tries to come into his own on smooth ballads like the Bryan-Michael Cox-produced song "Year of the Lover" and "I Can Change Your Life," a piano-driven song on which he aims to sway a lady from her unstable relationship. Yet, both tracks lack the infectious hit capability as past hits like "Get It Shawty."

CHECK OUT THIS TRACK: On "Party All Over Your Body," Lloyd's smooth and hazy voice paints a picture of seduction on the Polow Da Don produced track.

JOHNNY FLYNN

"A Larum"

(Lost Highway)

A 25-year-old acoustic busker from England, Johnny Flynn foreshadows his intent with the odd title of his debut album, "A Larum," copped from an obscure 1602 play, "A Larum For London." An accomplished Shakespearean stage actor, Flynn brings a literary bent to his lyrics and a traditional English folk foundation to his sound.

But the charming singer-songwriter also bears a populist's heart, and his songs have a Dickensian tone that dispels materialism in favor of focusing on communal joy and shared ideals. Acoustic based, most of his songs carry a high-spirited energy and a playful sense of wordplay. His arrangements are reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen's "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" in the punchy way they add life to non-amplified music, but his lyrics and instrumentation own an old English sensibility similar to that of Ray Davies at their most pastoral.

Although steeped in folk music, there's nothing old-fashioned about Flynn's music. His catchiest tunes -- "Tickle Me Pink," "Leftovers," "The Box" -- feature a fresh point of view all his own. He's not as wholly formed yet with ballads -- the American-styled "Brown Trout Blues" works better than the somber "Hong Kong Cemetry." But Flynn's humanity and unpretentious intelligence gives his music a rare and compelling appeal.

CHECK THIS OUT: "Tunnels" strips the sound down to Flynn's voice and unusually driving guitar style, showing how musical and uplifting his songs can be even at their most elemental.

MIKE GORDON

"The Green Sparrow"

(Rounder)

Mike Gordon doesn't need Phish to be great.

He's proved it again with "The Green Sparrow," another successful solo record that establishes Gordon's post-Phish career as arguably the best, and definitely the most diverse, of his bandmates.

"The Green Sparrow" has the trademark quirky Gordon songs, talking about strange voices in his head and disappearing off the grid. But this album also rocks.

Gordon helps fuel talk of a Phish reunion with guest appearances on two tracks by his former bandmates Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell. They're one Phish drummer short of a reunion on "Traveled Too Far." But that slot is ably filled by former Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann.

Phish fans will have plenty to decipher here. On "Dig Further Down," one of the Anastasio-assisted tracks that really rocks, could Gordon be talking about his guitarist when he sings, "I'm finding the life you live to be unsound"?

Anastasio appears to have turned his life around, recently completing a drug counseling and treatment program after pleading guilty to a felony charge for possessing painkillers without a prescription.

Ever since he got out, he's been dropping hints about bringing the band back together.

But enough about Trey. It's time for Gordon to shine. Let's just hope for his sake enough people see through the Phish fanaticism and appreciate what he's done.

CHECK THIS TRACK OUT: "Andelman's Yard" is as solo as it can get, with Gordon playing every instrument, including a swirling bass line that zigs and zags, jumps and curls in unexpected places. Placed in the middle of the record, it's the heart of "The Green Sparrow" in more ways than one.

CARRIE RODRIGUEZ

"She Ain't Me"

(Manhattan/Back Porch)

Once a fiddler who did some singing, Carrie Rodriguez has become a singer who plays a little fiddle.

The classically trained Rodriguez's second solo album, "She Ain't Me," showcases her growth as a vocalist. She still sings with a slight Texas twang, but when her intonation goes wayward it's effective rather than annoying, and her voice has blossomed into a versatile, nuanced instrument that's equally appealing on a swaggering rocker or love lament.

"Rag Doll" opens with Rodriguez singing falsetto, accompanied only by her tenor guitar, and it ranks among the album's highlights. She mimics her fidgety fiddle on "Absence," then wails -- with harmonies by Lucinda Williams -- on "Mask of Moses." And Rodriguez blends beautifully with Gary Louris singing two tunes they co-wrote.

"She Ain't Me" is best when the arrangements are sparse. Producer Malcolm Burn occasionally applies too much sweetener, and another quibble is Rodriguez's R-rated naughty talk on "Let Me In," which she fails to sell. But those are minor transgressions, and it's clear Rodriguez is a major talent.

CHECK THIS OUT: Backed by Aoife O'Donovan's harmony singing, Rodriguez's feathery vocals make the love song "Grace" sound like a prayer.

GRETA GAINES

"Whiskey Thoughts"

(Justice/Fontana)

Greta Gaines transcends the cliched surface trappings of her "Whiskey Thoughts" to deliver something gutsy and satisfying.

Forgive the former snowboard champion and mother of two a title like "Whiskey Thoughts" and, even worse, dividing her release into the hackneyed classifications "drivin' songs" and "cryin' songs." The occasional singer/songwriter returns from a couple years' hiatus from her hodgepodge music career with a soulful "hippie country" release that bridges country, adult-alternative and traditional rock. Think Sheryl Crow with hoarseness.

The simmering lust in Gaines' voice on the title-track opener doesn't slow down the uptempo pace and hook-laden construction as she sings, "I'd stop a train just to watch you get off." By contrast, she adds wistful romance to the sexual charge of "Dirty Blonde," singing, "Don't wanna be here only when you're feeling dirty for a real dirty blonde."

She also has a playful side that surfaces on the explosive "Braggart" (which she dedicates to those who would "rather climb a tree and tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth") and on the sing-along "L is 4 L-O-S-E-R," which includes a droll spoken part. Also, Gaines is seriously gorgeous in the ethereal strains of "Armageddon Love Song (Under a Texas Sky)" as well as on the somber "Say Grace," where she sings, "It's hard to shake my faith, but it's fading away."

Unfortunately, a duet with Raul Malo, like many duets, doesn't meet its potential, and "The Willie Waltz," which is noted as "featuring Willie Nelson," deceptively neglects to add "on guitar" (rather than on vocals) to the Nelson credit. "Whiskey Thoughts" also sags toward the end, when inspiration seems lacking.

Nevertheless this earthy effort embodies a broad range of style and mood far beyond some inebriated gal merely talking off the top of her head.

NIM'S ISLAND

(2008, 86 min.)

Dirs.: Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin

Past child star Jodie Foster and Hollywood's current go-to girl Abigail Breslin team up for this sturdy family adventure adapted from Wendy Orr's novel. Breslin stars as the title character, a fearless young girl left alone on an island after her scientist dad (Gerard Butler) vanishes. In need of a father figure, she strikes up an e-mail correspondence with what she thinks is her literary hero (also played by Butler in fantasy sequences), but her pen pal actually is a neurotic author (Foster) who hasn't left her apartment in ages. The DVD and Blu-ray disc come with a huge selection of deleted scenes, three featurettes and commentary from Foster, Breslin and husband-and-wife directors Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett. DVD, $29.98; Blu-ray, $39.98. (20th Century Fox)