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Robin Thicke’s ‘Paula’ is a bland apology to estranged wife

Album of the week Robin Thicke “Paula” ★½ It’s pointless to joke that Thicke is a cornball — that’s his calling from Day 1. The test is what he does...

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Sia’s incessant belting on new album gets tiresome

Album of the Week Sia “1,000 Forms of Fear” ★½ Australian pop singer-songwriter Sia’s singing has always been full of ululations and melisma, but on hits like 2010’s “You’ve Changed” and...

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Jenny Lewis’ ‘The Voyager’ a big production

Albums of the Week Jenny Lewis “The Voyager” ★★½ The former Rilo Kiley frontwoman’s ’70s yacht-rock homages can feel overstuffed, even when short. Like later Elvis Costello, she’ll throw in...

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‘One’ too many for ‘Idol’ winner Caleb Johnson

Downloads of the Week Caleb Johnson “Only One” ★ ½ The 23-year-old “American Idol” Season 13 winner sings like a Chris Cornell-worshiping ham. This machine-tooled power ballad from Johnson’s debut...

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Ariana Grande releases forgettable sophomore album

Albums of the Week Ariana Grande “My Everything” ★★ On her second album, ex-Nickelodeon-turned-pop/R&B star Grande is big-voiced, supple sounding and given serviceable, or worse, material. Big Sean...

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Ryan Adams, Karen O drop new albums

Albums of the Week Ryan Adams “Ryan Adams” ★★★ For years, Ryan Adams’ albums could sound too studied to stick. But his 14th album (and first in three years) is an...

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Luke Bryan’s ‘bro-country’ a big hit with the ladies

They might call what Luke Bryan does “bro-country,” but the overwhelming vibe at Madison Square Garden on Friday night was girls’ night out. Though there were lots of couples, groups...

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Leonard Cohen a young 80 with new album ‘Popular Problems’

Albums of the Week Leonard Cohen “Popular Problems” ★★★ Eighty years old as of Sunday, Leonard Cohen still tours like a college-age punk rocker and writes songs like, well, an 80-year-old...

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New Jason Aldean album bro’s with the flow

Album of the Week Jason Aldean “Old Boots, New Dirt” ★★ People call the stuff dominating Nashville right now “bro-country” not just because its songs tend to be retrograde toward...

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Why Aretha Franklin might be losing respect

Albums of the Week Aretha Franklin “Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics” ★ Once upon a time Aretha Franklin was the greatest singer on earth. On this covers album,...

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Eric Church still a big Boss man

Albums of the Week Eric Church “The Outsiders” ★★★½ Country  music is loaded with smart singer-songwriters right now, and Church’s arena-rock-indebted fourth album, made with his crack band, is the...

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Beck’s ‘Morning Phase’ may put listeners to sleep

Albums of the Week Beck “Morning Phase” ★½ It can seem like no one takes Beck seriously unless he’s being really dull. In that case, this downcast, heavily orchestrated album — his first studio release...

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Dean Wareham shows off darker side on first solo album

Albums of the Week Dean Wareham “Dean Wareham” ★★★ The former singer-guitarist for Galaxie 500 and Luna, Wareham records with bassist-singer wife Britta Phillips as Dean & Britta, but this is a...

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Shakira’s lively 10th album gets pulses pumping

Albums of the Week Shakira “Shakira” ★★★ You’d have to be a Scrooge to hate Shakira — she’s one of the most plainly likable pop stars around, comfortable in her skin and unafraid to try new things. On...

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Brad Paisley returns to country’s simple pleasures

Downloads of the Week Brad Paisley “River Bank” ★★½ After the debacle of last year’s “Accidental Racist,” you can forgive Paisley for reverting to country music’s simpler pleasures. Even the title...

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Alicia Keys slings schlock on the new ‘Spider-Man’ soundtrack

Downloads of the Week Alicia Keys Feat. Kendrick Lamar “It’s on Again” ★★ This soundtrack cut from the new “Spider-Man” sequel (Prequel? Reboot? It’s hard to remember.) is pert, professional, pleasant...

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Usher’s latest teases his upcoming album

Album of the week Tune-Yards “Nikki Nack” ★★★ “Let’s not pretend that the world around us isn’t falling,” Merrill Garbus — a k a Tune-Yards — croons on “Look Around,” from her third album. Her music...

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The Roots rule with emotionally eclectic 11th album

Albums of the Week The Roots “. . . And Then You Shoot Your Cousin” ★★★ They may play with Jimmy Fallon every weeknight, but the Roots’ albums follow no course other than their own. This one, their...

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Miranda Lambert shows her range in fifth studio album

Albums of the Week Miranda Lambert “Platinum” ★★★½ Nashville star Lambert’s fifth album is her most ostentatiously wide-ranging. It’s also long (16 songs, and an hour) and therefore doesn’t pack the...

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New Lana Del Rey album leaves little to remember

Albums of the week Lana Del Rey “Ultraviolence” ★½ The idea that Lana Del Rey’s cinematic retro-pop is unique conveniently ignores everything from Gnarls Barkley to Adele. Mostly, she offers blank,...

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