OUR CRITICS’ WEEKLY PICKS IN ENTERTAINMENT
1 Madonna “MDNA” The Iron Lady of Music ages in reverse on her 12th studio CD. It’s the nonstop dance-pop party of a teen’s dream. If that seems alarmingly “inappropriate” from a 53-year-old mother of four, so much the better.
2 Marisa Monte “O Que Voce Quer Saber De Verdade” On her first album in six years, the Brazilian Ms. Monte proves again she’s one of the world’s most sensually assured singers. The highlight? The enraptured cover of Jorge Ben’s “Descalco No Parque.”
3 Zeus “Busting Visions” Toronto’s Zeus revives the melodic flounce of ’70s pop rock. Imagine Badfinger elaborated by Queen.
4 The Ting Tings “Sounds From Nowhere” A more accurate title might be “Sounds From Everywhere.” This British synthhappy duo tackles rock, pop, dance and rap on their latest CD. The hysterical wry “Guggenheim” argues, convincingly, that their high-attitude singer Katie White belongs in that very museum.
5 “The Hunger Games Soundtrack” It’s hard to connect the futurist “Hunger Games” to the woodsy, traditionalist ballads that dominate its soundtrack. Regardless, the result provides an excuse to corral flinty, dark and gorgeous pieces from Neko Case, the Civil Wars, the Punch Brothers, the Carolina Chocolate Drops and other woodland smarties.
6 Dr. John “Locked Down” The man born Mac Rebennack revives his heady “Night Tripper” character from the ’60s for this rhythmically adroit ode to New Orleans swamp-funk.
7 The Mars Volta “Noctourniquet” Prog rock’s proggiest band finds a new way to screw with riffs, rhythms and expectations in its sixth venture into the Twilight Zone.
8 Paul Weller “Sonik Kicks” An experimental sprint into German psychedelia from the long-running Brit-rock classicist.
9 Robin Trower “Further on Up the Road” He may be best known for his mid-’70s refigurings of the Hendrix Experience power trio style. But Trower’s albums from the late ’70s through the early ’80s (collected here) push him further still — prodded, at times, by Cream bassist Jack Bruce.
10 Esperanza Spalding “Radio Music Society” Can someone be both an erudite jazz musician and a pleasing pop star? The singing/ bass playing Ms. Spalding proves here that you can have it all.