BuzzCuts: New Music

Soulful British singer Amy Winehouse channels the '60s, R&B singer Lloyd delivers a solid sophomore album, rapper Rich Boy is out with his diverse debut, Ojos de Brujo weave a magic spell of hip-hop and flamenco, and folk-rock guitarist Jorma Kaukonen gets spiritual.

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Lloyd, "Street Love"
Rich Boy, "Rich Boy"
Ojos de Brujo, "Techari"
Jorma Kaukonen, "Stars in My Crown"
Amy Winehouse, "Back to Black"

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Rich Boy, "Rich Boy" (Zone 4/ Interscope)

On his Web site, Rich Boy claims his moniker is just a neighborhood nickname and not an upper tax bracket signifier. Yet "Throw Some D's," the ubiquitous first single off the Alabama rapper's self-titled debut CD, oozes with nouveau riche arrogance. He boasts about outfitting a big-money purchase (a Cadillac) with the proper accessory (Dayton rims), declaring: "New money ... / Don't you see the big knot?/ Don't you see the big chain?/ Don't you see the big rims?"

Though nothing else on this otherwise solid disc reaches the anthemic heights of that radio hit, it's not for lack of effort. Rich Boy sinks his twangy, staccato boasts in an impressive array of beats produced largely by Polow Da Don and Brian Kidd. "Get to Poppin"' is a Timbaland-esque thumper with a sinuous Spanish-language vocal sample. The Lil Jon-produced "What It Do" is strip-club fodder, rumbling along to double-time congas. And "Lost Girls," sways to a reggae lilt while Rich Boy offers unexpected cautionary tales about women corrupted by lust and materialism.

That latter song, along with the urban angst of "Ghetto Rich" featuring John Legend, is proof that Rich Boy's got more on his mind than just the spoils of new-found wealth. (Brett Johnson)

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Ojos de Brujo, "Techari" (Diquela Records/Six Degrees Records)

Cross-cultural musical hybrids are more popular than ever in a world where everything is but a click away. Yet for all the mixed in bass-lines and international influences, "Techari," the latest release by Ojos de Brujo (Eyes of the Wizard), remains essentially flamenco: passionate and frenzied.

According to the group, "Techari" means "free, without borders" in a gypsy dialect, and this Barcelona ensemble takes the pure, simple message to heart. The album is a wild, vibrant mix of hip-hop, reggae, jazz and more, with Spanish folk music firmly forming its foundation.

Think rhythmic clapping complementing beat-boxing. Think rapid-fire guitar strumming giving way to Cuban rumba. Think Spanish lyrics delivered in from-the-gut howls over Indian instrumentation. Now add a little DJ scratching.

There are also songs that are lighter, where the voice of lead singer Marina Abad turns airy and just plain lovely.

"Techari" is a surprising delight. This ensemble of musicians somehow manages to meld gypsy allure and contemporary sounds in a way that is, at the same time, entwined and free. (Olivia Munoz)

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Jorma Kaukonen, "Stars in My Crown," (Red House)

At age 66, the man who helped forge San Francisco's psychedelic sound in the 1960s is focused on a wholly different trip.

Jorma Kaukonen is the former guitarist of Jefferson Airplane and co-leader of Hot Tuna who created the acid-tinged riffs of the classic rock hits "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit." These days, he's 10 years sober and lives with his family on a rural Ohio ranch. Musically, he's concentrating on stone-spiritual acoustic tunes that he finger picks with intuitive support from Nashville session stars.

Produced by bassist Byron House, "Stars in My Crown" leans toward acoustic folk-blues with a religious message, mixing age-old tunes by Lightnin' Hopkins ("Come Back, Baby") and Rev. Gary Davis ("There's a Table Sitting in Heaven") with more recent works by Johnny Cash ("The Man Comes Around") and the underrated Roy Book Binder ("Preacher Picked the Guitar.")

Altogether, the songs address mortality with an eye on eternity, and Kaukonen intersperses them with his own meditative instrumental compositions and love songs. His voice, as relaxed and lived-in as old corduroy, sounds like it remembers every mile, yet realizes what matters now is today, tomorrow and forever. (Michael McCall)

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Amy Winehouse, "Back to Black" (Universal Republic)

The very first song on Amy Winehouse's new album, the irresistible "Rehab," may be the one that stereotypes her the most.

"They tried to make me go to rehab I said no no no / Yes I've been black but when I come back, no no no," she scowls on the defiant, delightful track.

There's been plenty of talk in her native Britain about Winehouse's penchant for drink and drug, and her reputation as a troubled soul has often overshadowed her music.

But the marvelous "Back to Black," released for the first time in the United States this week, is the perfect reminder why Winehouse merits attention — not for her barroom exploits, but for her amazing voice and mesmerizing music.

Winehouse's sound evokes the soulful '60s: Her scratchy voice sounds like it could have fronted a girl group like The Ronettes, while her instrumentation recalls the lush, majestic arrangements during Motown's heyday.

It's the lyrics that knock you back to the harsh realities of contemporary life. Winehouse, who wrote or co-wrote all the songs, can sometimes be coarse and shocking — "What kind of (expletive) are you? Side from Sammy you're my best black Jew" goes a lyric from "Me & Mr. Jones."

But what really jars the listener is not the vulgarities, but the pain. It's hard not to feel as if you're not by her side, along with a bottle, trying to find a way to numb life's frustrations.

On "Back to Black," the caricature that Winehouse represents in the press is fleshed out. What remains is a character with many facets: flawed, real, and one you want to keep in your life. (Nekesa Mumbi Moody)

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Previous BuzzCuts: Albums From David Bromberg And Elana James