Billboard album reviews: DJ Shadow, Diana Krall

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The ever-mutating DJ Shadow tries his hand with hyphy -- a gritty, uptempo form of hip-hop from California's Bay Area -- on "The Outsider." The album is likely to confuse some longtime followers while introducing him to hip-hop fans with more mainstream tastes. Hyphy heavyweights like Keak Da Sneak, Turf Talk and E-40 are all here, while Q-Tip and Lateef grace the keyboard-driven club banger "Enuff," the most commercial-sounding rap track Shadow has ever released. Elsewhere, David Banner breathes fire on "Seein' Thangs," which lambastes

President Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina, and

Chris Martin vocal doppelganger Chris James emotes effectively on the soaring "You Made It." The sequence is a bit puzzling, with most of the rap songs either at the very beginning or very end, and fans craving the dark instrumentalism of "Endtroducing" are mostly out of luck. But more often than not, even Shadow's most extreme sonic detours hit home.

ARTIST: DIANA KRALL

ALBUM: FROM THIS MOMENT ON (Verve Records)

On 2004's "The Girl in the Other Room," Krall gambled that she would not alienate her standards-adoring fans by offering self-composed songs for the first time. The album triumphed, creatively and commercially, but on "From This Moment On," Krall abstains from originals and returns to the well, delivering a remarkably rendered collection of tunes penned by the likes of Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and the Gershwins. Singing with impeccable phrasing, displaying top-tier piano prowess and enlisting the lush support of the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra for eight of the 11 numbers, Krall exudes spunk and romance. Among the noteworthy tracks are a samba-inflected "How Insensitive" and a lusciously wistful take on "Little Girl Blue." This, her 10th release, marks Krall's finest hour to date and firmly establishes her status as jazz's premier female song stylist.

ARTIST: THE RAPTURE

ALBUM: PIECES OF THE PEOPLE WE LOVE (Universal Motown)

The Rapture led a dance-rock resurgence with club hit "House of Jealous Lovers," a nifty Gang of Four update that brought production duo the DFA to prominence. The DFA is M.I.A. for this new disc, but the Rapture proves that its initial success and sound were no flukes. Production team Ewan Pearson and Paul "Phones" Epworth plus a pre-Gnarls Barkley Danger Mouse capture the quartet at its danceable best. The 10 cohesive tracks launch with a sort of "Suite for Cowbell and Guitar": five epic workouts (including first single "Get Myself Into It" and the title track) melding raw percussion, spiky guitars and urgent vocals. The propulsive beat slows into psychedelia on "The Devil" and "Live in Sunshine," but the album never loses steam. By refocusing on the dance floor, the Rapture remains a step ahead.

ARTIST: JESSE McCARTNEY

ALBUM: RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT ME (Hollywood Records)

Following up a solid debut like "Beautiful Soul" is no easy feat, so

Jesse McCartney's sophomore set, "Right Where You Want Me," has a lot riding on it. By blending his soulful style with suggestive lyrics, songs like "Blow Your Mind" and the title track unveil a more mature sound. Unfortunately, the 19-year-old heartthrob gets caught in a midtempo rut. That's not to say there aren't some stellar tracks among the midtempo masses ("Tell Her," "Feelin' You," "Invincible"). But McCartney is at his best on the playful pop romp "Daddy's Little Girl." With lyrics boasting of how "Daddy's little girl is now my baby," it's obvious that McCartney is ready to shed his nice-guy image.

ARTIST: DAN THE AUTOMATOR

ALBUM: DAN THE AUTOMATOR PRESENTS 2K7 (Decon Records)

For this videogame soundtrack, the erstwhile Automator hosts a veritable "Theme Time Radio Hour" on basketball, filling his bench with a smartly assembled roster that includes Ghostface, Mos Def, Lupe Fiasco and Jurassic 5's Chali 2na. Automator's tried-and-true beats rock the appropriate level of house throughout (especially the Mos-helmed "Here Comes the Champ," with its great halftime-band horns), though there is something anesthetizing about hearing basketball metaphors bricked off the rim so often. Chali 2na, with his great "Lion King" voice, breaks the mold on coolly simmering "Anchor Man," and his declared intent to "night ride like the great

David Hasselhoff" is almost worth the price of admission. But on the whole, this collection is more solid than stellar; more Marbury than Lebron.

ARTIST: BEBO NORMAN

ALBUM: BETWEEN THE DREAMING AND THE COMING TRUE (Essential Records)

Hope and turmoil are two very different forces, yet they beautifully co-exist and poignantly intertwine on this stunning collection of songs. Norman, with co-producer/co-writer Jason Ingram, has crafted an album that explores hope and heartache. He sings of peace and comfort on the gorgeous string-laden ballad "I Know Now," yet he's not afraid to write about the turbulent road and trials encountered on the way. Musically, Norman takes it up several notches on his fifth studio set, venturing away from his signature acoustic sound to deliver a sonic feast replete with strings and horns. The highlights are many, among them "Be My Covering," "Sunday" and "Now That You're Gone." In a warm and strong voice, Norman admits life ain't easy, but listening to this album will make you feel better about the journey.

Reuters/Billboard