New Music : February 09, 2010 - February 15, 2010

Massive Attacklast "Heligoland"
Well worth the wait featuring original members Robert Del Naja (aka 3D, who is also responsible for the striking cover art) and Grant Marshall, the seminal trip-hop act recapture the glories of their early classics "Blue Lines" and "Mezzanine" on these ten tunes -- four of which were previewed on last year's "Splitting the Atom" EP. The rest of the set sounds just as stellar as that teaser did, enlivened by guest performances from Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star), Martina Topley-Bird (Tricky), Guy Garvey (Elbow), Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the Radio), and Adrian Utley (Portishead). Longtime collaborator Horace Andy is back, too, sounding especially bewitching as he croons amidst the dissonant horns of "Girl I Love You."

Gil Scott-Heron "I'm New Here"
This artist was mixing up socially conscious poetry with hard-hitting funk grooves back when most were tottering around in diapers. Along with The Last Poets, Scott-Heron was a key progenitor of rap music, but until recently, the likelihood of this pioneer releasing new music in the 21st century seemed slim. After a series of setbacks -- including a couple drug possession charges -- the man responsible for "The Bottle" and "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" returns with his first album since 1994. The music, created with XL Recordings head honcho Richard Russell, hints at everything from urban blues to dubstep, but the centerpiece remains Scott-Heron's sage words and arresting baritone, an instrument as striking as Leonard Cohen's.

Josh Turner "Haywire"
This country singer's deep vocals has been compared to Barry White over the years, and his performance on the rollicking "Why Don't We Just Dance," the lead single from "Haywire," will definitely leave romantic souls a little weak-kneed. The second youngest member of the Grand Ole Opry, Turner wrote or co-wrote five of these eleven new selections, including the title tune, "Eye Candy," and "Friday Paycheck." The South Carolina native also sings about fatherhood ("I'll Be There") and faith ("The Answer") on his fourth full-length, and puts his stamp on Don Williams' 1987 hit "I Wouldn't Be A Man."

Sade "Soldier of Love"
Blessed with an instantly recognizable voice, although audiences haven't heard much of it since the world tour in support of "Lovers Rock" concluded back in 2001. As the singer recently remarked, her work is about quality, not quantity: "I only make records when I feel I have something to say. I'm not interested in releasing music just for the sake of selling something. Sade is not a brand." Recorded primarily at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios, features a more eclectic program than some previous albums. While the rich harmonies of "Babyfather" and the hypnotic "Bring Me Home" should appeal to fans of her more laidback grooves, the hard-hitting title track shares more in common with the hip-hop mixes of her 2000 hit "By Your Side" than the smooth jazz-inflected pop that first made the Nigerian beauty famous back in the '80s.

Hot Chip "One Life Stand"
This group has always shown a knack for imbuing even its most unconventional originals with solid pop hooks. Their love for classic R&B audible in earlier efforts like 2005's "The Warning" and 2007's Grammy-nominated "Made In The Dark" is more pronounced here, peppered with enough ear-catching idiosyncrasies to keep things interesting. And even though the guys claim they were also inspired by underground house and techno classics like Derrick May's "Strings of Love" and Farley Jackmaster Funk's "Love Can't Turn Around," the slow and affectionate "Brothers" sounds just as fantastic as the hands-in-the-air fare.