Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

It can’t be easy being the son of Leonard Cohen—especially if you fancy yourself a singer-songwriter. Adam Cohen discovered that in 1998, when he released his self-titled solo debut, a collection of jazz-influenced pop songs of (what else?) romantic angst, to lukewarm response. He’s now back with two albums, the French-language Melancolista and this pop collection with his band, Low Millions. Perhaps this time, with his appealing voice and exceptional, hook-laden songs like “Julia,” he’ll have better luck.

Released to coincide with the U.S. presidential election, Emotive, by alt-metal rockers A Perfect Circle, takes aim at George “Dubya” Bush and his pro-war policies. Most of the covers of peace anthems, such as John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On,” miss the mark with their dark treatment. And the band’s own “Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drum” is especially grim. But at least one track hits the target: a moving, acapella version of Joni Mitchell’s “Fiddle and the Drum.”

He made headlines this fall for calling paparazzi “vile pigs” and accusing Madonna of lip-syncing. But the real news is that sober Sir Elton is back in musical form. His latest, recorded in his home base of Atlanta, features a southern feel reminiscent of Tumbleweed Connection. Songs like the country-flavored “Porch Light in Tupelo” and “Turn the Lights Out When You Leave” and the tender love ballad “My Elusive Drug” rank among his best in years. While he still has his drippy moments, this is mostly vintage Elton.

Blessed with one of the best set of pipes in pop, Ronstadt has tried on as many styles as the Grammys have categories. Since 1967’s country-rockers the Stone Poneys, she’s tackled pop, new wave, opera, Broadway and traditional Mexican songs. Previously, her work on American standards had mixed results. But she succeeds here with this small-combo affair, featuring such guests as trumpeter Roy Hargrove, breathing new life into Cole Porter’s “Miss Otis Regrets” and the Julie London-popularized “Cry Me a River.”

Seems the pride of Timmins, Ont. can’t decide on who to party with. Twain’s collection of career blockbusters (nothing from her 1993 self-titled debut) features two versions of the limp new single “Party for Two,” one with Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath and the other with country newcomer Billy Currington. Perhaps it’s hubby Mutt Lange’s propensity for rock, or else the label’s interest in covering two marketing demographics. Either way, the party’s a bit of a bust. Contains two other new songs: “Don’t!” and “I Ain’t No Quitter.”

With Bono in summits with global leaders on AIDS and Third World debt, it’s no surprise that U2’s latest should carry such a weighty title. The Irish men have come to be known for the grand gesture. “Vertigo,” the first single from the band’s 11th studio album, is an urgent, guitar-driven rocker about the dizzying state of the world and the need for human connection. Produced mostly by Steve Lillywhite, who worked on U2’s first three recordings, the album promises a return to the raw energy of the group’s early sound.

This four-CD box set of bluegrass is the perfect gift for anyone who was smitten by rootsy sounds of O Brother Where Are Thou? Spanning eight decades, from Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers’ 1925 track “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down Blues” to the Dixie Chicks’ 2002 number “Tortured, Tangled Hearts,” it’s an exhaustive summary of high lonesome sounds. Standout cuts include Bill Monroe’s original “Blue Moon of Kentucky” and The Byrds’ previously unreleased gem “Black Mountain Rag.”

This seasonal CD reflects the best of the Ladies, who are joined by Sarah McLauchlan on “God Rest You Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings” and crooner Michael Bublé on “Elf’s Lament,” one of several new numbers by Ed Robertson. Along with Hanukkah songs and some quirky instrumentals, the surprises include Steven Page’s stirring take on “Auld Lang Syne,” an emotional version of the Band-Aid song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and a hilarious remake of “Deck the Halls” involving four famous rock stars.

Wanda Jackson was a maverick, a fiercely independent woman who broke the music industry’s gender barrier in the ’50s, dated Elvis Presley and inspired Elvis Costello. This album features covers of songs written by and associated with the Queen of Rockabilly. Although male artists weigh in, the best tracks are by Kelly Hogan (a torchy “Right or Wrong”), Neko Case (a spirited “Brown Eyed Handsome Man”) and Candye Kane (a raunchy “Rock Your Baby”), who all sound like Jackson’s uncompromising soul sisters.

For 35 years, Donnie “Mr. Downchild” Walsh has led his Toronto blues band, weathering members’ deaths (including his brother Richard “Hock” Walsh’s) and pop’s ever-shifting winds. It’s a sterling track record. Having inspired the famous Blues Brothers, Walsh easily could rest on his laurels. But his band’s 14th album finds him still cranking out fresh, full-blooded blues originals like “Sad Sad Day” and “Tonight I Want to Dance with You,” joined by guests James Cotton and Jeff Healey. An inimitable institution.