Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

“This is not the girl you used to know,” J.Lo declares on the title track to her eighth studio album. Since launching her career with an acclaimed performance in the 1997 biopic Selena, the Latina superstar has become a formidable brand, known for fashion and fragrances as well as movies and music. Her personal life—three marriages, including one with Marc Anthony that produced twins, and a failed engagement to Ben Affleck—is also well known. But Jennifer has changed: “It’s been a transitional couple of years for me,” the 44-year-old confesses. “Everything that I learned about myself and love is what [A.K.A.] became.” Those changes mean highly personal lyrics and an urban sound that mixes lu...

With Mariah, it’s always been about the voice. A magnificent, five-octave instrument that can reach the highest rafters without the benefit of Auto-Tune, that voice has graced over a dozen albums and more chart-topping hits than any other solo artist in U.S. history. Which makes the Grammy-winning artist’s 14th recording—even with its odd, overly self-reverential title—a cause for celebration. It’s Carey’s first since 2009’s Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, after which she gave birth to twins Moroccan and Monroe. The new album finds Carey, 44, teaming up with the legendary Stevie Wonder, who lends a harmonica solo to the old-school r&b jam “Make It Look Good,” and rapper Nas, on “Dedicated...

Del Rey channeled sad beauty queens and mystery on her darkly cinematic Born to Die. Here, the modern-day torch siren evokes twisted valley girls and atmospheric jazz on songs like the hypnotic “West Coast” and the eerie “Shades of Cool,” in which she delights that her cool prince “calls for me, and not for you.”

The British teenager formerly known as Jasmine van den Bogaerde became a worldwide sensation with her debut album of indie covers. On her self-penned followup, Birdy proves she’s more than just a vulnerable voice, especially on the sweeping “Wings” and the grown-up “Words as Weapons,” her bold response to a hurtful lover.

He’s a welcome voice of restraint in an age when over-the-top vocals are the norm. Smith has sung his way into the hearts of millions with his gentle falsetto, a tender sound reminiscent of early Boy George. On his debut album, Smith, 22, showcases his knack for convincingly heartfelt songs of unrequited love, especially on the confessional “Latch” and “I’m Not the Only One.” He also knows how to deliver big, soaring gospel-style numbers like “Stay With Me.” Steeped in palpable yearning, Smith’s soft, soulful sound packs a wallop.

Sheeran’s second album includes “One,” his final song about the girlfriend who dominated his first disc. “The rest of X,” explains the 23-year-old English singer, “is about moving on and the incredible experiences I’ve had since then.” Where Sheeran's debut was mostly acoustic pop-rock, his followup is more diverse. The slinky groove of “Sing,” produced by Pharrell Williams, is reminiscent of Justin Timberlake, while the edgy “Don’t” is a payback song about a cheating lover. Best of all is “Thinking Out Loud,” a blue-eyed soul song sung with convincing passion, showing how much the ginger-haired star has grown.

Neil often defies expectations. Here, he releases a collection of tunes by his favorite songwriters recorded in a retro recording booth—with instant, if decidedly lo-fi results. Neil’s fans won’t mind: hearing the legendary rocker sing intimate covers of songs by Bob Dylan and others is priceless. Among the standouts are his takes on Willie Nelson’s “Crazy” and Bruce Springsteen’s “My Hometown.” Best of all are Neil’s versions of Gordon Lightfoot’s classics “Early Morning Rain” and “If You Could Read My Mind.” A tribute from Canadian icon to another.

Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort star as two teenagers who meet at a cancer support group in the movie based on John Green’s bestselling young-adult novel. The film is a feelgood romantic comedy, so the soundtrack wisely features uplifting indie-rock. There’s plenty of young British acts, from Birdy to Jake Bugg, and highlights include “All of the Stars” by English hitmaker Ed Sheeran and “All I Want” by Ireland’s Coldplay-like Kodaline. But two of the best songs come from U.S. bands: Grouplove’s rousing “Let Me In” and STRFKR’s catchy “While I’m Alive.” The 15-track collection is strong enough to stand of its own, even without the movie.

With her blunt fringe, heavy eyeliner and no-nonsense vocals, Hynde was a quintessential rocker fronting the Pretenders. The mother of two daughters—with the Kinks’ Ray Davies and Simple Minds’ Jim Kerr—went on to renown as a staunch vegetarian and animal-rights activist. Now 62, Hynde is back with rock attitude, especially on the feisty “Down the Wrong Way,” featuring Neil Young on guitar. Surprisingly, tennis great John McEnroe also provides guitar on another track. “I wanted to make a power pop album you could dance to—ABBA meets John Lennon,” says Hynde. With infectious songs like “You or No One,” the former great Pretender succeeds beautifully.

Congolese music is characterized by sweet melodies and Latin rhythms. Kabasele gave birth to that sound. This two-CD set reflects the enormous influence he had at home and throughout Africa. Determined to create a non-colonial style, Kallé, as he became known, formed African Jazz in 1953 and began incorporating Afro-Cuban styles like the rumba and cha-cha, giving them a distinctly Congolese spin. Over the next 15 years, Kallé’s band—which featured big names like guitarist Dr. Nico, saxophonist Manu Dibango and singer Rochereau—recorded hundreds of popular recordings. Many are included here, including Baila, boasting Kallé’s appealing tenor vocals, and Table Ronde, with its cascading guitars....