Double Your Pleasure 
Talking to You, Talking to Me is the second solo record from the Watson Twins, the sister act who came into the spotlight singing backup for Rilo Kiley front woman Jenny Lewis, and it’s stronger than their first. Their soulful harmonies are at the center of a sparkling pop sound that has a Memphis-meets- L.A. texture and hooks that work their charms on you instantly.
Feel the Beat 
Since Hot Chip came on the scene, the band has inspired many imitators of its lo-fi, high-IQ electronica. On One Life Stand, the British group again proves to be a pro at making dance music that moves you and makes you want to move. The songs expertly draw you into their melodic, melancholic loop, but Alexis Taylor’s secretly plaintive vocals add an extra layer of ache.
Girl, Put Her Record On! 
With The Sea, the follow-up to her 2006 debut, Corinne Bailey Rae makes an impressive leap forward. Rae’s husband died in 2008, and here she makes loss a theme, but never a maudlin one. Her ability to write and sing gracefully of sorrow and hope turns the record into modern soul music that channels Curtis Mayfield, Van Morrison, and Minnie Riperton.