Wolf Parade, “Expo 86″Sub Pop
Wolf Parade puts forth a nice effort on their third album “Expo 86,” but the Canadian quintet can’t seem to match the distinctively zesty rock it produced on the first two albums. Unlike past efforts, the album fails to contain the signature standout songs that make Wolf Parade’s albums memorable. Instead, the band trades in its impressive, percussion-fueled songs for more conventional-sounding rock. “Expo” is a less cohesive entry in Parade’s catalog, and the tracks may leave listeners pining for the unforgettable drumbeat of “I’ll Believe in Anything” or the sleekness of “California Dreamer.”CMatthew Jacobs 
Jackie Greene, “Till The Light Comes”429 RecordsJackie Greene, who gained national recognition after touring with Phil Lesh and Friends, released this week his sixth full-length album, “Till The Light Comes.” The nearly 50-minute album departs from the ample comparisons of Greene’s early work to Bob Dylan’s style and uses slower-toned blues instrumentation coupled with often floating, Floyd-esqe vocals. Greene nails the upbeat tracks, including the album’s first single “Medicine,” and other songs including “Spooky Tina” and the title track, but the slow-paced ballads can disrupt the album’s pop-blues feel and pace. “Till The Light Comes,” though an enjoyable album, doesn’t quite hit the level of Greene’s previous albums. 
B-
Nicholas Persac
 
Kele, “The Boxer”Glassnote RecordsBloc Party frontman Kele Okereke’s first solo album “The Boxer” is a full leap into the harsh sounds of electronic, house and dubstep dance music. Fans of Bloc Party will find the album different from the spiky post-punk and ambitious anthemics of the band’s best-known work. While the album is excellently produced and the sound meshes well with Kele’s agile vocals, the individual tracks feel less than coherent, lacking the thrilling hooks that he is capable of writing. “The Boxer” is a forceful and aggressive statement, but it is ultimately an interesting, if uneven, opening salvo for Kele.C+Chris AbrshireFlo Rida, “Club Can’t Handle Me” (Single)Atlantic Recording”Club Can’t Handle Me” is the single from “Step Up 3D,” which arrives in theaters Aug. 6. The single has more of a pop flavor than the hip-hop sound of Flo Rida’s latest CD. The song has a club sound, but the chorus slows down a bit. Overall, the song is catchy, and the radio will likely overplay it to death. BCeleste Ansley
 
Christina Aguilera, “Bionic”RCALook who’s jumping on the “it’s an electro-rap, dance-craze comeback” bandwagon. Hitting numerous birds with one 18-track stone, Christina Aguilera sounds almost nothing like her late ‘90s pop star self. With her latest release “Bionic,” she’s been drawing comparisons to other famous ladies like M.I.A. and Sia Furler (both of whom worked on the album with her). All in all, the album is very satisfying but very much feels like listening to songs by other artists with Aguilera screaming with her church gospel vocals in the background. Good, but definitely not great.CJulian TateHerbie Hancock, “The Imagine Project”Hancock Records
Anyone who’s taken the University’s Jazz 1001 course is probably familiar with Herbie Hancock as one of the all-time great jazz pianists. Nearly 50 years later Hancock is still cranking out quality submissions, and his latest offering, “The Imagine Project” is no different. Hancock invites a who’s-who of acclaimed artists to help him cover 10 well-known tracks from music lore. Here you can find Pink, Seal and Jeff Beck belting out John Lennon’s “Imagine” over Hancock’s lovely piano. The album covers the full spectrum, from Susan Tedschi’s ridiculously soulful version of Joe Cocker’s “Space Captain” to Hancock’s jam-tastic rendering of The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows,” complete with a cameo by the King of Jam, Dave Matthews. Half the fun of the album is finding out how Hancock approaches so many famous songs, and he doesn’t disappoint, doing complete justice to entries from the Bob Dylan, Bob Marley and Sam Cooke song books, as well as others.ADavid Helman