Grade: A- | Genre: Electronic Chill Summary: Thievery Corporation have charted their course in music through creating lush sonic soundscapes to live by. Cosmic Game is their best work since the groundbreaking Mirror Conspiracy and firmly establishes them as the gatekeepers to the kindgom of chill.

When I first heard Thievery Corporation's Mirror Conspiracy during my musical reawakening in 2000, I knew I'd happened across something brimming with greatness. In the span of an album, they defined electronic chill with an uncommon sound that craftily fused world influences (Indian, bossa nova) with traditional mellow trance beats. They recruited the vocal styling of LoLo to verbalize this heady feel and breath it to life. They have returned to the party every year since with a fresh set of thoughts yet none of them have proved as compelling as that first taste that melted into me. They would either loose their grip on their chill (Outernational Sound) or just forget an essential ingredient in the execution (The Richest Man in Babylon). None of these albums were bad, rather they seemed to be neglected stepchildren released from the cellar after years of isolation. They're eyes struggled to cope with the piercing light. Cosmic Game is a welcome return to the formula that initially issued them success, affording us this tantalizing recipe of songs.

	Grade: B | Genre: Trip Hop Summary: "Angel Milk" is music to calm the nerves. It's that sound you hear in the background of a trendy coffee shop that evens the mood and has you in your own world.

Telepopmusik is back with a new album, "Angel Milk," focusing more on their strengths of melody and airy voices while taking a step back to honor the influential sounds of Blues and Big Band Jazz.

	Grade: B- | Genre: Vocal Jazz Summary: Katie Melua is an incredibly talented singer and I can't wait to see her mature into the stellar artist that she is destined to become. Eyeing the future, I hope that she makes better selections with her material that challenge and force her out of that comfort zone.

Katie Melua is a 19-year-old import from the UK (originally from Russia) which slides her soft purring voice into the jazz scene with exquisite style and eloquence. She has garnered considerable acclaim in her home country finding her way to number 1 on the album charts dethroning Dido and Norah Jones respectively. She is just beginning to make ripples stateside. Melua is one of those talented artists (like Sondre Lerche or Vanessa Carlton) who are making their impact felt at a young age. I was just beginning to discover music at 19 while Melua is making music to be discovered.

	Grade: B+ | Genre: Rock Summary: Re-teaming with The Dust Brothers, Beck didn't set out to make "Odelay" part deux, but to reintroduce us to Beck Hanson...the "Loser" that made good and who gave us a "Devil's Haricut." "It's a Latin-tinged tribute to his humble beginnings in East L.A." (Pitchfork)

Ah, the sweet smell of Spring is near. The gray is fading and green is starting to show through signaling a fresh start...a new beginning.

The time is ripe for the coolest white boy*, Beck, to return to his true form with his new album, "Guero." It's been far too long since we've cranked the b-boy beats to "eleven**" and what better way of rushing us towards the summer than Mr. Hanson's own brand of "junkyard funk?"

	Grade: B+ | Genre: Comedy Summary: This is a brilliantly funny stand-up routine by one of the brightest comedic minds performing today. If this disk has a flaw, it's that it closes just when he seems to be kicking it into gear.

	Grade: A- | Genre: Pop / Alt-Country Summary: Rouse's Nashville just edges out his prior greatest achievement Under Cold Blue Stars. He has become a highly skilled songwriter very at ease in his own skin and quite deft in utilizing his excess talents. It is time for him to spill out into the mainstream because this is just too good for him to be kept under wraps any longer.

Josh Rouse initially nudged my attention through the inclusion of his track "Directions" on the Vanilla Sky soundtrack. Cameron Crowe is notorious for his impeccable taste in music so taking a chance on this unknown was virtually risk free. Since that time, Rouse has continued to hone his infectious pop flavored melodies and build a strong yet contained following. Nashville continues his evolution as an artist as Rouse adds just a touch of twang to his usual pop to give us glances at alt-country and layers of classic folk (think Bob Dylan sitting down to lunch with Neil Young).

	Grade: A | Genre: Vocal Jazz Summary: Peyroux is shockingly good in her flawless execution of these classic numbers. She displays an unyielding talent softly searching the corners of its potential. The prospect that we haven't yet seen the full journey she's taking us on is a fascinating thought.

The line of distinguished modern female jazz vocalists is comprised with the talents of Norah Jones, Diana Krall and Cassandra Wilson. Room needs to be made for one Madeline Peyroux. Eight years have passed since Peyroux released Dreamland that fell into the adoring arms of critics and racheted up sales of 200,000 copies with zero hits and a scarcity of radio play. Then she vanished like a mirage to leave us wondering what was that fascinating flash in the dark. Careless Love has materialized in its full beauty to convince us that Peyroux wasn't simply a trick of our overzealous imaginations.

	Grade: A | Genre: Brit Rock Summary: "Some Cities" powerfully swooping tracks serve as a great score to your life.

Finally, 3 years removed from their last release, 2002's "The Last Broadcast," the Doves return to stake their claim as Britain's Band of Consistentcy with "Some Cities." Jimi Goodwin and the Williams twins, Jez and Andy, are back to show us how good...no, how GREAT music is done.

	Grade: B+ | Genre: Light Electronica/Coffee House Summary: An impressive outing by Hed Kandi that will give you an introduction to some artists that need to be making time with your CD player.

Hed Kandi is a record label plying it's trade in the UK that is most readily recognized for their dance/disco compilations. A lesser-known segment is the Winter Chill series, which for those of us who gravitate to the more mellow numbers is more palatable. This is their latest release of this series which comprises a two disk set capturing some well established acts like Frou Frou, Natalie Imbruglia, Mazzy Star and Goldfrapp along with some up and coming talents such as Alpinestars, Eventide and I am Koot. All come together in a beautiful fusion of smooth, featherweight audio designs.

	Grade: B+ | Genre: R&B Summary: Genuine tracks that don't focus on his vocal skills, but his ability to get us involved in his lyrics...nothing complicated, just honest.

Introducing John Legend.

	Grade: B- | Genre: Progressive Rock Summary: If you are patient, there is certainly an ample supple of gems burrowed in here but it's frustrating to see Tori not fully tapping into that potential we know lies smoldering beneath.

	Grade: A- | Genre: Folk Summary: This is an exquisite taste of a great artist in the making.