CORNEILLE The Birth of Cornelius A major star in France, this Rwandan-raised crooner makes his English-language debut with a glistening collection of sexy, sophisticated soul-pop that'll win over fans of both Seal and George Michael.
NEKO CASE Middle Cyclone There is something sinister about the seductive powers of this singer-songwriter (and sometime New Pornographer) with the Patsy Cline voice. It makes this alt-country disc unsettling in all the right ways.
K'NAAN Troubadour K'NAAN recalls the struggles in his native Somalia with vivid lyrics that are rapped and sung. He's just as versatile stylistically, going from hard-hitting reggae ("I Come Prepared") to headbanging rock ("If Rap Gets Jealous").
