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SPIN THIS

Published: May 25, 2007

VARIOUS - ARTISTS:

THE SANDINISTA! PROJECT

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This could easily have been a disaster - individual takes on each of the 36 tracks of "Sandinista!," the Clash's unwieldy 1980 masterpiece.

That it doesn't hold together as a set is almost inevitable. The only unifying force on the original "Sandinista!" was the heavy-liquid production. The production as well as the performances here are all over the stylistic map.

Still, there's hardly a cut that doesn't have something going for it. A healthy percentage of the remakes provide fresh, new perspectives on familiar material; and Katrina Leskanich's (Katrina and the Waves) "Hitsville U.K." lays the Clash's original to waste.

Download this: "Hitsville U.K."

Curtis Ross

FEIST:

THE REMINDER

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At last, there's a Norah Jones for cool people! Canadian singer-songwriter Leslie Feist brings a delicate voice, insightful lyrics and a heartfelt appreciation for jazz to her second album. But Feist doesn't cater to the VH-1 crowd: She's edgier, more willing to take risks and more experimental than musicians like Jones or Diana Krall.

The result is an album that seems simple on the surface but becomes more layered and nuanced with repeat listens. "1 2 3 4," for example, is a deceptively fun song about the disappointments of love and aging ("Sweetheart, bitter heart, now I can't tell you apart").

"The Reminder" is a spectacular album, one that rewards listeners. Feist may never be as famous as Jones, but "The Reminder" should bring her some well-deserved attention.

Download this: "1 2 3 4"

Dave Simanoff

KURT ELLING:

NIGHTMOVES

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There aren't many men making a living as jazz vocalists these days. That Kurt Elling has been a success for years is a testament to his vocals and musicianship.

Elling has presented himself as a jazz beatnik; his lyrics can take hip poetic directions that mimic the writings of the Beat Generation. But his latest release is more subdued and straightforward, and Elling's lyrics tend to be pedestrian and wordy.

Throughout the disc, however, Elling shows his intellect, sensitivity and rich vocals. He takes poems by Theodore Roethke and Walt Whitman and turns them into quasi jazz numbers. Both pieces are interesting, creative and challenging.

Download this: "Where Are You, My Love?"

Jose Patino Girona