Diplomats of Solid Sound
The Diplomats of Solid Sound featuring The Diplomettes
Pravda Records

This Iowa City outfit started out as soul/R&B instrumentalists — think The MGs and also Motown’s legendary house band, The Funk Bros. Now the quintet has added a vocal trio — Sarah Cram, Katharine Ruestow, and Abbie Sawyer — to take the retro-to-the-future style in more directions. They open with the instrumental “Plenty Nasty,” featuring saxmen David Basinger (baritone) and Eddie McKinley (tenor), as well as Nate “Count” Basinger’s Hammond B3 Organ swirl. The the vocals kick in, highlighted by tracks that include the wry invitation of “Come in My Kitchen” and a spot-on cover of Carla Thomas’s “B-A-B-Y.” Full of swing and grooves a-plenty, this shouldn’t be missed.

Airborne Toxic Event
Majordomo/Shout Factory

This indie releaase by the Los Angeles-based Airborne Toxic Event was recently reissued in an impressive debut recalling Arcade Fire along with heated Brit rock as well, with the vocals cracking and earnest, like Conor Oberst when he’s amped up, with a touch of The Clash too. The use of strings and keyboards, at times, contrast the rock dynamics for sound that will reel you in and not let go. Among the key tracks are the hopeful rise of the opening “Wishing Well,” the agitated “Gasoline,” the push-and-pull, sly “Happiness is Overrated,” pulsing, moody “Sometime Around Midnight,” and Joy Division/New Order-styled throb of “Innocence.” Not to be missed.

Joe Bonamassa
Live From Nowhere in Particular
Premiere Artists

A big-sound boisterous blues-rocker, Joe Bonomassa’s live shows generally transcend his studio work. This two-CD set doesn’t hit the mark consistenly, but he still tears it up with blistering fretwork, mixing original numbers with covers that illustrate his varied influences beyond just the blues. This is especially so for a medley on the second disc of Jethro Tull’s A New Day Yesterday in Yes’ “Starship Trooper/Wurm.” In fact, he’s opened for Tull and has been annointed by Ian Anderson as a talent, so there you go. He also takes on “Just Got Paid” into Led Zeps’ “Dazed and Confused.” Other stand-outs include “Walk In My Shadows” and “Another Kinda Love” on CD 1, and an acoustic version of “If Heartaches Were Nickels” on CD 2. Perhaps not the ultimate live set his fans have been waiting for, but a great introduction to a too-overlooked artist.

Arden of Eden
Love Street
Feelin’ Groovy Records

The pop-infused rock of Arden of Eden is terribly catchy and might leave you humming some of the tunes on this debut. The top tracks include the Bangles-ish “One More Day” (which could be a hit if it gets a break at radio), the cooing “In Your Head,” and slinky slow grind of “Mississippi,” which features Keb’ Mo’. She also turns in a delicate and winning cover of Richard Thompson’s “Dimming of the Day.” The sound and style is very polished and crafted but never loses sight of the songs at the core. And despite her girlishness, she’s no pop star dolly — not at all. Power-poppish doll, maybe.

Amy Kuney
Birds Eye View

With a husky voice and baroque-pop style, Amy Kuney will appeal to fans of Aimee Mann and Shawn Colvin too. The winsome “Simple Things” is a greet-the-day morning song, while “Angel Tangled in the Telephone Lines” has a bittersweet air of regret, and “Love is Trippy” is a Beatles-influenced ditty, though her vocal delivery remains irony-dipped. The folky strum of “Time Machine” is very campfire/coffeehouse, and the closing title song is a forlorn acoustic waltz.

Charlie Walker Band
The World and Things
Lucky 13 Records

It’s bluestime on the R&B tip, with the Charlie Walker Band out of Milwaukee. His combo miens those grooves, and while it’s pretty traditional in approach, you’ll still tap your toes and maybe get up to move. With Shanna Jackson out front on doncha’-mess-with-me vocals, bandleader Walker takes a stellar sax spotlight (he also plays keyboards), and the band gets slinky for “Outta Mind.” The irresistable “Hand Clappin” is a rev-it-up instrumental, while “Mil town Blues” is a pumpin’ harmonica-pushed Chicago-style shuffle with some tinklin’ ivories too. And “Queen Bee” will sting ya sooo good.

Scott Ainslie
Thunder’s Mouth
Cattail

Guitarist and singer Scott Ainslie works soulful blues here, starting with a cover of JB Lenoir’s “Down In Mississippi,” followed by a take on Son House’s “Grinnin’ In Your Face.” Ainslie puts his on stamp on both, sort of laid-back yet dynamic to draw you in. Even the often-covered “Dust My Broom,” which is still pretty much definitive in the Elmore James version of the Robert Johnson song, gets a solid reading here. The originals aren’t quite as strong but work within the context of the other material, which include a rendition of Tom Waits’s “Little Trip To Heaven.”

Diane Marino
Just Groovin’
M&M Records

A Big Band/Lounge take on songs from the 1960s. This almost a little too Vegas-cliche at times but stylized singer and pianist Diane Marino eventually wins you over, working from Billy May/Nelson Riddle-inspired arrangements. Marino is swingin’ easy for “Baby I’m Yours” and duets with The Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere on tip-toe treatment of his band’s “Groovin’.” Tenor sax man, Kirk Whalum, guests on “Dedicated to the One I Love,” and Trombone player Wycliffe Gordon appears on melencholy “Anyone Who Had a Heart” and “Hello Stranger.” It’s a little cheesy, but sometimes a Velveeta crockpot dip is comfort food, y’know?