Amos Lee

Last Days At The Lodge

(Bluenote/Capitol/EMI)

HHHH/ HHHHH

This singer-songwriter has an extraordinary ability to merge soul with hardscrabble folk-blues, the sounds of Marvin Gaye and Al Green with those of Bob Dylan and Ben Harper. Produced impeccably by Don Was with some great musicians helping out such as keyboardist Spooner Oldham (from Neil Young) and Doyle Bramhall Jr. (from Eric Clapton). I love this guy.

Great Big Sea

Fortune's Favour

Warner

HHH/ HHHHH

Alan Doyle supplies plenty of maritime pop rock to guarantee radio play with tracks like Walk On The Moon, Here And Now and Love Me Tonight. And there's lots of Celtic charm with traditional songs like England and Banks of Newfoundland. Toronto producer Hawksley Workman is smart enough to let GBS be themselves but there are a few uncharacteristic clunkers, especially Oh Yeah, the band's attempt at Junkhouse-style rock.

Motley Crue

Saints of Los Angeles

Motley

HHH/ HHHHH

I really tried to dislike this album. I mean, this is the stuff critics are supposed to hate. But just when I seemed to have things under control, a 14-year-old adolescent boy burst out of my chest, dropping giant F-bombs and playing awesome air guitar. Nikki, Tommy, Vince and Mick get all nostalgic for the good/bad old days of Hollywood leather, hair and heels. It is what it is, and Motley Crue does it well.

Ashanti

The Declaration

The Inc./Universal

H/ HHHHH

A clap of thunder, a drum roll, a whirl of violins and then Ashanti's stirring declaration "I'm declaring me." (Not you, not I, but me). We're glad you've finally found yourself, Ashanti. But, please, stop making music like this. There are some good beats here, but Ashanti's true attraction is found in the soft porn of Body On Me (with Nelly and Akon). Hopefully, Ashanti's next declaration will be "I'm devoting myself entirely to my movie career."

Weezer

The Red Album

DGC/Interscope/Universal

HHH/ HHHHH

Rivers Cuomo and company remain relevant by taking geeky pokes at sacred cows like teen rebellion (Troublemaker) and Timbaland (Pork and Beans). Even the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Rolling Stones get a few shots in Everybody Get Dangerous. Parts of this self-titled album (forever to be known as the red one) are hilarious. Others are deeply touching, like Cuomo's admission that Gordon Lightfoot, Michael Jackson and (gag) Debbie Gibson have written some of his "heartsongs."

Graham Rockingham (grockingham@thespec.com, 905-526-3331)