HONORABLE MENTIONS

E-40, "My Ghetto Report Card" (Reprise)
Dope jokes offensive and funny, pimp jokes offensive and stupid (retain pejorative correct spelling please) ("Gouda," "Yay Area," "They Might Be Taping").

Junior Wells, "Live at Theresa's 1975" (Delmark)
Including a "Snatch It Back and Hold It" that incorporates "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" ("Scratch My Back," "Little by Little," "Happy Birthday").

Kanye West, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (no label)
Get this while you can from the mixtape man no matter how much of it is destined for the real album (Kanye West, "Can't Tell Me Nothing"; Bentley Feat. Pimp-C and Lil' Wayne, "C.O.L.O.U.R.S").

Jill Scott, "Collaborations" (Hidden Beach)
A little writing help from her friends ("8 Minutes to Sunrise," "Daydreamin'," "Good Morning Heartache").

Peter Bjorn and John, "Writer's Block" (Almost Gold)
Music is their native language, English not ("Amsterdam," "Objects of My Affection").

Akon, "Konvicted" (Universal)
Answers the burning question of whether R. Kelly's priorities would be improved by hard time more ambiguously than one would hope ("Smack That," "Don't Matter," "Tired of Runnin'").

Chrisette Michele, "I Am" (Def Jam)
She believes in love, she's not silly about it, and unless you're a creep you'll wish her well ("Like a Dream," "Let's Rock").

Amy Winehouse, "Back to Black" (Universal Republic)
Pray her marriage lasts -- she's observant, and it would broaden her perspective ("You Know I'm No Good," "Rehab").

Ray Charles + The Count Basie Orchestra
"Ray Sings Basie Swings" (Concord/Hear Music)
That's "plus" not "and," because the (Basieless) band came in 30 years after Charles sang the bejesus out of these faves -- and it still works ("Let the Good Times Roll," "Feel So Bad").

Tegan and Sara, "The Con" (Vapor)
Negotiating different power relations than heterosexual women, they have trouble getting out of themselves ("Back in Your Head," "Hop a Plane").

Art Brut, "It's a Bit Complicated" (Downtown)
Kept a band going, they kept a band going ("People in Love," "Jealous Guy").

Swamp Dogg, "Resurrection" (S.D.E.G.)
Old soul tragically widowed, triumphantly remarried, and madder than ever ("In Time of War Who Wins," "They Crowned an Idiot King").

Aaron Neville
"Bring It on Home ... The Soul Classics" (Burgundy)
Finally, repertoire worthy of his voice/shtick ("Rainy Night in Georgia," "Respect Yourself").

T-Pain, "Epiphany" (Konvict/Nappy Boy/Jive)
Except for the aspiring knuckleheads' guide to getting her high enough to freak, an OK guy for a sex-seeking simpleton ("Bartender," "Yo Stomach").

James Blood Ulmer, "Bad Blood in the City" (Hyena)
Silty with guitar, Blood and Vernon's levees-broke album would be for naught without his ever grittier voice ("Dead Presidents," "Katrina").

John Legend, "Once Again" (Columbia)
So subtle, or slippery, you can't tell whether he's in love with a video pro named Maxine or doing her on the side ("P.D.A. [We Just Don't Care]," "Where Did My Baby Go").

Smokey Robinson, "Timeless Love" (New Door)
From the '70s vaults, Quiet Storm as per the Gershwins, Cole Porter, and similars who sound even better ("I'm in the Mood for Love," "You Go to My Head").

Bonnie Bramlett, "Roots, Blues & Jazz" (Zoho Roots)
As mixed up and unapologetically Southern as the title says, another voice improves with age ("Love the One You're With," "I'm Confessin'").

Ill Ease, "All Systems A-Go-Go!" (Cochon)
Do-it-herself punktoons with murmur and drum machine ("One Hell of a Bender," "Walking Pneumonia").

Maria Muldaur
"Naughty, Bawdy & Blue" (Stony Plain)
Blue blues and educational double entendres, New Orleans-style ("One Hour Mama," "Down Home Blues").

Ciara, "The Evolution" (LaFace/Zomba)
If this hottie next door believes she's moving on up toward "I'm Just Me" and "I Found Myself," I want to know why they're not the singles (yet) ("That's Right," "Like a Boy").

CHOICE CUTS

The Soul Clan
"That's How It Feels"
("Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Brothers" [Atlantic/Rhino])

Aretha Franklin
"My Way"
Margie Joseph
"It's Growing"
Esther Phillips
"Cheater Man"
("Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Sisters" [Atlantic/Rhino])

Timbaland
"Give It to Me," "Release"
("Timbaland Presents Shock Value" [Blackground/Interscope])

Rihanna
"Umbrella"
("Good Girl Gone Bad" [Def Jam])

R. Kelly
"Best Friend," "Real Talk," "The Zoo," "Same Girl"
("Double Up" [Jive])

Margo Thunder
"Expressway to Your Heart"
Doris
"Beatmaker"
("Mama's Got a Bag of Her Own" [Stateside])

Bekka Bramlett with Sam Moore
"Don't Play That Song"
("Overnight Sensational" [Rhino])

John Lee Hooker Jr.
"Do Daddy," "You Blew It Baby"
("Cold as Ice" [Telarc])

DJ Drama & Lil Wayne
"Sportscenter," "What U Kno," "Georgia . . . Bush"
("Dedication, Vol. 2" [Gangsta Grillz])