SOUND CHECK.

MICHAEL BUBLE: "Call Me Irresponsible" (143/Reprise) - Three stars

Buble's third set of buoyant, timely readings of standards from eras past and present takes in Leonard Cohen, Eric Clapton, Cy Coleman, Gamble and Huff, and others with fine, perfectly orchestrated results. Straight off the bat -- a silky version of Coleman's "The Best Is Yet to Come," followed by a salsa-flavored remake of Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini's "It Had Better Be Tonight" -- Buble captures the listener with a classy presentation that never overpowers the material. Pleasant surprises include the savvy crooner's traditional jazz refashioning of the '70s soul ballad "Me and Mrs. Jones" along with an unexpectedly strong take on Cohen's dark "I'm Your Man." A swinging, hep-cat version of Mel Torme's pop hit "Comin' Home Baby," with vocals from Boys II Men, and a languid rendition of Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight," on which Buble duets with Brazilian singer-songwriter Ivan Lins, also stands out on an album sure to please Buble's many fans.

-- Fred Shuster

CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG: "5:55" (Vice) - Three star

Like a character out of an old French film, singer-actress Gainsbourg sounds deeply romantic, angst-filled and existentially miserable in this whispery, seductive solo album. With lyrics mainly by Pulp's Jarvis Cocker, subtle accompaniment provided by French compatriots Air and production by Nigel Goodrich, Gainsbourg -- daughter of the late Gallic pop icon Serge Gainsbourg -- sustains a gauzy, dreamy mood throughout the sonically sophisticated "5:55." Armchair depressives will gleefully soak up the album's moodiest pieces -- "Set Yourself on Fire" and the well-titled "Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping" among them -- before reaching for the nearest serotonin booster.

-- F.S.

JANE MONHEIT: "Surrender" (Concord) - Three stars

Ah, beauty and youth. They are a blessing and a curse. And there it begins for Jane Monheit. The comely jazz singer just landed at Concord after two releases for Sony, and her first outing for the standards-oriented label is adequate yet puzzling. The abundance of Brazilian tunes -- yep, she sings in Portuguese -- veer more toward easy listening than samba (a highlight is "Caminhos Cruzados," with Toots Thielemans on harmonica). Her work on "So Many Stars," with production and instrumentation by Sergio Mendes, does little to elevate the tune. Monheit fares better on "If You Went Away," but a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed" seems out of place. "Moon River" gets lost in the strings -- as does her voice on many of the tracks. In the future, Monheit would do well to add precision, confidence -- and a little fire.

-- Steven Rosenberg

YOUNG BUCK: "Buck the World" (G-Unit/Interscope Records) - Three and one half stars

Southern rapper Young Buck and his mentor 50 Cent employ their popular formula of gritty malevolence and club beats ("Say It to My Face" and "Hold On") on Buck's chart-topping second solo set. Buck brings drama with a serious gangsta bent ("Puff Puff Pass"), and guests throughout (Snoop Dogg, Trick Daddy, Lyfe Jennings, Linkin Park's Chester Bennington) are put to good use. Crunk as all get-out, Young Buck doesn't pull any punches.

-- Len Cutler

NE-YO: "Because of You" (Def Jam) - Three and one half stars

The 24-year-old singer/songwriter has taken a break from making chart-topping, airwave-consuming hits for popular artists -- Beyonce, Musiq and, more recently, Whitney Houston -- to serve up a satisfying second album. Much like the 2006 "In My Own Words," Ne-Yo (born Shaffer Smith) applies his signature storytelling abilities to the topics of commitment, love and, of course, sex. But don't call him an addict, an issue he humorously addresses on "Addicted," a pseudo-apology underlined with cockiness that is typical of the artist. The more modest "Because of You" provides the catchy, finger-snapping hook that has become the allure of many of his past hits. But unlike the first album, Ne-Yo branches out of the safe, crowd-pleasing r&b melodies of to experiment with an '80s pop-infused sound apparent on the Prince-inspired "Sex With My Ex" and "Ain't Thinking About You" (reminiscent of a "Thriller"-era Michael Jackson). On others, Ne-Yo challenges critics that may have previously dubbed his vocal range sufficient but limited with the slower "Leaving Tonight," a duet with Jennifer Hudson, and the operatic seduction song "Say It."

-- S. Debessai

MATT THE ELECTRICIAN: "One Thing Right" (independently produced) - Three stars

Whimsical stage name notwithstanding, Matt Sever is one serious songwriter. While his jaunty folk tunes about everyday concerns -- making a living, trying not to screw up, how kids enhance and constrict parents' lives, dogs -- are certainly witty, they're also as carefully crafted and insightful as good Paul Simon. With a raspy voice and subtly complex arrangements, Sever brings a delightfully different energy to the often hidebound folk scene; electrifies it, actually.

-- Bob Strauss

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Photo:

(1) no caption (Michael Buble)

(2 -- 6) no caption (CD covers)