Mary Lou Lord

“Baby Blue” (Rubric)

Compare to: Mindy Smith, Shawn Colvin, Juliana Hatfield

After listening to the third song, it’s understandable why Mary Lou Lord dedicates her latest album, “Baby Blue,” to Elliott Smith.

It’s not because Smith previously lent his soft guitar strumming to Lord’s 1998 release, “Got No Shadow,” or that Lord considered the two friends, but because a haunting vocal comparison is almost impossible to look past. Listening to Lord’s soft vocals, the fragile whispers of Smith seep through.

Lord’s melancholy is flawless in songs such as “43” and “Turn Me Round,” both of which hint at Smith’s bittersweet vocals. Light acoustic guitar picking and mellow keyboards accompany the soft singer as her effortless lyrics slip into thin air.

It’s not until the feathery-light “Farming it Out” that the haunting resemblance to Smith sucks you in. Tiptoeing just past one minute, the track captures Lord’s endearingly limited whisper in the most perfect light with lyrics “This is where I’m farming it out to you/ This is where I’m giving away the reigns/ This is where I’m hoping all the time we spent/ Will count for something when we meet again.”

The heart-wrenching “Because He’s Leaving,” a track describing a woman’s attempt to move on from a failed relationship, is so gentle, it almost sounds like a struggle for Lord to make the words come out.

At times like these, it’s essential Lord’s fragile voice is not blanketed by strong guitars and percussion. Unfortunately, her vocals don’t breathe enough fire to compete with the background sounds.

Lord likes to keep the mood toned down, but she doesn’t completely hold herself back. The tempo begins to pick up on tracks such as “Baby Blue” and “The Inhibition Twist,” thanks to producer Nick Saloman’s driving electric guitar riffs. A defined rock beat holds strong through the two tracks, giving Lord a more energized — but not necessarily better — sound.

It is clear Lord’s baby’s breath vocals were made for light, mollifying tracks, accompanied by soft whispers of acoustic guitar. Thankfully, Saloman created a fair amount of tunes that draw attention to Lord’s fragile vocals.

— Katie Piepel

Melissa Etheridge

“Lucky” (Island)

Compare to: Sheryl Crow, Anika Moa, Jeffrey Gaines

The vintage turquoise and orange designs on the jacket cover foreshadow the upbeat feel of Melissa Etheridge’s eighth release, “Lucky.” This album is still Etheridge, but the feel is a dramatically upbeat contrast to her previous album, “Skin.”

The attitude of this album may be new territory, but the sound is pure Etheridge. Every line of the music screams of her musicianship, with or without her deep glass-shard vocals.

The lyrics and melodies have the depth and intelligence Etheridge fans have come to expect during her 15-year career — they are just not as dark this time around. The songs evoke the excitement and passion of starting new relationships, while delving into the fears that come with letting in someone new.

Etheridge continues to write with intimate introspection, and “Mercy” is a thoughtful tune discussing these fears. It portrays the need to stay safe and closed up, versus the desire to be with someone.

Although the openly gay Etheridge is just starting a new relationship, she manages to write in such a way that it is possible for anyone to relate to her music, finding parts of themselves within her lyrics.

“Kiss Me” is a straight up rock ‘n’ roll song. The beat is fast and the lyrics fall on the side of sensual.

Etheridge ends the album with a meditative ballad titled “When You Find the One,” which is lyrically the best song on the album. It sums up the great irony of falling in love: “When you make the choice to believe in your existence/ With hello you will know when you find the one.” Etheridge deserves credit for being able to pull off this extremely sensitive song without crossing the borders of nauseating sappiness.

Etheridge places the bar high for female rock aspirants. Her music has a strong foundation, due at least in part to her study at Berklee College of Music. However, it is her ability to be simultaneously universal and personal that truly shows the extent of her musical talent and artistry.

— Sarah Kloewer

John Frusciante

“Shadows Collide With People” (Warner Bros.)

Compare to: Beck, Lenny Kravitz

John Frusciante is under no obligation to make his solo music sound like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which is exactly what makes his solo album so beautiful.

The album is full of laid-back guitar riffs, numerous keyboard and electric organ samples and vocal harmonizing between Frusciante, second guitarist Josh Klinghoffer and what seems like a chorus of random women on songs such as “Omission,” the album’s psychedelic second track.

The music on several songs is slow and dragging, like Frusciante is purposely taking forever to get through them. This isn’t necessarily bad, but hearing an angelic-sounding keyboard, guitar and vocal mix gets old after about the first minute.

Frusciante’s strong point is obviously his guitar work, but those mad skills are only showcased on a few songs.

“Second Walk” features a complicated guitar solo played using either a tremolo or wah-pedal guitar effect, sending out a violent scream with every pluck of the strings.

“This Cold” also features Frusciante’s guitar skills, with a Jet/Kings of Leon feel to it. There are small solos thrown into the mix, but nothing too impressive.

The album’s biggest problem — or perhaps maybe its greatest aspect — is the randomness of every song. The tracks don’t have to fit a certain pattern, but failure to stick to a certain style may cause “Shadows Collide With People” to lose some appeal.

Frusciante has made a good album, but barely showcases his phenomenal guitar skills. His singing is also a bit weak at times when he tries to hit an upper falsetto range.

Frusciante obviously has several unique approaches to songwriting, but those approaches might only be appreciated in certain circles. But anyone who appreciates good variety and a few spouts of weirdness will find “Shadows Collide With People” a very attractive match.

— Dan Hopper