By CHUCK CAMPBELL, Scripps Howard News Service

Tuned In: Psapp taps into something new

"THE CAMEL'S BACK," Psapp (Domino)

Of course a playful act like Psapp would prank listeners.

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Tuned In: Psapp taps into something new

"THE CAMEL'S BACK," Psapp (Domino)

Of course a playful act like Psapp would prank listeners.

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Tuned In: 'Jet Black' soars

"JET BLACK," Gentleman Reg (Arts and Crafts)

Gentleman Reg doesn't look much like a rock star, and he sounds even less like one.

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Tuned In: Singer's material rises above his inspiration

"BLACK JOHN," The Soul of John Black (Electro Groove)

John Bigham, lead singer/guitarist of the Soul of John Black, freely admits his act's new "Black John" was inspired by the blaxploitation film "J.D.'s Revenge," but that doesn't negate the artistry of the release.

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Backup singer Lisa Hannigan's debut solo album

"SEA SEW," Lisa Hannigan (ATO Records)

Lisa Hannigan spent seven years as a backing singer for Damien Rice, so it's no wonder she's a bit halting as lead vocalist on her solo debut, "Sea Sew."

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Black Ghosts show a stronger side

"THE BLACK GHOSTS," The Black Ghosts (Universal Republic)

The Blacks Ghosts caught a break when they landed their song "Full Moon" on the soundtrack for November's blockbuster "Twilight," which has prompted Universal Republic to re-release the U.K. act's self-titled debut that initially came out in July.

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'Whisper House' is decidedly untheatrical

"WHISPER HOUSE," Duncan Sheik (Victor/Sony)
The foundation of Duncan Sheik's "Whisper House" may be built on theater, but it sounds decidedly untheatrical.

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Mariah Carey's compilation proves everyone right

"MARIAH CAREY: THE BALLADS," Mariah Carey (Sony)

In 2008, Mariah Carey passed Elvis Presley and threatened the Beatles for the most No. 1 hits in pop history, and nervous folks (especially those fond of the Beatles) assailed the singer as a nonentity whose songs are thoroughly disposable.

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Redman's 'Compass' points newbies to jazz

"COMPASS," Joshua Redman (Nonesuch)

For most of us, jazz is someone else's music. It exists as an occasional, incidental (usually accidental) bit of background noise in the soundtrack of our lives, like when the Weather Channel is showing "Local on the 8s."

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