Lim Kim impressive on ‘Goodbye 20’

Lim Kim
“Goodbye 20”
(CJ E&M)

“Goodbye 20” is not your average K-pop affair. The album showcases the unique tone of Lim Kim’s voice without unnecessary synthetic electronic sounds.

Seven tracks of the 14-track album were previously released in her EP “Her Voice” in September. New or previously released, the tracks put together an album that is pleasant to listen to.

Title track “Goodbye 20” is a fun, light number about a young woman who looks back on her 20th year and realizes it wasn’t as great as she thought it would be.

The beginning of “Coloring” sounds like any ordinary acoustic song, but the unusual minor transitions in the chorus add a unique touch.

“Without Knowing it All” is a quiet “chill-time” track that features a sad electric guitar melody throughout the song.

“Say Love,” “Truth Never Matters,” and “Drunken Shrimp” are all bold jazzy, bossa-nova numbers that show Kim’s capability to jump into diverse genres.

(yorimcha@heraldcorp.com)

Willie Nelson’s new duet album uneven

Willie Nelson
“To All The Girls”
(Sony Legacy)

Willie Nelson’s “To All The Girls,” an album of duets with female partners, is custom-made for the download age. Few fans will connect with all 16 songs ― the set is too eclectic and too inconsistent for that. But plenty of gold nuggets shine through for those willing to pick through the miscues and throwaways.

The gems on “To All The Girls” include a stunning multi-lingual duet with Alison Krauss on “No Mas Amor” (written by Keith Gattis and Sammy Barrett) and covers of Merle Haggard’s “Somewhere Between,” in an emotion-packed version with Loretta Lynn, and a swinging “Till The End Of The World” with Shelby Lynne.

On the other hand, Dolly Parton’s self-written contribution, “From Here To The Moon And Back,” suffers from over-sentimentality. A cover of the country chestnut, “Making Believe,” drags due to a lifeless reading by Nelson ― a point driven home by how much more feeling duet partner Brandi Carlile brings to her part. (AP)

Robert Glasper smooth on ‘Black Radio 2’

Robert Glasper Experiment
“Black Radio 2”
(Blue Note)

The Experiment ― which consists of pianist and producer Robert Glasper, bassist Derrick Hodge, drummer Mark Colenburg and saxophonist Casey Benjamin ― continues their revival of jazz and neo soul on “Black Radio 2,” which takes the band’s rebellion against genre integration one step further.

The album kicks off with “Baby Tonight (Black Radio 2 Theme)/Mic Check 2,” a soothing piano intro with short snippets of his featured guests prepping you for what’s to come. Here, Glasper is a beast on the keys. The genre mashup is a perfect example of the jazz band’s resistance not to be categorized.

Glasper’s array of famous friends on the album include Brandy on the laidback, yet addictive “What Are We Doing,” and Jill Scott, sounding like butter, on the smooth lead single, “Calls.” Other standout tracks include the Norah Jones-assisted “Let It Ride,” a groovy and upbeat track, and “Somebody Else,” which gets a boost thanks to the elegant vocals of Scottish R&B singer Emeli Sande. (AP)