Almost every review of Amy Winehouse's ''Back to Black” mentions that her voice sounds like a cross between Billie Holiday and Macy Gray, so let's just get that obligation out of the way.

Here's another way to think of Winehouse's terrific CD: Update Dusty Springfield's ''Dusty in Memphis,” a 1969 album made with some of the day's top session players, and make it ''Dusty in Philly,” with the hip-hop band the Roots paying respect to Motown.

''Back to Black,” Amy Winehouse (Universal)

It's hard to pick a favorite on Winehouse's second album, on which she perfectly re-creates '60s soul. There's the ska-flavored ''Just Friends,” the girl-group drama of ''Back to Black” and the song that's destined to be a party-girl anthem, ''Rehab.” Clocking in at under 36 minutes (and that includes the unnecessary bonus track, an alternate version of ''You Know I'm No Good” with a lame rap by Ghostface Killah), the CD's over so fast, the only possible response is to hit the replay button. In the day of bloated 82-minute CDs, it's rare that a musician leaves you wanting more.

It wouldn't surprise me if this album is a huge hit. Winehouse's songs will appeal to boomers who loved the Shangri-Las, the Supremes and Martha & the Vandellas. But Winehouse is modern enough in her rebellion (she heckled Bono during his acceptance speech at an awards show) and in the self-empowerment of her lyrics that she should draw a devoted young following as well.

Amy Winehouse will perform May 7 at the Paradise in Boston.

''Introducing Joss Stone,” Joss Stone (Virgin)

This is more like a reintroduction for Joss Stone. The British soul singer, who turns 20 this month, caused a sensation with her 2003 debut, ''The Soul Sessions,” on which she tore through some American soul classics. She wrote or co-wrote most of the songs on her follow-up, ''Mind, Body & Soul,” and it had decidedly less impact.

Now it's time for a reinvention, as she's tapping into more contemporary R&B styles. The result isn't what she intended. Her unimaginative venture into territory already firmly occupied by Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey just had me scurrying for her first CD to see if I could remember what all the fuss was about. Her duet with Lauryn Hill on ''Music” only made me long for the long-rumored Fugees reunion album.

Joss Stone will perform June 11 at Avalon in Boston.

''Sounds of Silver,” LCD Soundsystem (DFA/Capitol)

The two-disc ''LCD Soundsystem” made the Top 10 list of many critics (including this one) in 2004. The follow-up by James Murphy and crew has some propulsive dance songs (think New Order, glam-era Bowie and Talking Heads' ''Remain in Light”), but too often gets stuck in monotonous beats. Murphy just sounds too tense, on his vocals and instrumentation, as if he's struggling too hard to surprise and impress the fans he won last time around.

LCD Soundsystem will perform May 11 at Axis in Boston.

''We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank,” Modest Mouse (Epic)

When is an indie band no longer an indie band? Modest Mouse started out as a trio on a tiny label. It's now a sextet with three major-label releases. When the band's ''Float On” video got the mainstream embrace of regular MTV play in 2004, it seemed to have left the world of the independents behind - if for no other reason than that indie rock is often a nice way of saying that a band has been only marginally successful.

The latest addition to the group is guitarist Johnny Marr (who's been a member of the Smiths, the The and Electronic). His jangly playing provides extra depth to the band's already dense sound (the most obvious influence is XTC). While singer Isaac Brock's vocal limitations are occasionally grating, Marr's playing sets everything right in the instrumental breaks. On ''Little Motel,” he delivers the audio equivalent of a teary-eyed breakdown.

''Definition of a Circle,” Otis Taylor (Telarc)

Otis Taylor may be the finest bluesman of the past decade, but his ''trance blues,” as he calls it, was starting to show its limitations on his last album, ''Below the Fold,” released two years ago. This time around he expands his sound with the help of guest musicians Gary Moore on guitar, Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica and Brian Juan on keyboards. It's more rocking, in places, than his other albums and more wide-ranging in sonic textures. What's unchanged is Taylor's gift for confronting the hard truths in race relations past and present.

''I'll Sleep When You're Dead,” El-P (Definitive Jux)

With music that's darker and heavier than DJ Shadow, El-P comes across as a hip-hop hybrid of Eminem and Nine Inch Nails (he even has NIN's Trent Reznor help out on one track).

El-P will perform May 1 at the Middle East in Cambridge.

''All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone,” Explosions in the Sky (Temporary Residence)

Texas-based quartet Explosions in the Sky provided most of the soundtrack for the film ''Friday Night Lights.” Its latest CD of instrumentals, featuring such titles as ''It's Natural To Be Afraid” and ''Catastrophe and the Cure,” calls to mind early '80s U2, mid-'70s Pink Floyd and the Dirty Three.

''An All-Star Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd,” various artists (DeadLine/Cleopatra)

One problem with tribute albums is overly respectful versions of the original songs. On this tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jim Dandy's Black Oak Arkansas' ''What's Your Name” and Atlanta Rhythm Section's ''Call Me the Breeze” fall into that category.

Another problem with such albums is that some songs are just untouchable. Is there really any point in Molly Hatchet and Charlie Daniels teaming up on ''Free Bird”? Skynyrd's original is one of the few perfect power ballads. Shouldn't mess around with that.

Less iconic songs get well-handled on this CD, especially Canned Heat's funky, bluesy treatment of ''That Smell” and Dangerous Toys' intense rendering of ''Simple Man.”

''Live at Massey Hall 1971,” Neil Young (Reprise)

''Live at Massey Hall 1971,” the second album released in Neil Young's ''Archive Performance Series,” is labeled ''disc 03.” Last fall Young released ''disc 02,” a live performance with Crazy Horse in 1970. Young's record company says ''Volume 1” of the series will be released this fall and will include eight CDs and two DVDs of rare and unreleased material from 1963 to 1972.

If the numbers have your head spinning, just sit back and listen to ''Live at Massey Hall,” a solo acoustic concert Young performed in January 1971. The show included songs from ''Harvest,” an album he wouldn't release for a year, and earlier songs that were already considered classics. His voice, fragile even then, manages to grasp the high notes ever so barely. He's not a flashy guitar player like Richard Thompson, but his string work is mesmerizing. This is the music that launched a million folkies.

Bill O'Neill is the Times lifestyle editor. His CD review column appears the first Sunday of each month. Local performers are invited to submit CDs or tapes for possible review to Top 40 and Beyond, c/o Bill O'Neill, Cape Cod Times, 319 Main St., Hyannis, MA 02601.

(Published: April 3, 2007)