Review: The Brand New Heavies, 'Hottest State'

Review: The Brand New Heavies, 'Hottest State'

The Brand New Heavies 'Get Used To It': Aidin Vaziri | Time stands still on the first Brand New Heavies album with N'Dea Davenport since 1994's "Brother Sister." On this CD, initially released last year, the British acid-jazz band that scored a hit with "Never Stop" has lost much of its emotional kick, offering up clunky, nondescript soul jams like "I Don't Know Why (I Love You)" and the title track, "Get Used to It." The passing of time has rendered the group's polite brand of funk blander than ever, with "Let's Do It Again" and "Right On" capable of clearing the floor even in a cruise ship disco. Davenport, meanwhile, seems merely resigned to be here after her brief solo career failed to set the world alight.

'The Hottest State: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack': Aidin Vaziri | Don't know Jesse Harris? You certainly know "Don't Know Why." Here, the New York singer-songwriter who wrote Norah Jones' languid hit lends his compositional skills to the soundtrack for "The Hottest State," directed by Ethan Hawke and based on his novel, which features a stellar cast of singers. Though there are no surprises in store for those already familiar with Harris' lilting, soft-focus folk rock, people like Willie Nelson ("Always Seem to Get Things Wrong"), Feist ("Somewhere Down the Road") and especially Emmylou Harris ("The Speed of Sound") make his gentle songs sound fairly spectacular. Jones returns the favor on the heavy-eyed "World of Trouble," and Bright Eyes ("Big Old House"), the Black Keys ("If You Ever Slip) and Argentine newcomer Rocha ("Never See You") drop by to make sure nobody dozes off before the end credits roll.