Wade just published his Top 10 favorite CDs of ’08, so far, and I figured I’d piggy-back. But I’m not going to do 10. I’ll do that in December, but for June I’ll keep it to five. Two of the five are on Wade's list, and I have to admit that that troubles me in some vague sort of way.

In no particular order:

• Al Green, Lay it Down (Blue Note)

The Rev’s best album of the 2000s. Producer ?uestlove lays down a seductive bed of sounds, and Al really struts his vocal chops on a series of sensuous, mostly mid-tempo songs.

• Firewater, The Golden Hour (Bloodshot)

Tod A made like a Bedouin, wandering through the Mediterranean/Middle East for three years and coming back with an exotic musical travelogue — that rocks. Full review

• Was (Not Was), Boo! (Ryko)

The R&B wackadoos return for their first album in 17 years, and pick up where they left off: Witty, irreverent lyrics, passionately sung, over organic funk and soul. Full review

• My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges (ATO/Red)

I wasn’t too familiar with MMJ before hearing this one, and it took a few listens, but now I’m completely hooked. Terrific songs that brush up, but aren’t anchored to, a variety genres. There's rarely anything overtly obvious here. An engaging mix of feels, tempos and instrumentation. Strong vocals.

• Shelby Lynne, Just a Little Lovin’ (Lost Highway)

The fetching songstress delivers a subdued and sexy set of tunes by one of her heroes, the late Dusty Springfield. Full review

This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2008.

Eric Snider is the dean of Bay area music critics. He started in the early 1980s as one of the founding members of Music magazine, a free bi-monthly. He was the pop music critic for the then-St. Petersburg...