What Kind of WorldLojinx Records ****

For a while, it seemed as if Brendan Benson's superb back catalogue was perennially destined to play second fiddle to his work with supergroup The Raconteurs. The more astute music fan knows what a great songwriter the Michigan man is, though, and his fifth solo album continues his unbroken streak of quality. Surging power-pop choruses flow through the self-produced What Kind of World as fluidly as water, and while songs such as Pretty Baby and Thru the Ceiling aren't quite as instantaneous as some of his earlier material, the quirky slink of Keep Me and the slow-building sophistication of No One Else but You makes for a more considered record. An album that takes its time to charm, but one generously distributed with a subtle yet satisfying exuberance. brendanbenson.com

Download tracks: Keep Me, No One Else But You