James Blunt, whose breakthrough debut Back to Bedlam made him a worldwide wonder, returns with All The Lost Souls, his sophomore release. The Briton’s first full studio album in three years, Souls will feature several songs that were road-tested while touring, including the tracks “I Really Want You,” “Same Mistake,” “Annie,” and the album’s first single, “1973,” which dropped in July. But Blunt, whose Billboard Hot 100 hit “You’re Beautiful” peaked at No. 1 and made him an international star, doesn’t expect lightning to strike twice. He says that no matter how his latest work is received, he’s pleased at how Souls has turned out. “For me, there was absolutely no pressure whatsoever,” the singer/songwriter says. “Having sold over 11 million albums, I know the likelihood of doing that again is really minimal. Instead of setting a target, I set out to do and record something that I really enjoy, that I’m really happy with. It was a release, in a way. It’s something that I can say shows my growth and development as a songwriter and as a musician.” What does that mean? Simply: His life is still brilliant. His love, still pure.

If Brokeback Mountain were reinvented as a Broadway musical, producers of the show should call Mary Gauthier (pronounced go-shay). Because her latest album, Between Daylight and Dark – the follow-up to her 2005 release, Mercy Now – sounds like the kind of thing gay cowboys might use to set the mood before they get all country-western on each other’s rawhide. A unique, stylish lyricist, Gauthier’s artistic evolution is evident throughout the 10 songs that comprise her fifth album, each of which exist as brusque musical interpretations of the place from whence they came. With Gauthier’s distinct Louisiana drawl, the record reels you into the coarse yet fragile tracks – such as “Last of the Hobo Kings,” “Thanksgiving” and “Can’t Find the Way” – taking those open-minded enough on a journey where the roads are made of dirt and the food is unapologetically deep fried. Bare-bones and beautiful – you can almost hear the crickets chirping from the front porch – Between Daylight and Dark, with its scarce overdubs and exquisite storytelling, channels Bob Dylan via Willie Nelson with a hint of Loretta Lynn. Without all the weed, of course.

Chaka Khan. Enough said. This time around, the indelible ingénue unleashes Funk This, a down-and dirty disc that showcases the venerable power, prowess and practicality of a true entertainer. With help from hit-making team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the glorious Ms. Khan returns with a variety of songs, such as the emotional, elegiac “Angel,” based on a poem she wrote while in an “altered” state; “Will You Love Me?” on which she openly and beautifully bears her insecurities; and the Mary J. Blige-penned “Disrepectful,” a jumpin’ 1970s-inspired track about being two-timed by the one you love. Other notable cuts include “Super Life,” about the affirming promise Khan made to herself many years ago, and “You Belong to Me,” the classic Carly Simon song, now a duet with Michael McDonald. An eight-time Grammy Award winner, Khan does what she does best on Funk This – introducing a new generation to her signature sass.

If Union Jack could talk, he’d say the American music industry sucks – albeit a bit more eloquently. That’s because the only original music seemingly worth listening to is emerging from across the pond. Case in point: Makeshift Feelgood, X-Press 2’s 10-track ode to house music, an album so full of synthetic life that it almost makes you wish you were British. Uniting in the studio in the early 1990s, X-Press 2 – comprised of club-rockers Rocky, Diesel and Ashley Beedle – put together a powerhouse of vocal guest talent for this release, which includes names known the world around. Opening with Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner, Makeshift Feelgood raises the roof with the gospel-backed epic “Give It,” followed by “Witchi Tai To,” a rhythmic pop romp featuring The Polyphonic Spree’s Tim DeLaughter. On “17,” Radio 4’s bass-playing vocalist Anthony Roman gives scenesters something to spin to, while the NYC Peech Boys’ “Don’t Make Me Wait” gets a new-millennium makeover featuring Bernard Fowler. The verdict? Ever the discerning DJs, X-Press 2 could resurrect the living-dead with Makeshift Feelgood.