Five long years after a refreshing debut, Camp Lo returned with a sophomore record which (unfortunately) found them fitting into the tight hip-hop mainstream much better than previously. There's little here that hints at 1997's Uptown Saturday Night or "Luchini (aka This Is It)," one of the best hip-hop singles of all time. Yes, the production is much more inventive than most commercial rap, but the rhythms and even occasionally the delivery recall the rolling tracks of Jay-Z or Eightball & MJG, without the flair or confidence.

The title notwithstanding, this debut from the former Faithless singer is pretty angelic-sounding stuff. You're bound to think of Sin�ad O'Connor, but the comparison is as misleading as it is inevitable. Granted, Dido's ethereal vocals here frequently recall O'Connor; but Dido's...