In Brief

In its fourth album, this Scottish quintet draws on a surprising variety of styles without ruffling their smooth, adult-pop composure. Hints of ambient electronics, gritty rock and R&B; grooves ripple through the lush layers of sound. Singer Sharleen Spiteri shifts effortlessly from bluesy crooning to a forthright folkiness without ever losing her poise. It all makes for a very beautiful musical display that remains frustratingly static.

*

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).

*

Hear the Music

* Excerpts from these albums and other recent releases are available on The Times’ World Wide Web site. Point your browser to: https://www.latimes.com/soundclips