The Other Brothers

“Rosetta”

Independent

The Other Brothers released a live album last year, but “Rosetta” marks its first studio effort. Recorded in a series of one-takes on vintage instruments and microphones, and using tiny 5-watt amps, “Rosetta” has a raw sound that frontman Eli Clark favors. The result might strike some as light and hollow, and the band has had to work to find a balance that gives the album the AM radio feel that Clark likes while not sapping the album of its bottom end. But all the songs on “Rosetta” are well written, and Clark’s vocals and harmonica work make the album shine. “King of the Devil’s Highway” is the best song on the album, but how much enjoyment you get out of any of the tracks will depend on how much you dig the vintage aesthetic that overrides the album. ■

Snoop Dogg

“Coolaid”

Entertainment One

Snoop Dogg has become one of the most iconic voices in hip-hop. His place in the pantheon is hard fought and well earned. But, after two straight albums of less than inspired material (including the completely forgettable “Reincarnated,” released as Snoop Lion), the Doggfather has found it necessary to remind everyone of just who he is. Tracks like “Ten Toes Down” are about as vintage G-Funk sound as you are going to find this side of Warren G, and “Don’t Stop” (featuring Too $hort) is a funky, almost playful nostalgia trip that is worth the price of admission on its own. Not every track on the album is a winner — “Light it Up” sounds like a mass-produced attempt at a radio hit — but there is enough gold here to remind everyone of just who Snoop is and why he should still be respected as one of the best in the business. ■