New albums: My Morning Jacket; Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell; Snoop Dogg;

My Morning Jacket

The Waterfall

(ATO/Capitol ***1/2)

nolead ends The sixth studio album by the Louisville band fronted by Jim James once again displays a singular blend of stirring stadium guitar-rock and ghostly alt-country-tinged hippie mysticism. On The Waterfall, recorded with producer Tucker Martine in Stinson Beach, Calif., My Morning Jacket are particularly focused and on their game. That could be the result of a breakup: The point to be gotten in "Get the Point," whose fingerpicked flutter recalls Harry Nilsson's "Everybody's Talkin'," is that love has left the room. The rousing chorus in "Big Decisions" details a domestic squabble, and the closer, "Only Memories Remain," ruminates on all that's lost with the passage of time. A taste of the bitter along with the sweet is beneficial to the MMJ sound. And never fear, the jammed-out Neil Young guitars are here, too, as is James. His cool, vibrato-free, often otherworldly voice is what truly sets the band apart.

- Dan DeLuca

nolead begins Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell
nolead ends nolead begins The Traveling Kind
nolead ends nolead begins (Nonesuch ***1/2)

nolead ends "We don't all die young to save our spark/From the ravages of time," Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell harmonize on the title song of their second album together in three years. No, they did not go the way of Harris' long-ago partner, Gram Parsons, to whom the song alludes. Instead, she and Crowell, who go back four decades, have become the epitome of artists who manage to age with spark - and grace - intact.

This time, the two double down in a way on their collaboration. Whereas 2013's Grammy-winning Old Yellow Moon contained mostly non-originals (and no writing by Harris), The Traveling Kind features four Harris-Crowell collaborations, including the title track, as well as five by Crowell, by himself or with others.

The writing is a strength, as is the variety - and vitality - of the music. Harris, of course, takes the lead on two ethereal folk ballads. The rest touch on blues, country, and rock (a fine version of Lucinda Williams' "I Just Wanted to See You So Bad") before the set concludes with a sweet dose of Cajun, with "La Danse de la Joie."

- Nick Cristiano

nolead begins Snoop Dogg
nolead ends nolead begins Bush
nolead ends nolead begins (Columbia ***1/2)

nolead ends Weed. Appearances on Empire and ESPN. The Snoop Lion reggae episode. Put those aside. Snoop Dogg has been a sensual, elastic hip-hop voice ever since he set gin to juice. Yet, it is only when working with producer Pharrell Williams that the Doggfather's flow is in flower and his freak flag is at full mast. Beyond its cartoonish exterior, Bush is high-octane, sexily psychedelic G-funk, with hints of George Clinton's Parliament sound in its buoyant sonic blend.

Start with "So Many Pros" and its rolling congas, thrumming bass, silly backing vocals, and Snoop's singsong, processed vocals (yes, vocals): pure Parliament but caramel-coated, atomic-dogged Parliament. Same with the slick, soulful "California Roll," rich with its patented, breathy Stevie Wonder harmonica solo. Same with the sweet-and-sour rap of "Peaches N' Cream," which finds Snoop yammering about his girl liking "the low end" and popping it "right it thurrr," while R&B's nasty Uncle Charlie Wilson howls and hoots in the background. Newer names such as T.I., Rick Ross, and Kendrick Lamar show up on "Edibles" and "I'm Ya Dogg," but no one beats old Snoop at Drambuie-smooth R&B/rap when Pharrell is aboard.

- A.D. Amorosi

Faith No More, Sol Invictus; Brandon Flowers, The Desired Effect; Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, Skeleton Crew; Hot Chip, Who Makes Sense?

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