Listen Up: Aretha Franklin, Big Head Blues Club, more

Seeking sound advice? USA TODAY's music critics spotlight spin-worthy current albums bubbling beneath the hyped hits.

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  By Monica Morgan, WireImage

  Before she was crowned "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin reinterpreted jazz standards and show tunes.

By Monica Morgan, WireImage

Before she was crowned "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin reinterpreted jazz standards and show tunes.

Aretha Franklin, The Great American Songbook

* * * POP

In the time between being a gospel prodigy and being crowned "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin spent 1960 to 1967 at Columbia Records interpreting jazz standards and show tunes. The Great American Songbook draws from that fertile but sometimes overlooked period in the versatile singer's career. Her youthful voice rings clear and strong on the swinging Love For Sale and the moving This Bitter Earth. She's full of sass on Trouble in Mind and brings a church vibe to It Ain't Necessarily So. There are hints of the soul to come, particularly on Hank Williams' Cold, Cold Heart. This album serves as a teaser for the 12-disc box set Take a Look: Aretha Franklin Complete on Columbia, which will be out March 22 and celebrates her 50th anniversary as a pop star. The set comes with unissued performances, studio conversations, master takes and rare mono mixes. Extras include a full discography and essays. So whether you're looking to just get your feet wet or take a full plunge, these sets spotlight Franklin when she was still the queen-in-waiting. ? Steve Jones

Download:�above-mentioned tracks; What a Diff'rence a Day Made, God Bless the Child

Big Head Blues Club, 100 Years of Robert Johnson

* * * BLUES

Though traditional blues fans will get a kick out of these Robert Johnson remakes, it's unlikely anyone will enjoy them as much as Big Head Todd & The Monsters did making them. The rock band, toasting the centennial of the blues giant's birth, clearly revels in the opportunity to record Johnson's classics with such treasured old-timers as Howlin' Wolf's guitarist Hubert Sumlin and Honeyboy Edwards, whose surprisingly ferocious vocal holds its own against Lightnin' Malcolm's ripping guitar on If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day. These versions don't bear the menace and darkness of Johnson's originals, but their laidback charm pays warm tribute to his memory. ? Edna Gundersen

Download:Crossroad Blues, Kind Hearted Woman, All My Love is Love in Vain, If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day

Ellie Goulding, Lights

* * * POP

Finally, the U.K. has produced a young diva who doesn't beg comparisons to Amy Winehouse? or the soulful gals of yore who inspired Winehouse and all her professional progeny. Goulding's American debut may lack the grit of, say, Adele's latest album, but her electro-pop confections have an endearingly light heart and some yummy hooks. They're fine showcases for her girlish, whimsical soprano, which suggests a less complicated Bjork. If Lights doesn't change your life, it will certainly lift your spirits. ? Elysa Gardner

Download:Guns And Horses, The Writer, This Love (Will Be Your Downfall), Your Biggest Mistake

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