The Virgins, “Strike Gently” (Cult Records/Frenchkiss Label Group)
The best thing about the New York quartet The Virgins is Donald Cummings’ adept angular guitar playing. In spots it’s pleasantly reminiscent of Richard Hell’s inventive work in television, or even the David Byrne/Jerry Harrison combination in Talking Heads — and it’s clear there’s a post-punk New York aesthetic that The Virgins are mining. It is, after all, their hometown. “Strike Gently” is their second full-length effort, and it is considerably more down-tempo than their 2008 debut. Much of the sexy dance beats from the first record have been shelved in favor of slower attempts at contemplative songs like “The Beggar” or “Amelia.” Cummings sings in an Iggy-esque basso that has a little too much reverb, or doubling effect, in places, and isn’t nearly as captivating. The verses with the sharp and often ornamental guitar licks unfortunately devolve into the most banal of choruses — like a television tune with a Rick Springfield refrain. There are plenty of New York stories for a creative guitarist and vocalist to discover and transform into something unique and listenable. Sadly, “Strike Gently” fails to deliver.
 

Biffy Clyro, “Opposites” (Warner Bros. Records)
Biffy Clyro is going to have a busy few months. They return to the airwaves after three years with their sixth album, “Opposites,” head on tour with rock giants Muse and play both weekends at the Coachella music festival.
Luckily, the Scottish trio’s new album rocks.
The opening track, “Different People,” starts off small, relying on the strength and breadth of Simon Neil’s vocals, but quickly builds to anthemic proportions with husky guitar and pounding drums.
“Black Chandelier” opens in a cappella, with emotional but almost humorous lyrics like “You left my heart like an abandoned car.” The chorus catapults in and again with volume and strength that could fill a stadium.
The songs on “Opposites” are varied and multifaceted: “Biblical” is angst-ridden (“Baby if you could, would you go back to the start?” Neil sings), and “The Thaw” uses orchestral strings to reach its crescendo.
 

Jason Crabb, “Love Is Stronger” (Gaither Music Group)
Grammy-winning Christian singer Jason Crabb impressively drives home the theme of how genuine love can be even if there’s heartache and grief on his sophomore album, “Love Is Stronger.”
His soaring voice, lyrics of enduring faith and solid production on the 11-track set continue to prove why he is the Gospel Music Association’s reigning male vocalist and artist of the year. On “Let Mercy Hold You,” he encourages people not to allow their minor mistakes discourage them and offers hope for those who might be lacking faith on “God’s Up to Something,” singing that the struggle will not last long if the proper belief system is intact.
Other easy listening ballads include the thought-provoking “Living Life Upside Down,” the piano-driven “Satisfied” and “There’s Not a Crown (Without a Cross),” featuring Joyce Martin Sanders and Michael English.
 

Bon Jovi, “What About Now” (Island Def Jam)
Why does Bon Jovi crank out an unending string of relentlessly upbeat, unavoidably catchy songs in the style that made the Jersey boys famous 30 years ago and kept them there ‘till now?
Because they can.
The band’s 12th album, “What About Now,” fairly bursts with the encouraging self-help anthems that have long defined the Bon Jovi sound and style, from the early days of Tommy and Gina “Livin’ on a Prayer” to keeping the faith and realizing “It’s My Life.”
One listen to “Because We Can” and its chorus will be burned into your brain forever. It’s one of many Bon Jovi odes to faithfulness, trust, perseverance and a belief that no matter how bad things get, it’ll be OK as long as we hold on tight to each other and don’t lose hope. Richie Sambora adds a harmonic guitar solo adapted from “Capt. Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars” from their 2000 album, “Crush.”
The title track literally sounds like a session with a self-help psychologist and it’s a sure guarantee you’ll hear this song blaring at Democratic presidential rallies in 2016.
 

Grammy-winning electronic music specialist Skrillex brings his ear and oversight to Hollywood for the “Spring Breakers” movie soundtrack, enlisting some top-notch talent to deliver everything from dubstep to beat-heavy bass rap.
Besides several of his own tracks, the Skrillex-composed album features Atlanta-based rappers Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame, the latter providing an interesting though nearly understated delivery on an explicit track about staying focused in the music industry to provide big dollars for his family.
Skrillex uses Ellie Goulding’s breathy dance track, “Lights,” as the finale on this decent assemblage. It’s not the disc’s song with the most pulse, but it brings things to a calming close.
All in all, it’s a decent soundtrack and a good sampler of what the spring break set is doing.
 

Eric Clapton, “Old Sock” (Bushbranch/Surfdog Records)
Imagine a jam session at Eric Clapton’s house. He’s not likely to trot out “Layla” for the 3,478th time. Instead, he and pals with names like Paul McCartney, Chaka Khan and Steve Winwood would probably deep dive into a tasty bag of cover tunes that inspires and delights them.
Such is the cozy feel one gets listening to “Old Sock,” Slowhand’s 21st studio album and his first on his own Bushbranch record label. Recording primarily with three other musicians, Clapton gives the Gershwin Brothers’ “Our Love Is Here to Stay” a sultry, bluesy feel, while Winwood’s Hammond B3 Organ-dominated “Still Got the Blues” takes the Gary Moore classic into roller skate rink territory — and delightfully so. Both Taj Mahal’s “Further on Down the Road” and Peter Tosh’s “Till Your Well Runs Dry” boast unsurprising reggae tinges.
Clapton’s guitar wizardry is understated but elegant here, especially on the lilting “Angel” and the muscular “Gotta Get Over,” one of the intimate set’s two originals.

Also:
LOS ANGELES: British singer and ex-Smiths frontman Morrissey has postponed a US show due to double pneumonia, his publicist said Monday, but denied he had been hospitalized.
In the latest rejig of US tour dates due to health woes, Saturday’s canceled concert in San Francisco will now take place on May 1. The 53-year-old was hospitalized in Michigan for a bleeding ulcer in January.
“Morrissey is not/was not hospitalized in San Francisco. He had to reschedule Saturday night’s show at Regency Ballroom due to double pneumonia,” spokeswoman Lauren Papapietro told AFP, commenting on online reports.

Double pneumonia occurs when both lungs are infected.
The tour resumes March 14 where he will co-headline the Vive Latino Festival in Mexico, she added. After that his tour returns to the United States with shows scheduled through March and April.
The famously prickly singer, famous for hits with the Smiths including “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now,” has meanwhile apologized for heavy-handed security at a show in Portland, Oregon last week.
In typically provocative style, he said: “Place an obese McDonald’s fry-girl into a venue security uniform and she is suddenly Eva Braun,” according to reported comments confirmed as reliable by the singer’s personal assistant.
 

NEW YORK: Two performers who say their songs have been used in Baauer’s No. 1 hit “Harlem Shake” are seeking compensation because their vocals have been used without permission.
The New York Times reports that songs from Hector Delgado and Jayson Musson are used in “Harlem Shake,” which has become a viral hit thanks to YouTube videos of people dancing to the song.
Delgado’s “Maldades” and “Miller Time” by Musson’s former rap group, Plastic Little, are said to be sampled in “Harlem Shake.” The song is spending its third week on top of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
Delgado and Musson say they never gave Baauer, born Harry Bauer Rodrigues, permission to use their songs. Both are seeking compensation from Mad Decent Records, which put out the single and declined to comment.

By James H. Collins