FIREFLIES BY FAITH HILL; WARNER BROS. RECORDS

It's easy to understand why Faith Hill took her time before releasing her new record, "Fireflies."

After all, how do you follow the successes of "Breathe," her crossover mega-hit from 2001, and "Cry," which won a best female vocal Grammy in 2003? Apparently, Hill's answer is to be patient and understated.

Two years in the making, "Fireflies" tones down Hill's trademark bombast, relying instead on laid-back grooves, subdued vocals (comparatively speaking) and state-of-the-art Nashville songwriting. As with Kenny Chesney's latest, the Caribbean-tinged "Be As You Are," this muted approach shouldn't be mistaken as a return to country roots. In fact, the record is Hill's most eclectic to date.

"Sunshine & Summertime," for example, is a beach party anthem that combines banjos with timbales and smooth, Latin-infused rhythms. When she does revert to more country-ish material, as with the ode to bad marriage "Dearly Beloved," Hill's newfound restraint helps sell lines like "I'd like to welcome y'all/ To the side-effects of sex and alcohol," which would otherwise just sound corny.

— Paul V. Griffith

ROC-A-FELLA RECORDS PRESENTS: TEAIRRA MARI BY TEAIRRA MARI; ROC-A-FELLA RECORDS

As Jay-Z's appointed "Princess of the Roc," Teairra Mari proves she's worth the royalty status with her self-titled debut album.

Merging sweet, laid-back vocals with off-the-block swagger and style, the 17-year-old angel-faced songbird from Detroit conveys candid accounts about the whirlwind of emotions felt by girls when dealing with the fellas.

The single "Make Her Feel Good" serves as an open call and challenge to boys who think they have what it takes to bring girls joy. Mari's verses and overall content on the song are mature, grown and sexy, while the hook still maintains her age's innocence. The track's effortless production, which samples the catchy Eric B. and Rakim "My Melody" cut, simply allows Mari to showcase her laid-back sound and style.

However, on the introspective "No Daddy" track, Mari takes a page from the queen of hip-hop soul, Mary J. Blige, when she asks young girls from broken homes to lean on her when going through strenuous times.

When Mari's swagger level is low, her vulnerable side shines through. "Phone Booth" creatively narrates an account of a girl who calls her boyfriend from a public phone following a heated argument with her mother. Young girls whose mothers don't approve of their boyfriends should be able to relate.

While Mari doesn't have the vocal heft of another new R&B artist, Keyshia Cole, she frankly doesn't need it. Her Midwest edge, accompanied by Jay-Z's co-signing on her talent, grants her immediate hip-hop edge and credibility. While her female counterparts keep employing up-tempo club anthems, Mari's slower, sly sound should have staying power. This album marks the introduction of an artist we should be hearing a lot from in the future.

— Mark Lelinwalla