Nick Jonas & the Administration, “Who I Am” (Hollywood)

After his years spent dominating the concert and television industries with his brothers, Nick Jonas surprised us all by making a soulful, if soft, R&B record as his solo debut. “Who I Am” breaks no musical boundaries, but it is proof of Jonas’ plans.

Like it or not, kids, there is an expiration date on the Jonas Brothers. Consider them a paycheck — a big one, mind you — and a solo career will be Jonas’ Roth IRA. The weakest part of “Who I Am” is the songs, all of which were written or co-written by Jonas.

It sounds like Jonas and producer John Fields set out to make an homage to the music that dominated the FM band in the late ’80s and early ’90s. They misguidedly touch on pop-metal on “Conspiracy Theory,” but they succeed on the funk-fueled “State of Emergency,” which apes Stevie Wonder’s instrumentation and Jamiroquai’s vocal riffs.

While he’s the strongest singer in his other group, that’s not saying much. Jonas has a ways to go — and grow. – Ricardo Baca

Norah Jones, “Chasing Pirates Remix EP” (Blue Note)

Remixes are rarely the best — or the most representative — of any artist’s work, but Norah Jones has never been your garden-variety artist. The exceedingly smooth jazz-pop vocalist, who last year released “The Fall,” continues to push that album with an EP of remixes focusing on “Chasing Pirates,” the disc’s lead song.

Whereas the original chugged along a midtempo track of rumbling bass and cracking toms, the remixes veer into more exotic territory. Santigold and Snotty reimagine it as a sultry, buzzing lullaby, while remix collective Droogs drown it in sinister static and lurching percussion.

Unreleased studio track “That’s What I Said,” a subtly funky if forgettable number, comes to life in an “NYC” remix helmed by Beastie Boys Adrock and Mike D, which takes it into late-’90s hip-hop/electro territory.

While not essential, the “Chasing Pirates Remix EP” at least proves Jones’ good taste in choosing collaborators who broaden her musical horizons. – John Wenzel

The Magnetic Fields, “Realism” (Nonesuch)

The Magnetic Fields have always relished the contrast between their melodies and lyrics and their instrumentation and production — for instance, by drowning bleak emotions in an ebullient tsunami of major-key guitars, or swaddling classic, literate sentiments in bright, dime-store synthesizers.

And while Stephin Merritt’s songwriting credentials are unquestionable (see Magnetic Fields’ flawless run of 1990s releases), on “Realism” his uncompromising temperament gets the better of him. Realism is the yin to the yang of 2008’s “Distortion,” the Jesus and Mary Chain-humping disc that made critics’ pants tighter and Merritt’s sonic palette wider. On “Realism,” the instruments are (unsurprisingly) all unamplified and non-traditional, and the production aesthetic reflects the homey, natural settings in which it was recorded.

Unfortunately, more than half the songs are so cutesy that you feel like you’re suffocating in Wes Anderson’s corduroy-clad ass pocket. “We Are Having a Hootenanny” and “The Dolls’ Tea Party” are as grating and bloodless as their titles imply, and even fine performances can’t save “Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree” or “The Dada Polka.”

Maybe time will be kinder to this overly fussy album, but as of early-to-mid 2010, “Realism” just sounds tame and contrived — particularly since we know what Merritt and his excellent cast of rotating singers and backup players are capable of creating. – John Wenzel

Retribution Gospel Choir, “2″ (Sub Pop)

Attention Low fans: Put down that goddamned Rilke anthology and buy this album immediately. The pleasures of that Duluth, Minn., slo-core band’s considered, seething songwriting and insane attention to detail are equally present in “2.”

Alan Sparhawk’s second outing as singer/guitarist for this semi-supergroup (formerly boasting Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters) is a ferocious, full-bodied bitchslap of American rock driven by thunderous drumming and Sparhawk’s sandpapery voice — along with a healthy dose of “Jesus f**king Christ those are loud” guitars.

On lead-off track “Hide It Away” you can almost feel Sparhawk’s trachea shredding as he barrels through the chorus, and the lightning-flecked “Your Bird” and “White Wolf” are reminders of his intimidating grasp of melodic construction. If Neil Young returns to earth after death as a flaming, screaming angel of vengeance, he’ll sound a lot like this. – John Wenzel

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Ricardo Baca is the founder and co-editor of Reverb and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post. He is also the executive director of the Underground Music Showcase, Colorado’s premier indie music festival. Follow his whimsies at Twitter, his live music habit at Gigbot and his iTunes addictions at Last.fm.

John Wenzel is the co-editor of Reverb, editor of the Get Real Denver blog and an A&E reporter for The Denver Post. His book “Mock Stars: Indie Comedy and the Dangerously Funny” was recently published by Speck Press. He also maintains a Twitter feed of random song titles.