Acoustic Soul
India Arie'sAcoustic Soulis just as advertised:  grooving soul music with an acoustic bent. Arie herself plays guitar,  supplemented by strings (instead of synthesizers) and drums (instead of  drum machines). The first single, "Video," is a calm, confident ode to  self-love, comparing the dreadlocked, petite Arie to the average girl  in a video. Arie is indeed anything but average: her debut marks the  auspicious return of the black female singer-songwriter, in the vein ofMe'Shell  Ndegeocello,Tracy Chapman, andDionne Farris. If  you like their music, with thoughtful lyrics and layers of  instrumentation, you'll love this album. "Video" is fabulous, but other  high points include "Ready for Love," a lament that smolders before  slowly building to a crescendo, with tinkling piano, guitar, and cello  swelling beneath the vocal. "Strength, Courage, and Wisdom" is an  optimistic anthem that'll have you clapping your hands and swaying from  side to side, and the best track on the album, "Simple," is a  straightforward love song with a pulsating beat.Acoustic Soulmay not be full of radio-friendly tracks, but every track is strong,  and the disc improves each time you press play.--Courtney Kemp