Lisa Bello / Tommy Boy
Those who live in the Boston area have come to know and love the musically talented Bello family throughout the years. They are a staple in the live music scene and unfailingly put on a show that gets you moving, or at the very least, head-boppin’. The siren of this family, Lisa Bello, has come out with a new album that strips the singer bare to the bones, revealing a rawness of emotion that translates into pure soul.

Of the album, Bello said, “Tommy Boy is about having the freedom as a woman to be who you are with no qualms. This album is about letting go and being free. I hope women feel empowered by it.”

The album begins with a little quip from her son, simply declaring, “My mama is a tomboy,” leading into “Ain’t It Something,” a relatable song with a great flow that goes into a slow hip-hop break, further showing the swagger this girl naturally has. The skillfully soulful ballad “Don’t Come Down” brings a simple statement in a beautiful way, a simple wish for a genuine relationship.

I really like “Make It,” as it brings me back to a ’90s R&B vibe, with an easy, instrumental, dead-on harmonies and explores Bello’s higher register and masterful vocal runs without the Mariah Carey exhibitionism. My favorite song on the album, though, is “Dear Lucia,” with a beautiful poem intro discussing the strength and often overlooked accomplishments of women. This jazzy, piano-led song is about rising above and standing on your own two feet.

A teacher, activist and true humanitarian with a wealth of experience under her belt singing for artists such as Missy Elliot and having featured music on shows such as Prime Suspect and Law & Order, Bello is one to watch. We can only expect even greater things as she makes her mark.

For more information, visit facebook.com/LisaBelloMusic.

Jennifer Russo

Foo Fighters / Concrete and Gold
With Foo Fighters about to take to the stage at Fenway Park this summer, now is the perfect time to listen to their newest effort, Concrete and Gold. The veteran rockers follow up their stellar Sonic Highways concept album with another strong release here, even if it is a little inconsistent and dreary.

By now, you’ve likely already heard the single “Run,” a song that is Foo Fighters’ career in a nutshell: tight and frantic punk energy punctuated by a big, melodic hook for a chorus. But there are other songs worth checking out, too. “Arrows” is a burst of pummeling rock with perfect stop-and-go action. In “La Dee Da,” an angry number with possible political underpinnings, Dave Grohl sings, “Look out cuz I know what you’re doing/Turn up the American Ruse,” with the added “Keep your pretty promise to yourself.”

The second half of the album falters, with “Happy Ever After (Zero Hour)” and Taylor Hawkins’ “Sunday Rain” being okay but not meeting their potential. Concrete and Gold sludges to the finish line with its title track, allowing the dark cloud created by the previous songs to linger with the listener without any promise of a clear sky.

There is an odd feeling you get when listening to Concrete and Gold. Perhaps it’s because after the tight and focused Sonic Highways, anything less seems a bit lacking. But when it gels, it sings, and Concrete and Gold hits a lot of good notes.

For more information, visit foofighters.com.

Jason Savio

Snow Patrol / Wildness
It was a decade ago that you were probably chasing cars. Well, not literally. You were likely singing about those vehicles during a late-night karaoke session or maybe just listening to others croon whilst firmly holding a drink in hand and swaying to the song that would define the decade with sadness and self-reflection. Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” reigned supreme in 2007, and the rockers from Ireland set the standard for belting out sad songs that were not entirely schmaltzy. Now, they’re back to push all your emotional buttons with Wildness, the Northern Irish-Scottish rock band’s seventh studio album, a full seven years since their last album. After listening, you’ll see — or hear — why it’s taken so long.

There’s more depth and intimacy on this album since lead singer Gary Lightbody went public with his personal battles with alcoholism and depression. With his struggles, he’s found topics to really dig into. “Heal Me” is quintessential Snow Patrol — saturated with melancholy, yet hopeful underneath. Lightbody is ready to commiserate on most of the album. Take “What If This Is All the Love You Ever Get?” — a piano ballad that somehow feels resilient in a misery-loves-company sort of way: “I’m in ruins, too. I know the wreckage so well. Come on over, come on over here.” We’re in this together, he suggests, and the band plays on.

This is the theme on Wildness, and Lightbody and his bandmates are offering their companionship on the journey, if not their advice on searching for answers to life’s difficult — or even unanswerable — questions. The album works on this level because Snow Patrol is embracing past demons to chase something new — another generation of fans who may just be looking for this brand of soft and sensitive rock that has real feeling behind it.

For more information, visit snowpatrol.com.

Mike Wood