EDIE BRICKELL

Edie Brickell

[Redeye]

Before adult-contemporary audiences could get the wah-wah guitar of her debut hit “What I Am” out of their heads, media-shy Edie Brickell had already grown disaffected with show business. Because her career since the ’80s has been modest by choice, it’s a feel-good shock to hear her sounding so comfortable on just her sixth album in 23 years. “Give It Another Day” starts out sounding like Laura Nyro in her Top 40 prime, adds some handclaps and finishes with enough soulful “woo-woo”s to earn Brickell a seat on a midnight train to Georgia. The snappy, ragtime-y piano flourishes of “Always” are preceded by a few seconds of studio shenanigans, including a charming chuckle from the artist herself. “On the Avenue” is heavy on groove and light on narrative, but its simple words verify everything that’s suggested by the rest of the album: Brickell is hanging out with friends and feeling just fine. –David Styburski