LIZA MINNELLI Confessions [Decca Records] When Liza Minnelli covered Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” in this summer’s Sex and the City 2, it was one of the uneven sequel’s few high points. Likewise, Confessions, her first album in eight years, shines brightest when she’s at her most lighthearted, reveling in the tricky rhythms of “You Fascinate Me So” and the subtle sauciness of the Disney classic “He’s a Tramp.” Unfortunately,... 

ELTON JOHN/LEON RUSSELL The Union [Decca Records] This much-anticipated collaboration between Elton John and Leon Russell had all the ingredients for greatness—two brilliant singers and pianists, an extraordinary producer in T Bone Burnett, and a profound mutual admiration between the artists involved. It turns out that “greatness” is too strong a word, but the album does have its rewards. As you might expect, The Union mixes Russell’s bluesy,...