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All the Lost Souls JAMES BLUNT Producer(s): Tom Rothrock Label: Custard/Atlantic

James Blunt can do a lot in less than four minutes. Worldwide 2005 No. 1 "You're Beautiful" (3:33), a love song so plaintive that it worked for anyone in any stage of infatuation, made the shaggy crooner a superstar. On this sophomore effort, Blunt doesn't repeat the feat in a single song, but does something even better: He shows the abandon and confidence of a long-term artist, not just a one-hit wonder. Sounding like John Mayer channeling Jeff Buckley in the middle of Abbey Road, each of Blunt's songs are infused with love, loss and confusion, but are rendered so elegantly that it sounds like he's got everything figured out. He wraps his head around mortality on "I'll Take Everything" (3:05), begs for a moment of relief on "Give Me Love" (3:36) and declares his heartbreak on hit-to-be "I Really Want You" (3:29). There's not a misstep throughout.—Kerri Mason