Caustic Love

Funked-up Scottish soul singer Paolo Nutini took a lengthy hiatus before returning in 2014 with his third album. The break served him well, as Caustic Love paired vocal swagger with nuanced musicianship. The sultry lead single, "Scream (Funk My Life Up)," mixes Nutini's sinewy voice with slick guitar licks, while "Numpty" is a dose of low-slung funk straight outta New Orleans. It's left to the delicate, acoustic-based "Someone Like You" to end the album on a wistful note.