It's not like rappers Jadakiss, Styles P and Sheek Louch have been hiding out since 2000, when they released their last album as a group.

But something special happens when the trio gets together as The Lox. They feed off one another's energy throughout the much-anticipated new album “Filthy America ... It's Beautiful” (D-Block/Roc Nation/Def Jam) and these songs seem to have more of a spark than even their best solo work. Even their point of view has shifted. While The Lox made its name with gritty tales of the drug trade and life on the streets on its debut album, “Money, Power & Respect,” the performers are no longer those guys.

“Now I sell juice, but I used to sell blow,” Styles P raps in “What Else You Need to Know?” referring to the chain of local juice bars, Juices for Life, that he now runs with Jadakiss. In “The Family,” Jadakiss declares, “Used to move powder in the streets, now I move powder in the juicer.”

They hammer the point home in the skit “Stupid Questions,” where they spar with pretend journalists who pepper them with questions about hip-hop beefs long squashed.

“Don't You Cry” shows why The Lox is so eager to move forward, a mix of old-school East Coast rap with a bit of island influence. “Secure the Bag” offers a bit of DJ Khaled-style money advice, with some help from Gucci Mane. And when The Lox team up with Mobb Deep on the synth groove-driven “Hard Life,” they show they can easily hang with any of the current crop of rappers on pop radio with dance-oriented hits, just like they did when it was all about the Benjamins, baby.

The Candles step out

Though The Candles may be best known as Norah Jones' touring band, their third album, “Matter + Spirit” (The End), should definitely land them some attention of their own.

Led by singer/multi-instrumentalist Josh Lattanzi, The Candles put their own twist on Americana, most notably in “Back to the City,” where the sound of roots rock bands like The Lumineers gets an edgier vibe. In a way, drummer Greg Wieczorek provides the road map, adding some flourishes to the straightforward thumping that has become the hallmark of the pop-leaning Americana crashing the charts in recent years.

On “Lost My Driving Wheel,” they embellish an alt-country base with bits of Southern rock, while Lattanzi's sweet voice gives it a bit of pop charm, which also fuels “You Won't Remember Me.”

However, it's Lattanzi's duet with Jones, the lovely “Move Along,” that makes the strongest impression. Their pretty harmonies create a bit of sunny hopefulness, even as the lyrics fret about the uncertainty of the future.

With “Matter + Spirit,” The Candles' future is certainly burning brightly.

glenn.gamboa@newsday.com