Joan Armatrading, “Not Too Far Away” (BMG)- Joan Armatrading’s candid musings on the vagaries of the human condition have seen the Saint Kitts born performer showered with a whole host of critical accolades since she made her vinyl debut long long ago in 1972 with “Whatever’s For Us.” What’s equally remarkable is the fact that Joan has never allowed her musical standards to slip during a career which now spans almost half a century, and “Not Too Far Away” is a typically intense and personal tour de force. Joan writes, produces, arranges and handles all the instrumentation on a powerful package which peaks with “I Like It When We’re Together,” “Cover My Eyes” and the anthemic “Any Place.”