Rihanna "Rated R"
Long awaited after such a dramatic year or so outside of the studio, the fourth full-length album from the Barbados-born pop icon is the first since her highly publicized split from Chris Brown, and that ordeal seems to have galvanized the singer. She sounds angry and hurt, and throws around a lot of swear words. She gets plenty of all-star assistance: Ne-Yo wrote and produced the creepy "Russian Roulette"; Slash fires off some generic riffs on "Rockstar 101"; and one of the album's best moments, "Cold Case Love," comes courtesy of Justin Timberlake. What you don't hear much of are the killer hooks that made "Good Girl Gone Bad" so unstoppable; even at its angriest, nothing here approaches "Breakin' Dishes." Despite its title, "Rated R" isn't as edgy as it could be.
Shakira "She Wolf"
Her third English-language album which was postponed so many times that it seemed inevitable the final product would disappoint. Like the hit single of the same name, "She Wolf" offers up a nifty selection of lightweight yet catchy electronic jams, augmented with Latin and dance hall touches. Plus there's the out-of-sync charm of her ESL lyrics, which range from name-dropping Matt Damon ("Men in This Town") to using three-dollar words like "lycanthropy," to heighten her idiosyncratic appeal. She co-wrote and co-produced all but one song, and kept her pool of collaborators small.
Susan Boyle "I Dreamed a Dream"
Shae became a cyber-sensation. First the Scottish singer ignited YouTube, landing more than 300 million hits with her little "Les Misérables" ditty. Now her full-length debut is setting records as the most preordered album in Amazon.com history. In addition to her signature tune, Boyle's 12-song set includes several sacred classics ("How Great Thou Art," "Amazing Grace"), interspersed with unique interpretations of the Rolling Stones ("Wild Horses") and, um, Madonna ("You'll See").
Adam Lambert "For Your Entertainment"
From its Sylvester-goes-New-Wave cover art to the saucy electro-strut of the Lady GaGa-penned "Fever," the Idol finalist's debut offers a welcome reminder that rock 'n' roll is supposed to be fun. Even silly. Just listen to the way he ecstatically tears into the opening cut, "Music Again," written by Justin Hawkins of the Darkness, or Pink's confrontational contribution, "Whataya Want From Me." Lambert's album may not be rocket science, but it sure sounds jet-propelled. "Time for Miracles," a tune from the "2012" soundtrack, is a bonus cut.
Lady GaGa "The Fame Monster" (rerelease)
A case of making a good thing better. Great anthem like club hit, "Bad Romance", has teens cuckoo for bath haus video, but "Video Phone," her duet with Beyoncé, is the tune about to blow up. Breat gesture by GaGa's marketing and record label team for making the eight-song add-on available separately, for those fans who already bought "The Fame".
Other New Releases Worth Checking Out:
(Have not listened to, but please feel free to post a review)
Tom Waits: "Glitter and Doom [Live]"
Wiz Khalifa: "Deal or No Deal"
Tom Petty: "The Live Anthology"
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