Guero
CRITIC'S CHOICE
After his last disc, 2002's somber Sea Change, it seemed as if '90s alt-rock hero Beck was being passed by the Chris Martins and Jack Whites of the world. Just when you thought the baby-faced dude who helped define the slacker generation might have seen his best days, though, Beck is once again where it's at. His terrific new album plays like the long-awaited sequel to 1996's double-platinum, Grammy-winning Odelay. Indeed, Guero (which is Mexican slang for a blond-haired, fair-skinned Caucasian) reunites Beck with the Dust Brothers production team of Mike Simpson and John King, which laid down the lo-fi, sampledelic sound on Odelay. They continue to judiciously use samples—a few familiar (the Beastie Boys' "So What'cha Want" on the thumping rocker "E-Pro"), most obscure (Claus Ogerman and His Orchestra's "Voce e Eu" on the bossa nova-tinged "Missing")—to create a groovy sonic kaleidoscope swirling with shades of hip-hop, funk, psychedelia, folk, blues and Latin music. For his part, Beck revels in the eclectic experimentation. Whether he's playing slide guitar and singing Beach Boys-style harmonies on the irresistible "Girl" or rapping and blowing the harmonica on the Beasties-like party jam "Hell Yes," he seems to be having more fun than he has in years. While Guero is rhythmically upbeat, however, it can be a downer lyrically. The last three songs tackle death ("What's left of death is more than fear/ Let dust be dust and the good lord near," on "Emergency Exit"), bringing the CD to a morose close, but not before Beck proves he has plenty of life left.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "E-pro"
ALT-ROCK
Back to Me
"I've got ways to make you sing my songs/ Ones I ain't written yet," sings Kathleen Edwards on the enticing title track other sophomore CD. And with her affecting alt-country, which brings to mind a younger Lucinda Williams, it's hard to imagine listeners not coming back for more of this Canadian singer-songwriter. On stripped-down songs driven by her own acoustic guitar, Edwards keeps it real and rootsy, beginning with the biting "In State," on which she tells an outlaw lover, "Don't say you'll change after the next time...Maybe 20 years in state will change your mind." She laments sacrificing her own life for a man's on the fiddle-laced "Copied Keys": "This is our apartment filled with your things/ This is your life, I get copied keys." Edwards is decidedly more lovey-dovey on the gently rocking "Summerlong." Best, though, are aching ballads like the road-weary "Away," on which, in her wistful voice, she longs for friends left behind ("I don't know who to write/And I think I forgot/ What your face looks like") and brings the listener near.—C.A.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "Away"
ALT-COUNTRYThe One
Although he was born in Mexico and occasionally sings in Spanglish, it would be a mistake to lump Frankie J in with Latin-pop singers like Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony and Ricky Martin. Instead, this former member of the Mexican-American group Kumbia Kings wants to be the Hispanic Usher on his second solo CD. In fact, "How to Deal," one of several sweet slow jams on this respectable if unremarkable disc, is basically a rewrite of Usher's 2004 hit "Burn." Frankie J also incorporates hip-hop on cuts like the smooth grooving "On the Floor," which deftly samples Wham!'s "Everything She Wants," and the freestyle-flavored Top 10 single "Obsession (No Es Amor)," which features a guest rap by Baby Bash to go along with Frankie's Michael Jackson-inspired croon.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "On the Floor"
CONTEMPORARY R&B The Story of My Life
Although she comes across less feisty than she did on her 1996 hit "Did I Shave My Legs for This?," this is still a strong effort by Carter, thanks to such thoughtful tunes as "One Day at a Time," "In a Heartbeat" and "Atlanta & Birmingham." Carter's singing always has bite and a happy respect for melody. She also produced this album herself, had a hand in writing every song and enlisted some fine backup musicians, solidifying her place among today's leading country singers.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "Atlanta & Birmingham"
Moby, Hotel Renovating his techno sound, Moby shows that he's not planning on checking out of the Relevancy Inn any time soon, keeping right in step with the neo new wave of the Killers and the moody Brit pop of Coldplay.
Ben Lee, Awake Is the New Sleep Hopefully, more American listeners will wake up and take notice of this Australian singer-songwriter with this alt-pop disc, which lives up to its great title by displaying Lee's sharp ear for melody and smart lyrical spins.
Brooke Valentine, Chain Letter More than a Ciara clone, this 19-year-old newcomer delivers a fun and feisty R&B-pop set with a surprising alternative edge that brings to mind a cross between Kelis and Pink.
Jessi Alexander, Honeysuckle Sweet Call it pop or country, blues or bluegrass, this is one terrific debut album, with Alexander incorporating a little urban toughness to go along with her rural heart.
KEITH URBAN lays bare a stripped-down Sessions@AOL performance of four songs, including the No. 1 hit "Days Go By," at iTunes.com.
ROBERT PLANT fans will bask in "Shine It All Around," a bass-heavy sneak peek from his upcoming album with his band the Strange Sensation, at iTunes.
THE BLACK EYED PEAS get the party started again with their revved-up new single "Pump It," from their next CD, Monkey Business, at Napster.com.
SUM 41 AND LUDACRIS revive their recent Saturday Night Live collaboration with a rocking live version of "Get Back," at iTunes.
- Contributors:
- Chuck Arnold,
- Ralph Novak.
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
