The Emancipation of Mimi
CRITIC'S CHOICE
Picks and Pans Review: "it's a Special Occasion/ Mimi's Emancipation/ a Cause for Celebration." So Sings Mariah Carey, Referring to Herself by the Nickname Mimi, on the Slinky Party Jam "it's Like That." and the Octave-Leaping Diva's New Album Is Indeed R •DOWNLOAD THIS: "Fly Like a Bird"
•DOWNLOAD THIS: "Fly Like a Bird"
ALT-ROCK
Employment
Franz Ferdinand, move Over: Britain's Kaiser Chiefs Are the Latest U.k. Band to Invade the States with Their Jolly Good Neo-New Wave. the Chiefs, Who Have Opened for Franz on Tour, Take Charge with Their Retro-'80s Revelry on a Debu •DOWNLOAD THIS: "I Predict a Riot"
R & B
Pleasure & Pain
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•DOWNLOAD THIS: "What If"
Kathleen Edwards, Back to Me
On stripped-down songs driven by her own acoustic guitar, Edwards keeps it real and rootsy, bringing to mind a younger Lucinda Williams. It's hard to imagine not coming back for more of her affecting alt-country.
Al Green, Everything's OK
Rev. Al continues his secular revival with this exuberantly soulful disc, which harks back to his vintage early-'70s years with plenty of blaring horns, churchy organs and wah-wah guitar.
Beck, Guero
Nineties alt-rock hero Beck is once again where it's at, thanks to a terrific new album that plays like the long-awaited sequel to 1996's Odelay with its heady, head-tripping mix of beats and sounds.
Tweet, It's Me Again
With mentor Missy Elliott producing seven cuts, this R&B songbird keeps it fresh and funky by piling on the trip-hop rhythms, old-school soul and left-field samples like the Taxi sitcom theme.
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DEADWOOD
You can practically feel the dust under your cowboy boots. This evocative soundtrack to the HBO western drama features such rootsy types as June Carter Cash, Lyle Lovett and Jelly Roll Morton. For extra authenticity, one version of this CD is peppered with snippets of series dialogue.
ONE TREE HILL
Be forewarned that this serviceable set does not include the original version of Gavin DeGraw's hit "I Don't Want to Be," the theme song of the WB teen drama. Instead, you get an adequate live rendition, plus Keane's lush "Everybody's Changing" and two tracks with recurring cast member Tyler Hilton.
THE O.C.: MIX 4
The alternative-edged sounds have always added a cool quotient to the melodramas of Ryan, Seth, Marissa, Summer and crew. This filler-free disc serves as the perfect companion with choice cuts by Modest Mouse, Beck and the Future-heads, who get things jumping with "Decent Days and Nights."
THE L WORD: THE SECOND SEASON
This uneven, female-heavy soundtrack to Showtime's lesbian drama features several artists making guest appearances this season, including Heart, BETTY and Shawn Colvin. But they are upstaged by a golden Shirley Bassey, with an electronica-infused remix of "Where Do I Begin."
SUMMERLAND
The patchwork quality makes this feel like a lazy attempt to cash in on the popularity of actor Jesse McCartney, whose hit Beautiful Soul disc is much worthier. McCartney kicks in the Justin-ish "Get Your Shine On," while New Found Glory's racing rocker "All Downhill from Here" picks things up.
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!
