VARIOUS
Before he became the top dog on American Idol, Randy Jackson was a musician-producer who worked with everyone from Whitney Houston and Bruce Springsteen to Madonna. On his eclectic solo debut, he continues to play well with others, including Mariah Carey, Joss Stone and fellow Idol judge Paula Abdul, who kicks it J.Lo-style on "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow." Jackson also uses his Idol connections on "Real Love," with Elliott Yamin and Katharine McPhee making like Marvin and Tammi. Best is "Home," a twangy take on Michael Bublé's hit with the unlikely pair of Anthony Hamilton and Big & Rich's John Rich. Not every collaboration works, though: Jackson fails when he tries to go gangsta with Crunk Squad and Ghostface Killah on "Like A."
Lust Lust Lust |
ALT-ROCK
This Danish duo of Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo is not quite in the league of alt-rock's premier boy-girl twosome: the White Stripes. But their moody atmospherics are strangely alluring on their third full-length album. Alternately somber and sinister, while occasionally creeping into Cure territory on cuts like "Hallucinations," this is a journey to the dark side.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "Dead Sound," an eerie garage stomper
Backwoods Barbie |
COUNTRY
"I'm just a backwoods Barbie/ Too much makeup, too much hair/ Don't be fooled by thinkin' that the goods are not all there." So sings Dolly Parton, in typically disarming, self-deprecating fashion, on the title-track highlight of her new album. Of course, Parton long ago proved she's much more than a country-music caricature, and her considerable talent as a singer and songwriter is on display here. She brings a plucky spirit to "Better Get to Livin'" while getting to the heartache of the matter on the ballads "Only Dreamin'" and "I Will Forever Hate Roses." She only really stumbles with a remake of Fine Young Cannibals' 1989 hit "She Drives Me Crazy" that is truly maddening.
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This set, subtitled A Reggae Tribute to the Police, underscores the band's reggae spirit with covers by Lee "Scratch" Perry, Toots & the Maytals and Junior Reid (on a jammin' "Synchronicity 1").
KATHLEEN EDWARDS Asking for Flowers
"Choosing my words carefully has never been my strength/ I've been known to be vague and often pointless." But Edwards gives the lie to those "Sure as S---" lyrics with this bouquet of alt-country gems.
LUDO You're Awful, I Love You
The title of this St. Louis band's major-label debut comes from "Love Me Dead," the hooky and humorous first single. While their brand of Fuse-friendly punk-pop isn't always so fresh, it's consistently fun.
ALLISON MOORER Mockingbird
This songbird celebrates a host of female songwriters, ranging from Patti Smith and Nina Simone to sister Shelby Lynne. Best include a lovely version of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and a smoldering "Ring of Fire."
JOE JACKSON Rain
Nothing on Jackson's first studio disc in five years will make you forget "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" Still, this is pretty crafty stuff, seamlessly weaving jazz and even classical into piano-based sophisto-pop.
After spending more than two months at No. 1 with his smash "Low," the 28-year-old Florida rapper (real name: Tramar Dillard) is set to deliver his debut album, Mail on Sunday, on March 18.
ON HIS MONIKER Flo Rida (pronounced "Flow RIDE-uh") represents Florida, Flo represents the different flows I have when I approach a record, and Rida represents when I speed up the tempo.
ON HIS HIP-HOP HEROES Run-DMC, LL Cool J, the Fat Boys, Eric. B & Rakim, Heavy D. I have seven older sisters, so they would bring all of that home. I loved the way they walked, the way they talked. I felt like I could never do that, but then I got older and became a little more hip.
ON PERFORMING "LOW" LIVE It gets crazy sometimes. It brings me back to when I was on the road with 2 Live Crew. The girls try to take off my clothes, but I'm not trying to be anyone's breaking news.
ON THE WEIRDEST PLACE HE'S HEARD "LOW" In a bathroom at Target—I was on the road and stopped to buy wife-beaters and boxers.
ON HIS ALBUM'S TITLE This is a special delivery for the fans. And who wouldn't want their mail to come on Sunday?
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!
