CRITIC'S CHOICE
POP-ROCK
Bittersweet World, Ashlee Simpson's shockingly good third album, is sweet revenge on all her critics. Indeed, it may finally help her live down that infamous Saturday Night Live lip-syncing scandal. The new CD finds Simpson moving in a dance-pop direction, with help from hitmaking producers Timbaland and Chad Hugo (of the Neptunes), as well as sorely unheralded artist Kenna. The move pays off with groovy '80s throwbacks like "Boys," the best Kylie Minogue song that Kylie never did, and dance-punk tracks like "Rule Breaker" that are deliciously bratty and catchy. Meanwhile, "Little Miss Obsessive," featuring Plain White T's frontman Tom Higgenson, is the kind of pop-rocker that her Fall Out Boy fiancé Pete Wentz can be proud of.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "Bittersweet World," a bass-driven finger-snapper
All I Feel | [
R&B
"Don't understand how my first name had changed to 'Brandy's brother,'" sings Ray J on "Don't Wanna Be Right," the intro to his fourth album. This year the 27-year-old singer has gone a long way toward stepping out of his more famous older sister's shadow thanks to the success of "Sexy Can I," a Top 5 hit on both the pop and R&B charts. The slick midtempo come-on, featuring rapper Yung Berg, is the best thing on All I Feel. Still, there are other smooth grooves, such as "Boyfriend," that find Ray J working his player charms. But he doesn't display much lyrical or musical range and fails to really bring anything new to the party (see his T-Pain ripoff "It's Up to You"). And it doesn't help that his voice, while certainly easy on the ears, is nowhere near as distinctive as Brandy's.
I Don't Want to Go to School | [
TWEEN POP
Who would win a battle of the brothers bands: the Naked Brothers Band or the Jonas Brothers? The answer is clear from the former's second album: The Jonases don't have anything to worry about just yet. Still, the brothers Wolff—Nat, 13, and Alex, 10—easily score passable marks for School, which features songs from the second season of their hit Nickelodeon show The Naked Brothers Band. They certainly get bonus points for writing all their own material, with Nat composing and singing lead on 10 of 12 tunes, including the title-track highlight, a bluesy rocker. But while Nat's choirboy croon on the ballad "I'll Do Anything" will make you melt, Alex's pitchy attempt to convey heartbreak on "Why" will make you ask just that.
For more information on where to find our Download This picks, go to PEOPLE.COM/DOWNLOADTHIS
• This music from the Rolling Stones concert film directed by Martin Scorsese captures the band rocking with Christina Aguilera and Jack White and doing a mean "Just My Imagination."
JAMES OTTO Sunset Man It helps to be connected: This member of Nashville's MuzikMafia gets production from Big & Rich's John Rich and Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus on his debut. And the winning results include the country hit "Just Got Started Lovin' You." [
JUSTIN NOZUKA Holly John Mayer should start looking over his shoulder: This 19-year-old impresses with the acoustic pop-soul on his debut. Best include the breakup ballad "Supposed to Grow Old" and the bluesy first single "After Tonight." [
DIANNE REEVES When You Know The Grammy-winning jazz chanteuse warmly covers love's ups and downs on this collection featuring everything from classic Motown and Brazilian gems to '70s soul (a fresh take on Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You"). [
FLOGGING MOLLY Float This septet was founded in L.A., but it is fronted by Dublin-born Dave King—which helps explain the Celtic-flavored rock on Float. Tracks like the ripping "You Won't Make a Fool Out of Me" will have you bursting into a jig. [
NE-YO previews his third album, Year of the Gentleman (out June 24), with the bumping, bass-heavy club track "Closer." At music.aol.com.
MICHELLE WILLIAMS commands the dance floor with the techno-pop jam "We Break the Dawn," from the Destiny's Child singer's third solo album, Unexpected, due in August. At iTunes.com.
3 DOORS DOWN delivers hard-hitting guitar riffs along with an inspiring message on "It's Not My Time," from the band's self-titled fifth album, out May 6. At napster.com.
ALANIS MORISSETTE (below) gets philosophical on the existential, tempo-shifting "Underneath," the first single from her seventh studio disc, Flavors of Entanglement, due June 10. At iTunes.com.
Forget American Idol. Opened in 1991, the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in London has become the place to find hot music talent. Here are the alumni you've already heard from—or will soon.
LEONA LEWIS, 23 Attended: 1997-2001 Claim to fame: After winning Britain's The X Factor in 2006, the pop siren released the fastest-selling debut in U.K. history, Spirit.
ADELE, 19 Attended: 2002-2006 Claim to fame: Won the Critics' Choice prize at the Brit Awards in 2007. Her debut, 19, hits the U.S. this summer.
MARSHA AMBROSIUS, 30 Attended: Mid-'90s Claim to fame: One half of the Grammy-nominated R&B duo Floetry ("Say Yes"), she is currently working on her debut solo album with producer Dr. Dre.
KATE NASH, 20 Attended: 2003-2005 Claim to fame: A MySpace sensation, she's won Lily Allen comparisons for her CD Made of Bricks.
KATIE MELUA, 23 Attended: 2001-2003 Claim to fame: Jazzy popster was the best-selling female artist in both the U.K. and Europe in 2006. Her latest is Pictures.
AMY WINEHOUSE, 24 Attended: 2000 Claim to fame: Among other things, scored five Grammys and double-platinum sales for Back to Black.
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!
