COUNTRY
These days everyone from Bon Jovi and the Eagles to Jessica Simpson and Snoop Dogg (!) seems to want a piece of the country market. After her last CD, 2006's Goodbye Alice in Wonderland, failed to take off, Jewel has become another Nashville interloper. But for the neo-folkie, venturing into country territory comes just as easily as hopping over the barnyard fence. It's certainly a lot more natural of a transition than when she attempted a dance-pop makeover on 2003's 0304. Without affecting too much of a twang in her voice, she gets the phrasing—and the feeling—just right on tunes like the lilting "Loved by You (Cowboy Waltz)," while spinning a classic country conceit on the ballad standout, "Till It Feels Like Cheating." And on "Two Become One," Jewel evokes something really sweet: early Olivia Newton-John.
Wanderlust| [2¼ stars]
ROCK
"I don't know what I was thinking/ I been gone too long," sings Gavin Rossdale on "Some Days," the opener of his first solo CD. In reality, the former Bush frontman hasn't been away from the music scene all that long—he released a hard-rock disc with another band, Institute, in 2005—but he hasn't been a major player since Bush disbanded in 2002 (unless you count being Mr. Gwen Stefani). Wanderlust, solid but somewhat underwhelming, probably won't change that. Still, the reggae-tinged "Future World" is a smooth move into Sting/Seal territory, while the power ballad "Forever May You Run" shows that Rossdale can still keep up with Chris Daughtry.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "This Is Happiness," a rhapsodic rocker
11 |
POP-ROCK
There's nothing on the new Bryan Adams album that will erase the '80s memory of "Summer of '69" or "Run to You." But the 11 songs on this CD—which is exclusively available at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club—show that, at 48, Adams is still capable of capturing the essence of young, unbridled love. Sure, the guy can get sappy, but he's always sincere.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "I Thought I'd Seen Everything," the summery single
This Is Not the World |
ALT-ROCK
Strap yourself in and get ready for a blast of a ride on the Futureheads' third album. Starting with "The Beginning of the Twist," the opening jolt and first single, these British post-punks keep things fast and furious. Indeed, the 12 songs fly by in less than 40 minutes, without slowing down for any take-us-seriously ballads. The effect is like a musical Red Bull, with charging guitars, ripping drums and thumping bass catapulting standout tracks like "Think Tonight" and "Broke Up the Time." Although some of the songs start to run together by the CD's second half, it all still leaves you with a dizzying rush.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "Walking Backwards," a hyper—and hyper-catchy—dance-punk track
For more information on where to find our Download This picks, go to PEOPLE.COM/DOWNLOADTHIS
• Not every band merits a two-disc retrospective, but Radiohead sure does. Catch up on all the music before their latest CD, In Rainbows, and get set to catch them on tour this summer.
OLD 97'S Blame It on Gravity Some things don't get old, and the rootsy pop-rock of this quartet is one of them. Highlights of their latest album include the jaunty, jangly "No Baby I" and the misty-eyed ballad "Color of a Lonely Heart Is Blue."
LALAH HATHAWAY Self Portrait Donny's daughter got a big boost with her 2004 cover of Luther Vandross's "Forever, For Always, For Love." Her new album, a classy sophisto-soul affair, delivers more jazz-kissed slow jams like "On Your Own."
HAYES CARLL Trouble in Mind This Texas troubadour displays both heart (the aching "Don't Let Me Fall") and humor (the hilarious "She Left Me for Jesus") on an alt-country disc that gives Ryan Adams something to worry about.
TYE TRIBBETT & G.A. Stand Out On this live album, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's gospel chart, Tribbett and his ensemble, Greater Anointing, make adventurous, ultra-contemporary praise music in the spirit of Kirk Franklin.
JORDIN SPARKS breathes more life into "No Air," her duet with Chris Brown, with a digital-only acoustic version of the Top 5 hit. At amazon.com.
BECK concocts an addictive potion of alt-rock and Doors-esque psychedelia on "Chemtrails," from his 10th studio CD, due this summer. At beck.com.
MAROON 5 team with Rihanna for a funky revamp of "If I Never See Your Face Again," from the upcoming reissue of It Won't Be Soon Before Long. At iTunes.com.
• The R&B singer, 27, is back with The Declaration, her first studio disc since 2004, which features the hit cheating song "The Way That I Love You."
WHAT SHE'S BEEN UP TO I filmed two movies, John Tucker Must Die and Resident Evil: Extinction. And I found out that I really like to play golf—I'm actually good!
WHAT REALLY INSPIRED THE VIDEO FOR "THE WAY THAT I LOVE YOU" I was watching a show called Snapped on the Oxygen channel. It's [about] women who have snapped and were locked up. Their heart was broken too many times, [so] they hurt their spouse. In no way, shape or form do I support violence, but I identify with feeling so betrayed.
WHAT'S THE BEST REVENGE SHE'S EXACTED ON A GUY One of my exes hung up the phone on me [during] an argument, so I found his Timberlands in my closet, took a razor blade and cut them until nothing but the sole was left.
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!
