The promotional machine that is Jennifer Lopez makes much of her ability to seemingly do it all. She dances, acts, sings, designs. Her newest production is "Como Ama Una Mujer," Lopez's first album sung entirely in Spanish.
It is the work of "the best songwriters, arrangers and musicians in the Latin world," according to her team, and is co-produced by Julio Reyes and salsa star Marc Anthony, Lopez's husband.
Indeed, the album has an intriguing pop sound - a sophisticated and understated production. It might actually have worked had this been put into the hands of a stronger vocalist.
But the power-ballad-heavy selection spotlights Lopez's limited range, and a voice that unfortunately lacks texture and character. The opening song on this 11- track album may be the most memorable due to interesting rhythmic and melodic combinations. On "?
Que Hiciste?" ("What Did You Do?") the vocals speak of love gone horribly wrong and have Lopez telling of her soul being broken.
But there is little expression of that anger or pain.
Michelle Morgante, The Associated Press
Tracks to download: "?Que Hiciste?
" They say change is good.
But not for all people.
Ever since her stellar debut in 2003, Joss Stone has been channeling the spirit of Janis Joplin.
She has the voice and definitely the soul that her predecessor charmed audiences with.
But with Stone's third album, "Introducing Joss Stone," the British chanteuse unfortunately (and sadly) doesn't deliver.
The Raphael Saadiq-produced disc lacks the soul that so fits Stone's essence and vocal style.
Now, Stone can sing, but bass-heavy tracks drown out her vocals in "Girl, They Won't Believe It," "Headturner " and "Put Your Hands on Me."
"Tell Me 'Bout It" is a nugget that is saved by Stone's vocals. In the video, she sports a head of fiery red hair.
Not cute.
Two hip-hop heavyweights make the album. Common drops wisdom and love on "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now," and "Music," featuring hip-hop outcast Lauryn Hill, is a gem that pays homage to the good old days of music.
Hearing Hill's voice is pure magic, unlike the rest of the album.
Jennifer Jiggetts, The Pilot
Tracks to download: "Music," "Tell Me 'Bout It," "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now"
Probably one of the most innovative artists in blues today is Denver-based singer/songwriter Otis Taylor. His latest, "Definition of a Circle,' adds credence to that notion.
With a world-weary, gruff voice reminiscent of Taj Mahal or James "Blood" Ulmer, Taylor has created another stunning, emotional work that pushes the blues envelope. His deep-felt songs go way beyond "she-done-me-wrong" blues cliches with compositions that touch on bi racial children, being poor in America, the devastation of New Orleans and the plight of Romany people in Europe along with murder ballads, slices of life and skirmishes of the heart.
Taylor prefers banjo over guitar; he enjoys embellishing songs with operatic vocal flourishes, layers of strings and acoustic instruments and keyboard washes.
Some tunes are hypnotic "trance blues," while others are raw, gutbucket blues-rock with guest guitarist Gary Moore's screaming, stinging leads. Several songs are drum-less grooves with each packing a rhythmic punch to the gut. Taylor again creates raw, roiling blues that's as contemporary as today and as deep and murky as the Mississippi River.
Eric Feber, The Pilot
Tracks to download: "Little Betty," "Few Feet Away," "They Wore Blue"
Simply put, Jason Michael Carroll is the finest singer to come down the pike in many a moon. The North Carolinian has a wonderfully crisp, authoritative voice, and the songs he writes, as Billy Crystal would put it, are "mah-velous."
He takes a no-nonsense approach to the lyrics in his debut album.
Its first single, written by the father of four whose own father was a fundamentalist preacher, will really affect you. "Alyssa Lies," which scored the highest country new-artist debut sales since Billboard introduced its Digital Song chart, is a forthright look at the horrors of child abuse, told by the child and her father. The ending is frightening, just as it usually is in real life.
Jewel joins Carroll in a duet on a song they co-wrote, "No Good in Goodbye." They are a perfect musical couple. The perfect beer joint song is "Honky Tonk Friends.
"
Much credit, also, goes to producer Don Gehman, who could give many of his peers lessons on how to put out quality stuff. "Waitin' in the Country" is outstanding - and then some.
Frank Roberts, The Pilot
Iggy Pop is putting the "sex" into sexagenarian.
Sorry for that.
Actually, Iggy won't celebrate his 60th until April, but his lizardlike id is on display with The Stooges' comeback album, "The Weirdness." It's the band's first since 1973's classic "Raw Power.
" Now that the New York Dolls have made it safe for aging punks to reveal their wrinkles, artists must decide if it's a good idea.
The Stooges were one of the most influential and powerful bands of the proto-punk era. It's tough, then, to hear them fall short of a blazing return.
The band, including brothers Ron and Scott Asheton and punk legend in his own right Mike Watt, acquits itself well, and Iggy is in as fine a voice as we have any right to expect.
But critics have piled on the album's weak lyrics, and it's hard to disagree. No one wants to hear Iggy get anatomical at this stage in his life.
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