Backstage Pass

Panic at the Disco, "Nine in the Afternoon"

Who says punctuation isn’t important?

When last we saw Panic At the Disco, they were all about hyper-literate emo, circus imagery, guyliner, closing doors and that ever-crucial exclamation point.

For its sophomore album “Pretty. Odd,” the Las Vegas quartet has dropped the exclamation point from its name and seemingly turned into a completely different band, one with well-crafted songs steeped in Beatles grandeur, Beach Boys harmonies and other pleasantly surprising ambitions.

The Beatlesque first single “Nine in the Afternoon,” complete with horn flourishes and a streamlined hook that is hard to shake, was no fluke. It was the throwing down of the gauntlet.

Aside from Brendon Urie’s distinctive vocals (and even those are bolstered by new harmonies and less-frantic phrasing), nearly nothing else from the band’s multi-platinum debut “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” remains.

There’s a New Orleans jazz feel to “I Have Friends in Holy Places.” There’s “Folkin’ Around,” which oddly sounds like a countrified “I’ve Just Seen a Face.” And there are loads of gorgeous pop songs, including “Northern Downpour,” an acoustic gem that sounds like Panic’s take on a “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” ballad.

Like their mentors Fall Out Boy did on “Infinity on High,” Panic at the Disco has taken a quantum leap forward in terms of ambition and execution. “Pretty. Odd.” is the exact opposite of the sophomore slump – a sophomore smash they can be proud of.

In case you didn't get the memos, here are a few more album releases announced recently:

Phantom Planet will release "Raise The Dead" April 15 on Fueled By Ramen. It's available for pre-order on the label's website, or if you want a sneak preview, listen to the now-available digital single "Do the Panic" at the band's MySpace page. The band comes to Roseland Ballroom May 7 and 8.

Counting Crows will drop "Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings" on Geffen Records March 25. A mix of acoustic and electric songs, the disc features production by Brian Deck (Modest Mouse) and Gil Norton (Pixies). Download the combo single "1492" and "When I Dream of Michelangelo," which showcases both aspects of the new album, at www.CountingCrows.com. No proof of this theory, but the title may come from "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning," the old British movie starring Albert Finney as the classic Angry Young Man.

In the 1980s category:

The Wedding Present releases its Steve Albini-produced disc "El Rey" on Manifesto Recordings May 20. The title may be a nod to the famous El Rey nightclub in Los Angeles, where frontman David Gedge has been living for the past year or so. Says Gedge in a press release: "While I’m not going to claim that this is my ‘L.A.’ album, there are some references. I suppose the themes are lust, jealousy, betrayal, regret, obsession, super-heroes… the usual."

Tears for Fears co-founder Curt Smith will release "Halfway, pleased" (note odd use of lowercase) on his own KOOK Media label (note odd use of uppercase) on May 20. It's his first solo album in 10 years.

Like so many struggling businesses these days, the music industry is all about outsourcing.

When a veteran hits a rough sales patch or an artistic drought, the fixers pair them up with younger artists or hot producers to modernize the sound and raise the radio-friendliness. After all, it's generally easier to renovate a previous star than to build a whole new one.

Well, Bruce Springsteen is one boss unwilling to outsource his own issues. He and the E Street Band can handle it all internally. On their new album, "Magic" (Columbia), they inject energy into their classic sound by embracing elements of the alternative rock movement - which was, in part, a rebellion launched against Springsteen's domination in the "Dancing in the Dark" '80s. And it certainly seems to agree with them.

Not only is "Magic" Springsteen's most accessible album, start to finish, since 1987's "Tunnel of Love," it is closest thematically to "Born in the U.S.A.," a slice of American life and its mix of ups and downs. The first single, the straightforward rocker "Radio Nowhere," is a strong example of Springsteen's game plan for "Magic," with its '80s alternative rock guitar riffs and its search for desire.

It's a switch from his recent work, where Springsteen has had more pressing concerns. "The Rising" was his attempt to make sense of the Sept. 11 attacks and do his part to begin the healing process. "Devils and Dust" was his way of protesting the direction the country was heading, as well as the war in Iraq. And "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" was a way to show how history could be applied to the present.

On "Magic," all that is pushed aside. It's about more leisurely pursuits - about "Girls in Their Summer Clothes," working for your love and all that entails.

If the previous albums were about effecting change in the country, "Magic" takes that change as a given. That allows Springsteen the chance to focus on the music again, as well as the lyrics. It lets him experiment with new sounds (well, new-to-him sounds) to update his more classic themes.

PHOTO by Danny Clinch / Columbia Records 

Annie Lennox makes heartbreak sound beautiful.

Her gorgeous voice radiates elegance and melancholy and defiance, regardless of its surroundings. And on her latest album, "Songs of Mass Destruction" (RCA), she applies that voice to hearts broken by relationships, by warfare and by unnecessary suffering.

Lennox is still most effective alone at her piano - her unforgettably wrenching performance of "Why?" at Live 8 is a prime example - and that hasn't changed. "Lost," which Lennox takes from a quiet hum to the upper reaches of her range, is touchingly simple. And "Smithereens" will join the ranks of great Lennox ballads, with its Beatlesque swells and soulful vocal flourishes, as she declares "Everybody has a broken heart."

For "Songs of Mass Destruction," though, she also tries to balance the ballads with upbeat numbers. She rocks out a bit on "Love Is Blind." She hits the clubs for "Coloured Bedspread." She combines soul, world beat and a bit of hip-hop on the future anthem "Womankind." And she creates her own "We Are the World" moment, uniting the likes of Madonna, Pink, Shakira and 20 other female stars on "Sing," which will benefit Treatment Action Campaign, which raises funds to treat and educate those with AIDS in South Africa.

Lennox makes it seem so effortless to sweep listeners up in her wondrous vocals that it's easy to forget how hard it is to craft songs this well. Of course, that's the mark of a true master at the top of her game, where Lennox clearly works these days. (Grade: A)

Listen to "Songs of Mass Destruction" here [VH1]

DROPS for 10.2.07 [Newsday]

Yung Joc, like a lot of today's rappers, seems to have put together his new album "Hustlenomics" (Bad Boy South/Atlantic) the way politicians craft their campaign platforms - a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and a whole lot of pandering.

Rather than picking a direction, Yung Joc is all over the map, craftily discussing drug sales one minute (the playfully simple first single "Coffee Shop") and proclaiming his love for his mother the next ("Momma"). He's willing to say anything or do anything in order to keep getting paid, which may be sound "hustlenomic" theory, but it also comes off as a bit desperate.

It's too bad, because there is plenty to like on "Hustlenomics." "BYOB" is built on a spare beat, synth-squiggle grooves and a sample of what sounds like someone playing a saw, resulting in a track edgy enough to make it onto M.I.A.'s album. "Brand New" reworks The Stylistics' "You Make Me Feel Brand New" into praise for retail therapy with some help from Rick Ross and Snoop Dogg. And on "Hell Yeah," featuring his Bad Boy boss Diddy, Yung Joc switches up his flow to suit the space-reggae groove.

"Hustlenomics" isn't filler-heavy, but it does have some grating moments, such as the wanna-be Chevrolet commercial "Chevy Smile," and the half-serious tagline at the end of "Coffee Shop" where Joc says, "Hey kids, please don't do drugs." It's about as believable as the whole "If you love yo' momma, clap yo' hands" chorus from "Momma," though maybe that's the real Joc and the whole thuggin' persona is an act. Either way, something isn't right.

So when he closes out the title track saying, " not a campaign for money or attention, this is what I do," the seams of his process show and it all sounds hollow. There's nothing wrong with campaigning for money or attention, man, but fans really do hate feeling hustled. (Grade: B-)

In the more conventional pop ballad "Still" or the rock-leaning single "Car Crash," Nathanson still manages to toss enough surprises in to keep things interesting and memorable. The problem with "Some Mad Hope" comes in the average songs - especially the goofy, spastic "To the Beat of Our Noisy Hearts" and the disposable guitar lines of "Detroit Waves" - where things get so close to formulaic that it calls into question the grandeur of the rest of the album. Nathanson has shown himself to have plenty of great songs in him. He hasn't put them all together to build that one great album yet. ("Some Mad Hope," in stores Tuesday; Grade: B-)

Nas may be a little early with hip-hop's obituary, dubbing his new album "Hip-Hop Is Dead" (Def Jam). But he's not that far off.

Hip-hop isn't dead, but it is certainly under fire.

For years, many record labels have run hip-hop like strip miners, willing to promote almost anything in the name of getting paid, regardless of its effects on the music or the culture at large. But like land that has been stripped of all its resources, fan interest in hip-hop hasn't been renewed with much either, as sliding sales and diminishing influence this year show a growing been-there-done-that attitude.

Now, the music industry is inclined to fix the problem by pushing boundaries: more sex, more drugs, more violence surrounded by more Cristal drunk in larger SUVs on bigger rims by rappers with more bling backed by women in less clothing.

Nas offers a different idea. On "Hip-Hop Is Dead," he not only points out the holes in many rappers' games, he shows how his game is airtight.

When Taylor Hicks become the fifth "American Idol" champion in May, he was the TV juggernaut's most unusual winner yet.

Not because he was a prematurely graying 30-year-old with frantic dance moves and an odd habit of punctuating his sentences with "Soul Patrol!" but because he was a fully formed singer with a style developed from years of performing on the road.

If any "Idol" champ could hold his own against that daunting task of building a post-"Idol" debut album, it would be Hicks, right? Well, apparently not.

"Taylor Hicks" (RCA) doesn't give him much of a chance to show off his strong voice or his unique soul-patrol personality. It's choked with bland leftovers and ill-fitting covers that make it the latest in a line of "American Idol" alumni debut albums that are almost always disappointing.

The first single, "The Runaround," sounds like it was written for someone much younger, with its bridge of "I'm getting an A in Broken Hearts, I got my degree in Crying." They try to Taylor it up with horn flourishes and soulful back-up singers, but it really isn't worth the bother.

On "Dream Myself Awake," written by Rob Thomas, Hicks follows what must have been Thomas' guide vocals so closely that it sounds like he's doing an impersonation rather than a song. His cover of Marvin Gaye's "Wherever I Lay My Hat" sounds like it was recorded the first time he ever heard the song, with sloppy, uncomfortable phrasing and unsure vocals.

Part of the problem with "Taylor Hicks" is clearly the time crunch of finishing an album in less than six months while out on tour and maintaining an extremely busy public schedule. But the other part of the problem is that Hicks' keepers seem to have been trying to mold him into something he's not.

The best songs on the album are the ones Hicks wrote himself - the retro, bar-band soul of "Soul Thing" and the Bonnie Raitt-ish blues of "The Deal" - from his pre-"Idol" albums, along with "The Right Place," a soul ballad Bryan Adams co-wrote for the late Ray Charles.

With those promising songs, it's clear Hicks could rebound. And he doesn't have to look any further than the new album from season three winner Fantasia to find some inspiration.

On her hit-and-miss debut, "Free Yourself" (J), Fantasia seemed like she was searching for the right R&B style for her voice. On her new album, "Fantasia," she simply builds her own. [More...]

Listen to "Taylor Hicks" here
Listen to "Fantasia" here

SHAMELESS PLUG: USA Today's Edna Gundersen interviewed me about Hicks and the "American Idol" Season Five finalists. It's in USA Today today and online here

It's easy to see how Young Jeezy has charmed and clawed his way into hip-hop's elite with his nimble flow and pull-no-punches rhymes. On "The Inspiration" (Def Jam), he shows how he continues to improve, crafting songs that are distinctive and memorable. That's no easy feat considering the fact that Jeezy continues to stick to the well-worn topics of rims, clothes and clubbing.

Yet somehow the self-obsessed "Child of God," with its gospel snippets and ominous organ, manages to sound fresh. His new synth-drenched single "I Luv It" is a winner and his hypnotic duet with R. Kelly, "Go Getta" is a sure-fired hit. Jeezy also bounces easily between Timbaland's patented synth squiggles ("3 a.m.") and the crafty tracks built around a slowed-down sample from Hall and Oates' "Out of Touch" ("Streets on Lock") or Diana Ross' "Muscles" ("The Inspiration").

All the naysayers talking about hip-hop's slump need to update their arguments because Young Jeezy is swinging for the fences. ("The Inspiration," in stores Tuesday; grade: B+)

Listen to "The Inspiration" here

The questions about Gwen Stefani's musical chops have been around for years, along with the hushed talk about how little influence she actually exerted in No Doubt or on her solo debut, the multiplatinum "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." (Interscope).

Her latest album, "The Sweet Escape" (Interscope), should put all those doubts to rest. Stefani, like Madonna, is the real deal -- a master at staying one (and only one) step ahead of pop culture, giving her fans something different, but not too different, from everything else. And this time out, she proves it by crafting an album that closely sticks to her quirky pop view that swirls together '80s new wave, hip-hop and happy funk.

The title track is a pretty good map of how Stefani's mind works. "The Sweet Escape" jumps off Madonna's "Cherish," taking the playful, faux-'50s-innocence for inspiration, then, with Akon's help, twisting it into a shiny hip- hop hit.

Producer Nellee Hooper helps Stefani mine the lush '80s atmospherics of Talk Talk on the mournful ballad "Early Winter," which was co-written with Keane's Tim Oxley-Smith. And Hooper helps re-create the Pet Shop Boys' synthesized stylings in "Wonderful Life."

Stefani's work with No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal is much warmer, especially on the delightfully retro "4 in the Morning," which sounds like it was built in 1986 for Sheena Easton or Sheila E.

However, it's her collaborations with The Neptunes -- who, let's face it, have been in a bit of a slump lately -- that really showcase her creativity. The first single, "Wind It Up," the odd pairing of the yodel-filled "The Lonely Goatherd" from "The Sound of Music" and a hip-hop groove, is wildly unconventional, yet Stefani somehow makes it work. That goes double for the hit-bound "Yummy," whose beat Stefani describes as "disco Tetris."

And on "Orange County Girl," Stefani plays the "Just a Girl" card again, but instead of bouncing into a ska-fueled rage, she surrounds herself in slow-rolling hip-hop luxury, offering shout-outs and staccato, double-time rhymes.

That song also shows the more serious side Stefani unleashes on "The Sweet Escape." It's less fizzy than its predecessor but packs just as much pop. (Grade: A-)

Listen to "The Great Escape" here

PHOTO: Gwen Stefani by Jill Greenberg/Interscope Records

OK, as far as evolutions go, Ciara's is remarkably short. The difference between "Ciara: The Evolution" (LaFace/Zomba) and her multiplatinum, hit-filled debut "Goodies" isn't even like day and night -- it's day and later-that-day. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Like "Goodies," "The Evolution" is heavy on the lightweight dance pop, built around Ciara's breathy vocals and the chance for her to show off her dance moves. She knocks out one potential hit after another, from the Prince-ly ballad "Promise" to the cooing "Can't Leave Him Alone" with a surprisingly playful 50 Cent, and back to the crunk-lite of "That's Right" with Lil' Jon and the sped-up, British two-step-influenced "Get In, Fit In" produced by will.i.am.

"The Evolution" bogs down at the end with a trio of similar empowerment ballads, but considering the dance workout of the earlier tracks, the cool-down period may be in order. ("Ciara: The Evolution," in stores today; grade: B)

Listen to "The Evolution" here

Incubus is one of those rare bands that gets better with age, learning and growing without losing its passion.

On its sixth album "Light Grenades" (Epic), the Calabasas, Calif., quintet continues its transformation from alt-rock lightweights to one of the genre's most dependable hit-makers, mixing numerous styles that hang together because of Brandon Boyd's distinctive vocals and Mike Einzinger's equally distinctive guitars.

Unlike its predecessor, the politically charged, far-more-direct "Crow Left of the Murder" (Epic), "Light Grenades" meanders a bit more.

There are a bunch of moody midtempo pop-rockers, including the soon-to-be-hit "Diamonds and Coal," with its esteem-building chorus, "Even diamonds start as coal," and the dramatic "Love Hurts." There are hard-hitting rockers, including the bash-'em-up "A Kiss to Send Us Off," with its Nirvana grunge riffs and chant-able chorus, and the dizzying "Rogues."

And there is the first single, "Anna-Molly," which opens like The Smiths' "Bigmouth Strikes Again" and gets more ferocious from there. It's a play on words (Boyd pronounces the title "anomaly") and the lyrics show his growth as a songwriter did not end with "Megalomaniac" and "Pistola."

While most bands would either be working toward re-creating their massive hits "Pardon Me" and "Drive" or running away from them, Incubus is content to just let that sound evolve, keeping it in its arsenal but building other weapons as well.

"Light Grenades" comes across as a necessary stepping stone, a temporary stop on the way to something bigger. But it also works just fine on its own.

LIGHT GRENADES. Incubus lobs some strikes to bust down rock's barriers. Grade: B.

PHOTO: Epic Records

Maybe everyone should use the Ying Yang Twins' strategy of explaining what their plans are before the album even starts. On "Intro," the pride of the Dirty South explains how on the first half of "Chemically Imbalanced" (TVT) they plan to appeal to their old fans and on the second half they plan to try something new with the help of Wyclef Jean.

Then - this is probably the more important part - they do exactly what they said. The first half picks up where "Salt Shaker" left off, with more party music including "1st Booty on Duty" and "Jack It Up" and a slow jam, "Take It Slow." The second half is a little edgier, as the first single "Dangerous," with Wyclef Jean, shows. The spare bass line (not to mention the bit from Hall and Oates' "Maneater") leans more toward Gnarls Barkley than Lil' Jon.

The Ying Yang Twins strategy is refreshingly straightforward, giving the fans what they want while giving themselves room to grow. ("Chemically Imbalanced"; grade: B-)

Even without the explanatory title of its new CD, it's clear there's a battle brewing within Brand New.

The Merrick-based band's "The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me" (Tiny Evil/Interscope) strips away the clever song titles and the hyper, guitar-driven punk-pop style of its preceding albums and goes for a beefier, more straightforward kind of rock. "Devil and God" is likable and interesting, but there are times where the quartet barely sounds like the guys behind the underground anthem "Jude Law and a Semester Abroad" or the breakthrough hit "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows."

They sound a bit like The Cure in the opening of "You Won't Know" before raising the rage level to thrillingly monstrous proportions in the chorus. They drop elements of System of a Down into "Not the Sun." They take the Coheed and Cambria route on "Archers," which bounces between Jesse Lacey's engrossing vocals and a swirling, intensifying musical growl.

The first single "Sowing Season (Yeah)" is a mix of Death Cab for Cutie-ness on the verses and shrieking catharsis on the chorus, successfully taking the loud-soft-loud formula to a new level. Where Brand New still seems unsure, though, is on how to balance Lacey's intricate, detailed lyrics with the more middle-of-the-road rock of "Millstone" or the seven-minute-plus "Limousine."

Until Brand New chooses to mainstream its lyrical and melodic quirks or develop them, it sounds like the internal battle will rage on. ("The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me," in stores today; Grade: B)

Listen to "The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me" here

They pulled him back in.

After Snoop Dogg got out of the gangsta rap cliche business with 2004's "R&G: Rhythm & Gangsta" (Geffen), it looked like he was taking his career in a different direction, with the unusual, inventive hits "Drop It Like It's Hot" and "Signs."

But Snoop's latest, "The Blue Carpet Treatment" (Doggystyle/Geffen) is a hazy mess - part pro-gang propaganda, part heal-the-world sentiments, part pop star, part anti-hero. It's hard to explain why the pro-prayer "Conversations," featuring a religious, soul-funk appearance by Stevie Wonder, is put on the same album as "10 Lil' Crips," which promotes the gang, or "Don't Stop," which glamorizes lawlessness.

The musical choices are just as strange, especially picking the incredibly lame "That's That," which features a nonsensical R. Kelly, as a single, when the super-catchy "Pssst," featuring Jamie Foxx, is sitting around. Snoop squanders a hot beat from Timbaland on the throwaway "Get a Light," and "Beat Up on Yo Pads," an ode to youth football, sounds like a "Saturday Night Live" parody. Yet he sounds great on his pair of songs with Akon - the hit "I Wanna Love You" and "Boss' Life."

Forget the blue carpet. The "Treatment" Snoop really needs is one that gets his head straight.

("The Blue Carpet Treatment," in stores today; grade: C)

Listen to "Blue Carpet Treatment" here

For fans of Damien Rice's stunning debut "O" (Vector), the follow-up album brings good news and bad news.

The good news: Rice seems far more emotionally stable than he did on "O," where he alternately sounded fragile, manic and depressed, like he could crack at any moment. The bad news: That edginess helped make "O" an unexpected delight.

There is nothing on "9" (Heffa/Vector/Warner Bros.) that matches the gorgeous desperation of "The Blower's Daughter" or the wounded venom of "Cheers Darlin'" or the triumphant ache of "Cannonball."

Instead, "9" is filled with more traditional-sounding songs -- the alterna-folk midpoint between Jeff Buckley and James Blunt -- that Rice gives his own unique lyrical spin. On "Accidental Babies," he uses a piano ballad to ask a sequence of jealous lover questions ("Is he dark enough, enough to see your light? Do you brush your teeth before you kiss?" before ending with "What about me?"). The first single, "9 Crimes," comes closest to the "O" songs, a haunting tale of mystery that unfolds with the help of Lisa Hannigan's lovely vocals ("Is that all right? Give my gun away when it's loaded," Hannigan and Rice sing, their voices intertwined), as the strings swell and retreat.

Much of "9" is built on pushing forward and pulling back. "Rootless Tree" starts as a folk charmer before flying off into an expletive-fueled rage and then mellowing out again. "Me, My Yoke & I" builds toward a grunge-rock explosion, with Rice's vocals climbing keys and jumping in intensity before guitars roar and he starts to scream over them.

It's these dynamics that keep Rice interesting, even as his music becomes less emotionally shocking and more conventionally poignant. The flurry of hit-and-miss EPs that came between "O" and "9" served as a good way to experiment, giving Rice a guide to what worked and what didn't. There are plenty of good songs on "9," but given the lightning storms of brilliance Rice previously unleashed, a few flashes just make you want more. ("9," in stores today; Grade: B+)

Listen to "9" here
PHOTO: Damien Rice by Robbie Fry/Warner Bros.

Fat Joe worked hard to put his softer side behind him on his new album "Me, Myself & I" (Terror Squad Entertainment/EMI) -- no hook girls, no future "Lean Back" dance crazes, just street life and the soon-to-be Scott Storch club hit "Make It Rain" with Lil Wayne. Since leaving Atlantic Records, Joe sounds all business. ("I barely smoke blunts now," he raps in "Jealousy." "We into real estate, we -- -- with Donald Trump now.") Then comes "Bendición Mami" -- a moving tribute to his mother and sister, built on a sample of one of Michael Jackson's sappiest songs, "Maria" -- to remind us that thugs need love, too.
("Me, Myself & I," in stores today; grade: B-)

Listen to "Me, Myself & I" here

On its previous two albums, My Chemical Romance's ambitions have outstripped their execution - a good band striving for greatness by walking the line between bombast and grandeur.

That doesn't really change on "The Black Parade" (Warner Bros.), since My Chem's reach expands exponentially the more proficient its grasp gets. But, man, have they gotten better at taking risks.

The leadoff single, "Welcome to the Black Parade," promises the world in just over five minutes - a call-to-arms to become "the savior of the broken, the beaten and the damned," a demonstration of how punk-pop can be an effective venue for ideas beyond broken hearts, and the centerpiece of a concept album about death and dying. And, despite the odds, it delivers on every point.

What makes "The Black Parade" such a thrill is that it swings for the fences like that on every track. Sometimes they strike out - on the crazy "Mama," which features a cameo from Liza Minnelli. But, most of the time they connect, in a variety of styles, no less.

"Dead!" bounces manically from Queen-like bluster to stylish punk-pop. "Teenagers" is a grandiose grind, built on testosterone and T. Rex-styled guitars. "I Don't Love You" opens like Coldplay's "Yellow," before turning into an anthem like Green Day's "Wake Me When September Ends." (Producer Rob Cavallo, who worked on Green Day's "American Idiot," helps My Chemical Romance build a concept album that's just as good.)

"The Black Parade" is fearless and outrageous, yet melodic enough to hook even the most casual listener. It sets the bar incredibly high for any band looking to be the next leader of the punk-pop/emo scene. ("The Black Parade," in stores today; Grade: A)

More on THE A-LIST

Listen to "Welcome to the Black Parade" here

With so much being made of sophomore slumps lately (yeah, Brandon Flowers, I'm talking to you), worries about John Legend's follow-up to his Grammy-winning debut, "Get Lifted," make sense. Well, fear not, Legend fans. "Once Again" (G.O.O.D./ Sony) is a quantum leap ahead for the singer, packed with enough sweet soul ballads to melt even the coldest heart.

Like the first single "Save Room," most of "Once Again" - from the Sade-flecked "Heaven" to the gorgeous "Each Day" - sounds like Legend has absorbed Smokey Robinson smoothness and Stevie Wonder energy and applied them to timeless Hal David-Burt Bacharach classics to create something new. He updates the sound with '80s handclaps and a Santana-like guitar solo to make "PDA (We Just Don't Care)" a bit more current, while the passing references to the Iraq war in "Tonight I Wanna Dance" are the only giveaway that the stunning soul ballad is his and not Robinson and the Miracles. ("Once Again," in stores today; Grade: A-)

LIsten to "Once Again" here

Diddy is a man of many talents: performer, producer, marketer, party-thrower, entrepreneur and pitch man.

Rapper should be on the list, too, though not very high, considering all his other successes. He's a decent rapper, but that's often not the point. And that becomes pretty clear on "Press Play" (Bad Boy/Atlantic), Diddy's first album in five years.

It turns out, you see, that Diddy is best in small doses. The album opens with five Diddy-dominated songs, filled with the boasting rhymes, sometimes-stilted flow, and even a sample from an odd new-wave hit (in this case, "Testimonial" features Tears for Fears' "Head Over Heels") that mark all his albums. On "The Future," where he rhymes "breakfast" with "brake pads," Diddy hammers away with lines such as "Bang like chitty chitty, here to disturb you/New CD, watch it spread like bird flu" over a menacing beat. That gets old pretty quick.

But once the "Press Play" guests start arriving, suddenly Diddy finds his footing. Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger sexes up the first single, "Come to Me," cooing over the spacey synth-funk groove. Christina Aguilera is just as steamy on "Tell Me," offering one of her most straightforward, stripped-down vocals since "Genie in a Bottle." And, of course, Mary J. Blige brings the house down with a passionate performance on "Making It Hard," where producer Rich Harrison smooths out the brash horns and jagged beats of Jennifer Lopez's "Get Right" to suit Blige's soul vibe better.

Diddy even stretches the boundaries of Diddiness a bit, with the dance-flavored, double-speed "Thought You Said," featuring a lovely vocal from Brandy and an irresistible skittering beat. "Wanna Move," which teams Diddy with OutKast's Big Boi, Scar and Ciara, is another dance-floor winner, adding a layer of darkness to an airy, Dirty South dance groove.

The strangest of the bunch, though, may be "Diddy Rock," where Timbaland helps construct one of the spacey hip-hop backdrops that have helped Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado dominate the charts this year. However, instead of going for a catchy theme like bringing sexy back or getting promiscuous, Diddy goes dada, offering "Let me take you to Indonesia, where nobody can reach us" and "I'm your burgers, you my fries" before standing back once Twista and Shawnna start trading rapid-fire rhymes.

In the five years since his last album, the disappointing "The Saga Continues," Diddy has learned what so many CEOs and politicos haven't. A great leader knows when to stand back and let others shine. He understands that when the entire project does well, so does he, and that sometimes your strongest role can be behind-the-scenes.

This new strategy has definitely helped to revitalize Diddy's Bad Boy Entertainment, which has seen smash hits this year from Danity Kane and Yung Joc, after a short dry spell. And it is sure to pay off when "Press Play" spawns hit singles deep into next year. ("Press Play," in stores today; grade: B)

Listen to "Press Play" here

Cobra Starship is no joke band, even if it does get pretty funny.

The side project of Midtown's Gabe Saporta trades the voice-quivering drama and super-intense rock of his regular band for a more lighthearted, groove-oriented style on the debut "While the City Sleeps, We Run the Streets" (Decaydance/Fueled by Ramen).

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Saporta has already secured a new audience with Cobra Starship's first single, "Bring It," the guitar-driven dance-rock theme from Samuel L. Jackson's "Snakes on a Plane" that also features pals Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes, William Beckett from The Academy Is ..., and Maja Ivarsson from The Sounds.

Cobra Starship, however, has much more to offer than that. "While the City Sleeps, We Run the Streets" is loose, a bit funky and so-not-serious. One minute, Saporta is biting a bit of Madonna's "Music" for the chorus of "Send My Love to the Dancefloor, I'll See You in Hell (Hey Mr. DJ)" - a song that somehow bounces among a U2-ish opening, '70s synth whistles and an '80s new wave bass line - and the next he is revving up the infectious "The Church of Hot Addiction."

Strong hooks on dance songs "It's Amateur Night at the Apollo Creed" and "The Kids Are All -- Up" let Cobra Starship surpass new-new-wave bands like The Bravery and The Rapture at warp speed. Saporta's hooks also work well on rockers like the emo-skewering "Pop-Punk is Sooooo '05" ("You're just a boy who's afraid of the dark," Saporta sneers), while the new single "It's Warmer in the Basement" is as catchy as anything his Fall Out Boy pals have come up with yet.

When Saporta says Cobra Starship's mission as "teaching hipsters to not take themselves so seriously and by telling emo kids to stop being [wimps]" or when he encourages the band's fans to "put your fangs up," he may be half-joking. But make no mistake, "While the City Sleeps, We Run the Streets" is completely entertaining. (Grade: A-)

Listen to "While the City Sleeps, We Run the Streets" here
PHOTO: Saporta and friends from Decaydance/Fueled by Ramen

The Killers wanted "Sam's Town" (Island) to be great.

They dress it up in the trappings of grandeur - offering a "enterlude" and an "exitlude" to book-end the album, epic production from Alan Moulder and Flood, styling and photography by Anton Corbijn. Singer Brandon Flowers then set the hype machine in motion by declaring that "Sam's Town" would be "one of the best albums in the past 20 years."

Unfortunately, "Sam's Town" is not one of the best albums in the past 20 days. It's not even one of the best albums of the past 20 hours (especially considering The Hold Steady's new Vagrant album "Boys & Girls in America" also comes out today).

Flowers has cited Bruce Springsteen as an influence for the new album, and that's evident on the puffed-up "This River Is Wild," with its talk of Mary and its "Darkness at the Edge of Town" ending, and in the way he tries to sound Boss-ish in some of his vocals.

This doesn't work, mainly because The Killers are a synth-pop band, not The E Street Band. "For Reasons Unknown" sounds like The Cars circa "Shake It Up." "Bling (Confessions of a King)" opens like an Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark B-side. And "Read My Mind" plays like a long-lost Flesh for Lulu track, as does the first single, "When You Were Young."

Not that there's anything wrong with any of that. After all, The Killers' debut, "Hot Fuss" succeeded by playing off Duran Duran's pop flair with "Somebody Told Me" and "Mr. Brightside."

On "Sam's Town," The Killers do themselves (and their songs) a disservice by trying to be something they're not. "Fake it 'til you make it" may work in business, but in music, it only makes you look pompous and silly. ("Sam's Town," in stores today; grade: C+)

Listen to "Sam's Town" here

Maybe Evanescence is brilliant. Maybe Amy Lee and whoever is in that band now have pioneered the musical equivalent of those movie franchises, where they churn out one sequel after another to make as much money as they can before people realize they're making the same movie over and over again. Maybe the reason "The Open Door" (Wind-Up) sounds almost exactly like the band's multiplatinum debut "Fallen" - matching the focus-grouped balance of guitar churn, piano tinkle and mewling from Lee - is part of this master plan. Maybe it will all end in a chain of mall stores that market Lee's brand of "goth" to suburban teens who want to rebel but don't know any better. Maybe the over-the-top dramatics of "Lacrymosa" and piano ballad "Your Star" will be seen as so-bad-they're-good. Then again, maybe not. ("The Open Door," in stores today; grade: D)

Listen to "The Open Door" here

Janet Jackson opens her new "20 Y.O." (Virgin) album with a declaration of sorts, saying: "I want to keep it light. I don't want to be serious. I want to have fun."

But her real message is unspoken and carried through the album: "I'm still here. I win."

The ridiculous firestorm surrounding the accidental baring of her breast during a Super Bowl halftime number with Justin Timberlake in 2004 would have creatively paralyzed a lesser artist. For months, she was metaphorically stoned in pop culture's public square, not because it was deserved, but because it was convenient - an easy way to distract the country from the stumbling war in Iraq. (Isn't it odd that it took only weeks to hold congressional hearings on Nipplegate, but years to hold hearings on the lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?)

Of course, all of that, as Jackson says a lot these days, is "the past." Her present is a happy one, judging from the sweetness and light that fill "20 Y.O.," a title that refers to the 20th anniversary of Jackson's first rebirth, when she released her breakthrough album "Control" (A&M).

On "20 Y.O." she skips all that drama of breaking free and asserting herself. She also keeps most of the tie-me-up, tie-me-down sexual raunch of her recent albums in the closet. This album is all about dancing and returning to her R&B roots. No envelope-pushing, no genre-busting. Just irresistible grooves, catchy hooks and lots of Janet. [More...]

Listen to "20 Y.O." here

PHOTO: Virgin Records

Though Ludacris continues to beef with Oprah over rap's respectability, he really should be thanking her. In his quest to prove her wrong about hip-hop's intellectual heft, Luda has turned "Release Therapy" (Def Jam) into his best album yet - alternating his playful rhymes with a newfound interest in a world beyond No. 1 spots and lick-lick-lick-licking you from your head to your toes.

On "Runaway Love," which features Mary J. Blige, Ludacris creates his version of 2Pac's "Brenda Had a Baby," telling tales of teenage runaways trying to escape abusive parents, drive-by shootings and unplanned pregnancies. He outlines their stories of how they were "forced to think that hell is a place called home," as Blige's gospel wail punctuates their pains.

It's an intellectual depth that has been hinted at in Ludacris' acting, but not in his rapping. "I'm 28 years old, it just now started making sense," he raps in the gospel-steeped "Freedom of Preach," explaining how his daughter has changed his life and how he's now searching for redemption.

Of course, Luda hasn't given up on his good-time, partying side completely. The slithering "Money Maker," the album's first single, and the adventurous, electro-influenced "Girls Gone Wild" are the best track the Neptunes have put out in years, while "Woozy," his duet with R. Kelly, is a surefire hit.

With "Release Therapy," Ludacris boots Kanye West from his throne and should up the ante for upcoming releases from Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Eminem if they want to be considered hip-hop's best for the year. ("Release Therapy," in stores today; grade: A)

Listen to "Release Therapy" here

More from 2006's A-List

How come every time they come around, singers like Fergie always seem to let us down?

Her single "London Bridge" is a thrill, a sassy slice of pop that has a cranky groove so bold it more than makes up for the nonsensical, dirty nursery rhyme lyrics. So what happened to the rest of "The Dutchess" (will.i.am/A&M), the Black Eyed Peas singer's solo debut?

"The Dutchess" is like one of those albums from the late '90s that helped bring down the music industry - one with a few extraordinary singles and loads of filler, turning it into a roller-coaster ride of quality highs and embarrassing lows.

"Clumsy" is one of those remarkable highs, an updated version of the '60s girl-pop of the Ronettes, right down to the spoken-word break. Fergie's trashy delivery and Ludacris' wild rap cameo contrast nicely with the sleek synths on "Glamorous." And the Pink-ish, Linda Perry-like guitar-driven confessional "Big Girls Don't Cry" works well.

Unfortunately, "The Dutchess" has more than its share of clunkers. There's the crazy "Mary Jane Shoes," her reggae tribute to, well, Mary Jane shoes, that wastes the lilting harmonies of Rita Marley and the I-Threes. There's the overwrought ballad "Finally" with John Legend. And the ridiculous "Fergalicious," which rips off the JJ Fad classic "Supersonic."

In the end, "The Dutchess" is a missed opportunity, the result of rushing to capitalize on a hot single instead of waiting until the album was actually ready. ("The Dutchess," in stores today; grade: C+)

This week's Drops
Listen to "The Dutchess" here

Clay Aiken's new album, "A Thousand Different Ways" (RCA), will sell well. But it's so poorly conceived that Aiken is cheating his fans and himself of any meaningful musical future. He mopes from one soupy power ballad to the next, delivering them all in an oddly phrased, ham-fisted, overreaching style that makes it hard to distinguish his take on Bad English's "When I See You Smile" from his take on Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)." Even the four new songs get mired in the same Celine Dion wanna-be production muck, smothering whatever sweetness and likability Aiken may have given them. Ironically, Dion's "Because You Loved Me" is the one song Aiken undersells, making it the album's most listenable track. Aiken's good voice and a good-natured personality took him far on "American Idol," but both are lost in the robotic blandness of "A Thousand Different Ways." ("A Thousand Different Ways," in stores today; grade: D+)

Listen to "A Thousand Different Ways" here

Justin Timberlake is always selling. It's probably what he does best.

He's slick, stylish, bringing-back sexy and he knows how to give the people what they want. He has a gift for packaging - from his well-choreographed dance moves to his well-timed genre hopping, he has a strong sense of what will work and what won't. And his new album, "FutureSex/LoveSounds" (Jive), reflects that.

"FutureSex/LoveSounds" is well crafted with producer Timbaland - who provides Timberlake with the same sexed-up guidance and envelope-pushing dance beats that brought Nelly Furtado back to the top of the charts with "Promiscuous" - and like nearly all of Timberlake's work with 'N Sync and on his debut "Justified," it is remarkably likable.

The dizzying "SexyBack" is Timberlake at his best, mainstreaming a combination of the wild, edgy dance-pop style of Basement Jaxx with Missy Elliott's more experimental hip-hop to create a boldly inventive sound that still pleases the masses. [More...]

Listen to "FutureSex/LoveSounds" here
DROPS: Justin sets sale

PHOTO: Jive Records