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Reviews Written By: AL76F7RUAG4IV

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	Cher - All or Nothing [US]
	"Two Sides To The Same Single"	2003-01-23
This was the third and final maxi-single released from Cher's astonishing club comeback album "Believe" back in 1999. A ten track remix extravaganza if you will, the single is actually a double a-sided effort, containing some of the best mixes of the songs "All Or Nothing" and "Dov'e L'Amore". The first four tracks are reworkings of the infectious "All Or Nothing", done by Danny Tenaglia, Metro, and Almighty. Danny provides two darker club versions in an "International Mix" and a "Cherbot Vocadub". The latter steals the show as far as those two mixes are concerned. Cheerier pop mixes are found in a radio edit by Metro and the truly "Definitive" star mix for this particular song, the remix by the always impressive Almighty Associates. The next six cuts are all mixes for the Latin flavored "Dov'e L'Amore". These versions are put together by noted remix producers Toddy Terry, Tony Moran, and Ray Roc. Todd's "TNT Club Mix" is the shortest of all the club mixes on this single and flows along quite nicely until you get to the next epic track, Tony 's "Anthem Mix". This excellent remix is followed by another extended epic by Ray Roc. At the end, radio edits of all three mixes are provided for those who like their mixes bite sized. The only shame about this release is the fact some other excellent mixes are missing, mainly the K-Klass take on "All Or Nothing", and the Emilio Estefan, Jnr. mix that was used as the single version of "Dov'e L'Amore" over seas. Despite the absenses, this is still an awesome assortment of dancefloor ready tracks. A double whammy from the legendary Cher.
	Sugababes - Round Round
	"The 'babes Second Go 'Round'"	2002-11-15
After a less than stellar success with their first go round the pop circuit, the Sugababes were dropped by their label. It was a shame because they had some truly great material. Happily, they were given a new lease on life with a chart topping mash-up of the Adina Howard dirty R&B classic "Freak Like Me". This record safely deposited a new line-up (one of the girls had left the group) of 'babes at the top of the UK chart. They followed that electrifying effort with this, another UK #1, the hard throbbing "Round Round". Words are nearly useless in describing how infectious this song is. The track also takes a good stab at remixes, with electro and 2-step being the flavor of choice. Soulwax provides THE mix of the track, dark and dirty, it's perfect for the song. Another amazing mix is the 80's synth dipped reworking from Craigie & Chricton. The Seani B mix is okay, but I'm sure a better garage style mix could have been accomplished. All the way around, it's a dynamite pop single, and deserves to ride high in America, like it did in the UK.
	Carly Simon - Carly Simon - Greatest Hits Live
	"Living Things Up With Carly"	2002-11-02
Opening up her live performance with the smash Bond theme "Nobody Does It Better", Carly knows what to give her listeners. One of her best singles, and probably one of the few great Carly tracks she didn't have her own hand in, it's a lovely opener into her most well known and well loved classic. I'm, of course, talking about the smoldering "You're So Vain". The brief "It Happens Everyday", leads to another undeniable Carly classic, the beloved "Anticipation". Other dazzling live performances of her hits follow, gems being "The Right Thing To Do", "You Belong To Me", and "All I Want Is You". Perhaps the strongest highlight is the seven minute epic version of her late 80's come back smash "Coming Around Again/Itsy Bitsy Spider". One of those rare live recordings that is actually good, a gem of a Carly album.
	Kylie Minogue - Love at First Sight
	"The Music You Were Playing Really Blew My Mind..."	2002-10-28
The third smash international single from Kylie Minogue's smash album "Fever", is the second track promoted to America as a single. Climbing into the top 40, it was Kylie's fifth top 40 hit, following the top ten success of "Can't Get You Out Of My Head". This Australian CD-Maxi release of the single is probably the best put together of the international releases, this package contains the b-sides and mixes that were released on two seperate pressings in the UK. The b-sides of the single are wonderful, the first being a new version of "Can't Get You Out Of My Head", filtered through New Order's classic single "Blue Monday." This new "Can't Get Blue Monday Out Of My Head" is probably even better than the pop gem of the original. Next up is the great "Baby". An incredibly strong bonus tune, it could have easily made the album, and it did, as it's also available on the Japanese issue of the "Fever" album. Next up is a trio of mixes, the best being the dance pop makeover by Twin. It keeps the pop feel of the song, but still manages to club the song up a bit. A nearly ten minute Ruff & Jam remix also holds it's own, providing a perfect mix to lose yourself in on the dancefloor. The only dud is the Scumfrog edit, a dark thumping mix, it really doesn't fit the song as well as the other mixes, and despite being in a bite-size edit format, it's still hard to swallow. Despite the one flawed mix, this package is excellent, and perfect for the fans of this song.
	Steps - The Best of Steps
	"Getting Stepped On"	2002-10-12
Steps were a contagious five piece pop act, a guilty pleasure of ABBA-esque pop brilliance, but never managed to breakthrough in the United States. They released two albums, "Step One" and "Buzz", which yielded some singles, none of which were hits on these shores. The albums however, were both great, the latter being almost the same as the Brit edition, while the former is a unique mash-up of their first two albums in the UK. Almost every track on that release was a British hit single, so the need for this set is very low honestly. Only a few songs are different, with the Best Of's "One For Sorrow" being the original version not released here. The hit single "Better Best Forgotten", which was not included on the first album is finally released here, and two of the Steps "Gold" singles are included too. While all the songs are great, every last on a hooky pop tune, the packaging and release are all generally weak. Why release a best of in a country were you never had any hits? It reaks of money lust, in my opinion. A good bunch of tracks, but for the real deal hits collection, go after "Gold".
	O-Town - All or Nothing [US CD]
	"It's All Or It's Nothing"	2002-08-02
After the embarassing "Liquid Dreams", a track which I both love and hate, scarily at the same time, the O-Town boys followed it up with a smash ballad "All Or Nothing". This single was limited, and was well packaged, containing some bite size dance edits, a live track, and the third single as a bonus track. While I probably would have enjoyed the full length mixes more, the edits do quite nicely, with HQ2 & Mike Rizzo both turning out juicy remixes of the ballad, and the former pulling double duty on a dance take of "Liquid Dreams". A big highlight is the shockingly good live version of the Jacob Underwood penned album track "Take Me Under". One of their catchiest songs in my opinion, I'm amazed a live version actually sounds as good as it does. The final track is actually the third single from the band, a midtempo track with a summertime vibe, "We Fit Together" is another great O-Town single. A great boy band release.
	*NSYNC - I'll Never Stop
	"They're Never Gonna Stop..."	2002-08-02
The second single released for the "No Strings Attached" album in Europe, the track was exclusive to that region, which is a shame because it really is a good boy band track, and sounds alot like their older singles like "Tearin' Up My Heart" and "I Want You Back". A little Max Martin gem of a pop song, sadly it lacks in the remix department, so the single is padded with the album version and an instrumental radio edit. As a bonus, two remixes of the prior single "Bye Bye Bye" are also present, but they're simply okay, nothing special productions. Of the two, the remix by Riprock 'n' Alex G. is the best, as the reletively short Teddy Riley mix begins to bore pretty early on, and at just a bit over five minutes, still sounds tedious and dire. A good song, but a poorly packaged single.
	Jennifer Lopez - Ain't It Funny - England
	"What's So Funny?"	2002-08-02
"Ain't It Funny" was one of the real standouts from Jennifer's second album "J.Lo", and it's a great track, as the album version, which is the main cut here, shows. Normally, she not only works out some good songs, but manages to issue some pretty incredible remixes, something she fails to do here. The only real club track is the remix by "Silk" Hurley, which at over eight minutes in length, has some dull points. A "Brandnew Extended" version of the track is a highlight, adding more of an R&B feel and enhancing the Latin vibe already present. The next two tracks are remixes of "Que Ironia", the Spanish language version of the song. The short "Tropical Dance Remix" is totally bland and fails to excite, while the next track is a slow R&B mix, turning this song into a bump-n-grind track, something it's not. A stunning single, but a real dud when it comes to the remixes. The black sheep of Ms. Lopez's singles discography if there ever was one.
	Britney Spears - I'm a Slave 4 U [Import CD]
	"A Slave To The Music"	2002-08-02
The first single off of Britney's third album, "I'm A Slave 4 U" is a move into dark, sexual R&B, with the help of producers du jour The Neptunes. Sounding like a new Prince single, she groans, grinds, and pants over seductive lyrics, explaining how devoted she is to the dance and the heat of a club. A great single, a disjointed bump and grind b-side follows in "Intimidated". An instrumental of the Neptunes production, and a slightly confusing interview are also featured, but the main draw here is the lead cut and it's b-side companion.
	*NSYNC - Girlfriend/Gone Clubbin' I'll Be Back Late [CD/12"]
	"I Got An Idea..."	2002-08-02
A commercial single is a rarity now on these shores, and *NSYNC has decided to issue one for their third single from the album "Celebrity". Instead of putting pressure on the fans by tagging the The Neptunes Remix featuring Nelly on to their album, they instead supplied it on this single. The album version and remix are both Neptunes tracks, and the song is not bad, catchy and laid back. Where the band fail to deliver, however, is with the next two tracks. Tweaking previous single "Gone" with a 2-step garage style club mix wasn't a very good move, as the result is horrible. "Gone Clubbin'" is a totally awful reworking of an okay Justin Timberlake led single, which is only made worse with inclusion of a horribly dull Spanish version of the track. Justin's voice on this version grates, and it's always ignored in favor of the single's real draw, the previously mentioned Neptunes Remix with Nelly of Girlfriend. I'm sure this track will be on various compilations sooner or later, so if you really want it, get it then, and skip this and the awful Gone remixes.
	The A-Teens - The ABBA Generation
	"Another Generation"	2002-08-02
Bursting on to the scene towards the end of the last decade, the A-Teens aimed to take the songs of ABBA and bring them to the youth who didn't have the chance to enjoy the originals. Now, these covers aren't a patch on the classics, but who said they tried to be. It's a pretty daunting task to take the songs loved by so many and try to make them shine, and the Teens don't feel to excite. The vocals are perky and fresh, and they work on the chosen tunes pretty well, with highlights including their spirited take on the disco gem "Dancing Queen", the forceful "Lay All Your Love On Me", the romantic "Our Last Summer", and the bouncing "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!". Their takes on "Super Trouper" and "The Name Of The Game" can appear flacid at parts, but on the whole, this is flawless pop production and tribute. Wisely, though, the band moved on from their ABBA covers following this release to make a go at doing it with their own stuff. It's a nice pop album, not essential, but nice enough.
	The A-Teens - Teen Spirit
	"That's The Spirit"	2002-08-02
After a collection of ABBA covers, where does a teen pop act go? To some cheery ABBA-esque original material, of course. This time around, the songs are tailored for the Teens, with places for the boys to have their vocals, something they didn't have on the first album. The songs are well crafted, well produced, and well sung. The opener "Bouncing Off The Ceiling" is a chunk of teenage pop perfection, it made a wise choice for first single. The tracks "Halfway Around The World" and "Sugar Rush" both followed, like the first single, both are devoted to teenage love. Many of the album tracks, however, shine brighter than those three singles, the harder "Rockin'", the Britney-esque "Slammin' Kinda Love", and the devoted "Firefly" should be counted as the best tracks, but all of them are wonderfully done pop songs. This album is a must for lovers of cheery pop music, it's sure to make you smile and enjoy yourself.
	Donna Summer - Another Place & Time
	"A SAW Summer"	2002-08-02
After the fall of disco, Donna Summer fluttered about the 80s producing music, a random hit sneaking it's way around and into her career ever so often. This was definitely one of the hits, an album produced by the stellar team of Stock Aitken Waterman, it yielded a hit in the amazing pop single "This Time I Know It's For Real". Her voice is powerful, the lyrics perfect, the synth pop backing just right. It's a diamond in a crown of pop jewels that is "Another Place And Time". The sound is perfect for the time, and the songs are great, impossibly catchy cuts include "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt", "Sentimental", and "Love's About To Change My Heart". This was probably one of the best albums created in the hands of SAW, and provided Donna with a well deserved hit. This collection is a must for fans of Donna, 80s pop, and the SAW sound. Wonderful collection.
	Britney Spears - Stronger [US CD/12"]
	"There Ain't No Shame In This Britney Mix Game"	2002-08-01
"Stronger - The Remixes" is one of the very few commercial singles that Britney has managed to release here in the United States, the others being her debut smash "Baby One More Time" and the tender ballad "From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart". This particular single is tailor made for the dance music fan though, featuring five remixes of the track, each with it's on unique take on the original. Pablo La Rosa provides a strong trance remix on the song with his "Tranceformation". Another remix highlight is the slinky groove of Miguel Migs and his vocal mix take on the song. Those two are probably my preffered versions of the song, but Mac Quayle, Jack D. Elliot, and Pimp Juice all provide solid club reworkings for this independant woman-styled pop anthem.
	Madonna - Music
	"Do You Know What It Feels Like?"	2002-08-01
Madonna has always been skilled at adapting her music to emerging sounds, taking them to the mainstream in a way that no one else could. On this release, she grasps onto French electro-disco and takes it for a nice ride. The production here is just as integral as the lyrics that are painted across it, the best example being the incredibly infectious "Impressive Instant", which has a driving beat, and such left of center lyrics as "Astral bodies drip like wine" and "I like to singy singy singy, like a bird on a wingy wingy wingy". As silly as that does sound, it works incredibly well. The funky clash of the title track made for a perfect intro single, followed on the chart by two totally different sounds, the organic sounding dance pop "Don't Tell Me" and the gritty "What It Feels Like For A Girl". This album, while being heavily coated in the previously mentioned electro-disco sound, is not content to give into just one sound, as the second single and the track "Gone" both have a much more natural feel to them, and the track "Amazing" is pure pop, a sister to the smash "Beautiful Stranger". This record manages to keep you enthralled through ten songs, not one of which could be called a dud. She still has the touch.
	Samantha Mumba - Gotta Tell You
	"The Feeling Is So Right"	2002-08-01
Samantha Mumba made an undeniable splash in the year 2000 with her powerful debut single "Gotta Tell You". That song was the pop record of choice for that year in my opinion, the perfect vocal, the perfect lyric, and so very catchy. Soon came the album of the same name, the very same year, a strong pop album it managed another single in the UK in the David Bowie sampling "Body II Body", but didn't seem accessable for another single here, until she revamped the track "Baby Come On Over" into the stomping "Baby, Come Over (This Is Our Night)", and the album was reissued. The single was a pop radio success, and though it didn't match the sheer strength of the first single, it's still an excellent dance pop recording. Then she faltered however, releasing one of the album's weaker new offerings as a single, the dismal self empowering "Don't Need You To (Tell Me I'm Pretty)", which flopped here. Meanwhile, back in the UK, her singles have all been smashes, as she released the fantastic "Always Come Back To Your Love", the revamped "Baby Come On Over", and the classy Divine cover "Lately", all to top 10 single success. That's five singles she's been able to get from one great album, with tracks just as good as the singles, including the bouncy "Feelin' Is Right", the hip-hop flavored "The Boy (Remix)", and the fun "Isn't It Strange". Every cut here is great, and creates an incredibly good pop album. She's definitely one of my favorite pop singers of recent years, and I wish great success with a sophmore release.
	Ashanti - Ashanti
	"Don't Be Foolish"	2002-07-31
Ashanti is hardly the most innovative of stars on today's music scene. This aside, her album is fun and mellow, and though it's hardly anything special, her voice does have a nice kick and sweetness to it that makes the whole package very enjoyable. The leading single comes with two faces, one being the laidback heartache of "Foolish", and the other being the equally smooth, but much more fiesty groove of "Unfoolish". The latter features a sampled rap section by the Notorious BIG and a new bit of vocal from the star of this record. Two more solo tracks also fill the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart at the moment, besides "Foolish". A fun laidback bit of hip-hop pop simply titled "Happy", which is the second single, and the sweet groove of third single "Baby". Other noteable cuts here include the Ja Rule collaboration "Leaving", which is a follow-up track to their smash duet "Always On Time", and the exotic "Voodoo". An epic length devotional ballad called "Rescue" is also a definite highlight. Sure, nothing here is innovative, but it's still some catchy jams and radio hit ready tunes. I'm already looking forward to a nice follow-up album from Murder INC's Princess of Hip-Hop and R&B... Miss Ashanti.
	Madonna - Something to Remember
	"Giving You Something Worth Remembering"	2002-07-30
Madonna isn't really an artist known for her ballads, the draw usually is the infectious and well crafted pop songs, songs that make any reasonable listener want to get up and dance and have a goodtime. Madonna could suprise all then, with this smooth ballad collection. Containing new tracks and some of her biggest slow jams, this set is laced with passion, lust, yearning, sorrow, strength, and power. Madge's ballads have been some of her most well written lyrical endeavors, with the intense "Live To Tell" and erotic "Rain" being fine examples. Her biggest hit here in the United States is the smoldering "Take A Bow", which is contained here in, a cut from her previous Bedtime Stories album. The bold "You'll See", brazen "Forbidden Love", and the sultry title cut are also highlights, though my favorite track is her theme to "A League Of Their Own", in the moving "This Used To Be My Playground". The album's least loved cut, though another favorite of mine, is the remix of "Love Don't Live Here Anymore". A ballad collection, with a deeper edge, definitely a must have.
	Shakira - Laundry Service
	"Laundry Duty"	2002-07-29
Debuting on the mainstream pop scene with the disjointed pop gem "Whenever, Wherever". The song's proclaimations of small and humble breasts and agile legs became a radio staple. It's definitely the most standout of the album, but there are plenty of other great tracks contained within, including the emotional "Underneath Your Clothes" and the supremely catchy "Objection (Tango)", both singles that have also been released. She makes an amusing lyricist, and her voice is definitely left of center, making her all the more interesting in the pop world. Great tracks like "Poem To A Horse" and "Eyes Like Yours" could easily follow the past singles to the upper reaches of chart sucess. Definitely a good English language debut for the small and humble one.
	Madonna - You Can Dance
	"Dancing For The Inspiration"	2002-07-29
Always leader of the pack, Madonna took the idea of a remix album and gave it her usual cutting edge flair, commissioning freshly produced remix work by Shep Pettibone and making an album exclusive track with the uplifting dance pop ditty "Spotlight". The songs are mixed together, making it the perfect 80s Madonna dance mix, with some of her biggest and best dance club singles of the time. Highlights include the epic anthem that is her classic "Holiday", the bubbly sex kitten tune of "Physical Attraction", and the real gem in this remix crown is the amazing over eight minute extended remix of her catchiest disco moment "Into The Groove." Epic in enegry and fun, though not the most essential of Madge's albums, it's definitely one of the most carefree. Five stars for a five star dance collection.
	Aaliyah - One in a Million
	"If You Only Knew Her"	2002-07-28
Aaliyah never failed to please, coming up with this impressive sophmore album, under the wing of the Timbaland & Missy Elliott production team. Gone was R.Kelly, and here was Aaliyah, emerging into her sound as a trailblazer. The songs, especially the singles, are sheer dynamite. The title cut is perhaps the song most used to describe the singer since she's passed, it's a slow jam, heavy on tight beats and silky vocals. Definitely one of the best cuts here, though even it's blown away by the the thunder of "If Your Girl Only Knew". This song seems ready to explode, bouncing with Timbaland's beats, and Aaliyah's smooth voice, this is the ultimate kiss off tune, baiting a potential suitor with the question of what will your girl do when she finds out you're trying to mess me around. Catchy, catchy stuff. Two ballads, polar opposites in nature were also released as singles, the devoted "4 Page Letter" and the heartbreaking "The One I Gave My Heart To". Both are smooth vocal perfomances from the angelic starlet. Other single releases include the more upbeat tracks "Hot Like Fire", a sultry hot jam, and the Marvin Gaye cover "Got To Give It Up", which is quite nice. While the album's singles definitely are the best, other standout tracks include the epic "Choosey Lover (Old School/New School)", the brash break-up jam of "Never Comin' Back", and the anthemic "Ladies In Da House". Definitely a trailblazing release, the beats are invincible here, and the vox fine like silk. A sparkling sophmore set for the fallen star. Great job, Baby Girl.
	Kylie Minogue - Hits Plus
	"Deconstructing Kylie"	2002-07-28
Thanks to the massive worldwide embrace of Kylie due to her smash "Can't Get You Out Of My Head", the US market is finally getting a taste of the pop princess we abandoned thirteen years ago, when her cover of the classic "The Loco-Motion" made top 3. During this span of time, Kylie produced four records of pure, unashamed pop songs. After this however, she made of her self as a sort of alternative dance pop act on the indie Deconstruction label. Confide In Me, the first single on that label, was a massive number two hit in the United Kindgom, but following that a slump occurred, with her next series of releases all failing to break into the top ten. Among these is the emotional "Put Yourself In My Place", which to date, is her very best ballad. Her trio of "Impossible Princess" singles were deep into the indie sound, the best of these being "Did It Again". After the failure of the "Impossible Princess"/"Kylie Minogue" album, she was dropped by Deconstruction. She was signed to a new label, and made a suprise comeback with the disco pop "Light Years" album. Do to the new success, Deconstruction released this album soon after, compiling her six singles, along with some b-sides and rarities. The best of these are the jazzy piano led "If You Don't Love Me", and the wonderful "Difficult By Design". Now, as she's broken the States again, Arista Records has liscensed this album for release over here. It's a great collection of Alt-Kylie tunes, though it cuts the hauntingly creepy Nick Cave duet "Where The Wild Roses Grow" and the rare "This Girl". Deserves it's title of "Hits+". A great period in Kylie's musical career.
	Kylie Minogue - Kylie Minogue - Vol. 1-Greatest Remix Hits
	"Kylie - Remixed, Extended, and Ready To Party"	2002-07-25
An Australian exclusive release, Greatest Remix Hits Volume 1 is the first of several collections of Ms. Kylie Minogue's PWL period remixes. Dubs, extended versions, and b-sides are also included, making the series handy for fans who want the old tunes on CD or new fans wanting to party to some classic Kylie stuff. Not really the perfect collection, it does have it's dodgy places, especially the horrible remix of her cover of the song "Celebration". Despite this complaint, some really solid songs are found within, highlights including "Never Too Late (Extended)", "We Know The Meaning Of Love", "Step Back In Time (Walkin' Rhythm Mix)", "What Do I Have To Do (Remix)", "Word Is Out", and "Finer Feelings (Brothers In Rhythm 7" Mix)". Great for both Kylie and remix fans, though maybe less interesting for just a casual fan. Not bad.
	Bjork - Post
	"Meeting An Army Of Bjork"	2002-07-25
Hardly the type of artist I would normally find myself getting into, but due catching a listen of "It's Oh So Quiet" not long ago, I found myself buying this album. Though quite left field, it's still amazingly catchy and once you let yourself get into it, you'll be hooked. Several very good tracks were pulled from this release, the best including "Army Of Me", "Possibly Maybe", and "I Miss You". Definitely a unique album, and a great listen, even for those with the dodgiest of music taste. Good stuff.
	Nickelback - Silver Side Up
	"Not 'Too Bad', But Not Too Great Either"	2002-07-25
Nickelback made a big breakthrough with their massive smash single "How You Remind Me". Taking the number one on Billboard, and becoming a massive chart hit over in the UK too, it's definitely their defining tune. Personally, despite all the hype and overplay of the song, I still love to listen to it. Which is shocking, because generally, and overplayed song gets a lower and lower opinion from me as time goes on. The song also reminds me of a great friend who also enjoyed the song and bought the album. Both of us agreed, that it was their best song, and the album was a bit rough after that. The second single "Too Bad" is rocking and catchy, much like it's elder sibling, but not many of the songs manage to hold the magic of these two tracks. The songs aren't horrible, but are in a very generic grungy style which has been on overflow these past few years on pop radio, so they sound played out. It's not as bad as some reviewers have said, but it's not as good as some have said either. Middle of the road on the way to something good I hope, maybe their next album will really be something to look out for. A casual fan can hope.
	Eartha Kitt - Eartha Kitt - Purr-Fect: Greatest Hits
	"It's Purr-fection"	2002-07-23
One Miss Eartha Kitt, she's definitely a unique vocalist in the history of popular song. A sultry character, she vamps her way through classic after classic on this hit collection. Some of the most noteable tunes would include "I Want To Be Evil", "Mink, Schmink", "Let's Do It", "Lilac Wine", and "My Heart Belongs To Daddy". Almost every track is a fun listen, especially her holiday classic, the notorious "Santa Baby". This is definitely a fun collection of songs. All wonderfully interpreted by the thrilling Eartha Kitt.
	Madonna - Immaculate Collection
	"Madonna Justified"	2002-07-23
This collection of seventeen top twenty hits is probably an album that can truly live up to it's title. Her ability is uncanny for producing enthralling pop music. The opening trio of songs - "Holiday", "Lucky Star", and "Borderline" - are great slices of early 80s dance pop. The lyrics and tone are fun, flirty, and bouncy. Following those tunes come two songs that proved to be a pair of the most defining songs of her career, "Like A Virgin" and "Material Girl". She also proves she can be an able ballad singer, singing slow songs that compliment her voice rather than stretch it out of place, in "Crazy For You" and "Live To Tell". Inbetween these two tunes, is perhaps my most favorite Madge tune, the get up and dance anthem "Into The Groove". Words can't describe how truly contagious it is. More of my personal favorites follow, in the classic "Papa Don't Preach" and "Open Your Heart". Two truly great pop songs. More strong singles follow - "La Isla Bonita", "Like A Prayer", "Express Yourself", and "Cherish" - all which set the charts on fire. Another true moment of excellence is found in the dance classic, "Vogue". One of her most defining songs. The next two singles were 'Immaculate' exclusives. The scandalous "Justify My Love" and the thumping "Rescue Me" were both top ten hits. I really couldn't have a bad word about this album. A flawless pop compilation.
	*NSYNC, N Sync - Celebrity
	"Good Boys Making Dirty Pop Noise"	2002-07-20
Okay, coming after a massive smash hit of an album is no easy task. The NSYNC boys pull off another mixed set with this, their second album on Jive Records. They've pour themselves into this record - it's filled with songs they've written and produced themselves. Justin Timberlake is responsible for all three of the albums single tracks - "Pop", "Gone", and "Girlfriend" - taking a co-writing credit on each tune. He's not a bad songwriter really. Songs by JC Chasez also feature, he too, is quite a nice pop songwriter. In the end however, despite dipping their own feet in the creative pool, this album does come across as just being another step up from the previously laid foundation. The killer pop dance pop combo for this record are "Tell Me, Tell Me... Baby" and "Just Don't Tell Me That". They've done this type of stuff before, with the likes of "Tearin' Up My Heart" and "It's Gonna Be Me", but it's what these guys do best. Alot of ballads on this record come across as trite. It's not like the sentiments of the love tunes on their past albums have been the freshest, but those songs had alot more appeal than "Selfish" and "Something Like You" have combined. The ballad single "Gone" is depressing, not love affirming like those sappy singles before, so it does have a different flavor than the other tracks, but after over listening, even it falls flat. The arena of the uptempo pop song is NSYNC's domain in the end. A few come short, including the irritating title track and the rather annoying "Do Your Thing". The rest of the sped up pop tunes are excellent however, jumping off with the album's first single "Pop", and going into 2-step and techno spiced album songs like "The Game Is Over", "Up Against The Wall", and "See Right Through You". These tracks are some of the guys very best uptempo tunes. Then a few out of place, yet perfectly placed tunes, those being third single "Girlfriend", an R&B track done up by the Neptunes, and a strange dance ballad type thing called "The Two Of Us". This album is really good, and shows the *NSYNC boys growing into their sound. It's a third level on their career, a fresh and exciting one that can only be made better by a new album sometime soon.
	Billie - Honey To The B
	"Because She Wants To"	2002-07-18
Why did she do it? Because she wanted to, that's why. Billie (who dropped her surname Piper for her debut release) was a big teen pop starlet over in the UK for a little bit, releasing four dynamic singles - "Because We Want To", "Girlfriend", "She Wants You", and "Honey To The Bee". Her singles are generally her strongest tracks, but the album does have some good pop tunes nestled in the nooks and crannies. The best of these hidden gems is "Officially Yours". The rest are the tracks are fun and enjoyable, but not as strong as the stuff of her second album "Walk Of Life". Good fun pop stuff.
	Alicia Keys - Songs in A Minor
	"Hype In A Minor"	2002-07-18
Alicia Keys is all hype. I'm saying it bluntly, she is pure and total hype. Her album isn't some sort of earth shattering debut release, as many have believed. It's just some girl playing the piano averagely and singing middle of the road R&B music. The smash hit album contains two top 10 singles, the overplayed "Fallin'" and "A Woman's Worth", and a poorly performed Prince cover in "How Come You Don't Call Me?" which failed to make it into the top 40. All three tunes are overblown and boring. Nothing spectacular there. The whole album is very common and dull. It's just very boring. I do like a handful of songs, "Girlfriend", "Troubles", and "Jane Doe". The rest I really just don't find to be enjoyable in the least. Very standard ballad by numbers work. Sorry, Alicia, but you'll really have to try harder to live up to all that hype, other wise, you can kindly tickle your ivories in someone else's ears.