Top 20 Albums Of 2013: 12-11

12. EXO - XOXO



I was a huge supporter of this Korean/Chinese band’s debut EP last year, and I was initially disappointed with the full album because I felt it lacked the dramatic bombast that I’d loved from them in the past. One reissue later and I realized that, once I let my expectations go, this was an excellent, soulful K-Pop album in its own right. Even so, I’m looking to see them back in my top ten once they rekindle a little bit of the magic found on last year’s EP.

11. Katy Perry - Prism



This is a tough one. I really wanted to be able to put it higher, because it is a good collection of expensive pop songs, but I wish it wasn’t so safe. Had she taken a risk and done something a little off kilter, I might regard this more as a pleasant pop album. That being said, “safe” Katy Perry is still miles above most pop stars, and I did love that melody was key throughout the album, even at the expense of risk-taking. I went off Roar pretty quickly, but the album’s latter half of midterm 90’s-esque jams, is surprisingly effective.

Pop Explosion: Gaga vs. Perry

I'm surprised the pop world is still standing. Fans of both Lady Gaga and Katy Perry have been clamoring for each artist's comeback singles, and raising expectations sky high. Neither of these artists could have come up with something that would have satisfied everyone's hopes and wishes, so I feel like both are leaving their best material for the next single. A wise decision, probably, and one that stretches far back in the pop world (remember how Michael Jackson, riding high after Thriller, released the good--but by no means extraordinarily jaw-dropping--I Just Can't Stop Loving You as the first taster off Bad?). Knowing this, I eagerly await the next release from both ladies, but that doesn't mean I'm not loving Roar and Applause as well. After all, it's possible to be a member of both fan groups, and it makes this week even more exciting.


Somewhat surprisingly, Perry seems to be beating Gaga on itunes. I chock this up to more goodwill from Perry's record-breaking Teenage Dream campaign, though I am definitely in the camp that loved (ever preferred) Born This Way era Gaga. We'll have to wait to see what the sales numbers tell us, but to my ear Roar is definitely the safer, more radio friendly single, and should resonate with a wide variety of listeners. On the other hand, despite her massive popularity, Gaga's always been more of a niche artist. Many people just don't feel like they "get" her, and probably never will be truly won over. It's alright, though. Even as I write the "vs." in the title of this blog post, I'm thinking about how wonderful it is that we've got both of these different styles to look forward to. Some might want to choose. I'm happy having it all!

Top 50 Singles Of 2012: 45-41

45. The Killers - Runaways



The Killers returned with one of their biggest, most ballsiest anthems yet.

44. The Wanted - Chasing The Sun



Sure, it sounded pretty much like their last single, but why change a winning formula?

43. Katy Perry - Wide Awake



Capping off the flawless Teenage Dream era, this ranks as Perry's best ballad yet.

42. Cheryl Cole - Call My Name



Cheryl's most exciting comeback, let down only by the lackluster album that followed.

41. Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know (ft. Kimbra) 



Certainly overplayed, but overplayed for a reason. I much prefer the remix, which takes that chorus to dizzying heights.

Pop Blitz 6/13/12

Kylie Minogue - Timebomb
This is the freshest and youngest Kylie's sounded for awhile. I love that this isn't trying to be a big "event" single. It's just an excellent pop song firing on all cylinders. A

Nelly Furtado - Big Hoops (Bigger The Better)
It's been a long time since Furtado's peak of popularity. This tries to recreate that sound, but to lesser effect. There are parts that I like, but the verses grate in a way her voice hasn't before. B-

Katy Perry - Wide Awake
Her gazillionth single from this era. The thing is, though, they've all been pretty good. This lush ballad is the perfect way to conclude an epic run of singles. A-

Kelly Clarkson - Dark Side
I know many will disagree, but I've never been a fan of Clarkson's sulkier singles. This is perfectly serviceable, but it just doesn't stick with me the way her best material does. B-

Rita Ora - R.I.P. (ft. Tinie Tempah)
Is this even a song? I really can't see any reason for this existing. There's no effective hook, no sense of discernible melody, and so many synths that it drowns everything out in a soup of messy production. D+

Usher - Scream
Usher's had a long career, hasn't he? I definitely prefer old 90's Usher and not this new "Ursher" as he annoyingly calls himself. I like that he's "discovered" dance music, but this sounds like everything else out there right now. C

Rudimental - Feel The Love (ft. John Newman)
Could've used slightly more of a vocal hook, but what's there is pretty good. I like the production. It's not overwhelming and the brass is a welcome surprise. I'm not sure I understand why it was #1 in the UK, but it's nice enough. B+

Pop Blitz 6/13/12 Your Choice!

Kyle Minogue - TimebombNelly Furtado - Big Hoops (Bigger The Better)Katy Perry - Wide AwakeKelly Clarkson - Dark SideRita Ora - R.I.P. (ft. Tinie Tempah)Usher - ScreamRudimental - Feel The Love (ft. John Newman)

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Pop Blitz 3/8/12

Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
I remember Carly from all the way back during Canadian Idol. It's great to see her rack up a worldwide hit. The song's good, too. It's the kind of straight-up pop track that doesn't come along very often anymore. I'd argue that that's why it's been so successful. People want this kind of music back. A-

Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
Speaking of massive worldwide hits, this is pretty much conquering the planet. And like with the last track, I think much of its success is down to the fact that it's a complete 180 from what's popular right now. That hook doesn't hurt either. B+

Madonna - Girl Gone Wild
Though her last single was a little embarrassing, it had its moments. This is straight up dance, which is really where she should be at this stage in her career. The verses are pretty forgettable, but the hook sticks. B+

Nicki Minaj - Starships
This is really a pastiche of popular 2011-12 tracks. There are the guitars borrowed from Pink's Raise Your Glass and the dance elements borrowed from almost every song of the last year. Yeah, it's catchy, but it's almost ridiculously unoriginal. B-

Katy Perry - Part Of Me
This track's been floating around for ages, but I'm happy that it's now a single. It's up their with Perry's best--uncomplicated, glossy power pop. Her strong singles reign continues. A-

Carrie Underwood - Good Girl
It's Carrie in uptempo, rocking "he done me wrong" mode. I really like the sound of this, but I feel like it's missing something extra that would have pushed it over the edge. B

Train - Drive By
I dread a new Train single. But, with expectations as low as they can be, this isn't too bad. However, it's not horribly, drill-into-your-head contagious like their worst hits, so it probably won't do that well. C

Your Choice: What's your favorite Pop Blitz song this week?

Pop Blitz 3/8/12 Your Choice!

Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me MaybeGotye - Somebody That I Used To KnowMadonna - Girl Gone WildNicki Minaj - StarshipsKaty Perry - Part Of MeCarrie Underwood - Good GirlTrain - Drive By

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Top 50 Singles of 2011: 35-31

35. The Sounds - Something To Die For



A late-career highlight. Sometimes all it takes is a well written pop song, and this definitely fits the bill.

34. Katy Perry - Last Friday Night (TGIF)



Katy Perry's chart run continued unabated this year, and this track reignited interest in her brand of young, glossy pop.

33. Donkeyboy - City Boy



Foregoing their usual, more wistful sound for something more electronic, this is something of a revelation for the band.

32. Cher Lloyd - With Ur Love (ft. Mike Posner)



The X-Factor finalist's best single, and a perfect representation of what a Cher Lloyd album should sound like.

31. Salem Al Fakir - Split My Personality (Bassflow Remix)



Pair one of the best producers with one of Sweden's quirkiest pop artists and you have a cross-genre masterpiece like this.

My Top Songs of Summer 2011

Summer is over this weekend (though from the weather around here, you'd think that it was finally just beginning). I was seriously underwhelmed in the album category this year, but there were a ton of great singles to choose from. Here's an album's worth (in no particular order) of what I've been listening to over and over again. What about you?

Example - Changed The Way You Kissed Me - Such a leap from his earlier work, which I also loved. It's just a gargantuan song waiting to crossover to the US.

One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful - I was a huge supporter of theirs during X-Factor, and now that I've heard this I like them even better. 100% on the mark.

Martin Rolinski - Blame It On A Decent Matter - BWO frontman goes solo with a track that nearly out-BWOs BWO! Big, plastic Swedish synths (MUCH better than Swedish meatballs).

LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem - This was, for better or worse, played so often this summer. A triumph in infectious stupidity.

Pnau - The Truth - It really caught on with me over the past few months. That chorus hits you like a freight train.

Adele vs Robin S. - Show Me In The Deep - I tired of the Adele original very quickly, but never wore out this excellent remix. She should do dance more often. The remix of the year, without question.

Nero - Promises Dipping my toe into dubstep (and this is really watered down dubstep), this was the La Roux track of the summer (without actually being La Roux).

The Sound Of Arrows - Magic - They get better and better with every release. This never failed to cheer me up.

Foster The People - Helena Beat The world's still reeling from their debut, but I was onto the next single months ago. This one's better, anyways.

Mika - Elle Me Dit - Who would have thought Mika would've wormed his way back into my good graces with a french dance track?

Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger - Even stranger, this was a band I couldn't stand two months ago. Cue this track, which turned it around with that incessant whistle. Xtina couldn't even ruin it.

Le Kid - America - A soaring pop confection from Sweden, in a year where Sweden isn't quite living up to the hype I always give it.

Katy Perry - Last Friday Night - With each single, I like her more and more. The video to this song clinched it.

The Wanted - Glad You Came - I have a feeling that this will be known as the year of the boybands in the UK. But when they're this good...

A Word on Katy Perry

Well, it looks like the just-released Last Friday Night has a good chance of being Perry's fifth straight #1 from her latest album. And with such a fun video, it really deserves it (the song's pretty good, too). Five #1's is no small feat. Five #1's from one album is even rarer.

And this, to me, is good news. Yes, I am a Katy Perry convert.

I remember first hearing I Kissed A Girl on the radio during the winter of '07-'08. It was played during the block of "new" or "not-yet-famous" music and it definitely had an effect on me. I couldn't believe that, after so many lackluster years of American hip-hop and dirgy rock filling the airwaves, something so POP was actually on the radio. Of course, it was bound to fail, right?

I played the damn thing to death before the rest of the country seemed to catch on. By the time of the follow-up single (the excellent Hot 'n Cold), I had sort of worn out my Katy Perry goodwill. Then came the album, which was a thorough disappointment in my eyes. Too generic, too much alt-pop tedium. The pair of singles stuck out like glistening jewels in a puddle of mud. I wasn't all that impressed with the follow-up singles either, or the mulitple collaborations that came after. In fact, Katy Perry had started to annoy me.

Then something happened. The moment I read the title of her next single, California Gurls, I knew we were in for trouble. The first time I heard it (in low quality), I couldn't convince myself that it wasn't some sort of joke. So many bad lyrics. But then Summer hit, and that chorus stuck. The stupid lyrics somehow became fun (or at the very least, bearable). I was back aboard the Perry train, though somewhat grudgingly.

Then, Teenage Dream. This is the song that did it. I don't think I'm alone in saying that this is where she cemented herself as an artist with staying power. It remains one of her undeniable high points. The perfect pop song, really. I liked the album, too. It seemed such a leap in individual personality and sound from her debut. I started to get all the Katy Perry-isms. The music had grown on me, but so had Perry.

And the weird thing is, the more singles are released, and the more success the album finds, the more I'm liking it. It's that strange album that has gone from "alright" to "wow this is kinda good" to "this is one of the best mainstream pop album's America's produced in awhile." I'm so happy that we're back to an era where we've got proper popstars (if only of the female variety). Think about it: even if you're not a fan, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Rihanna form a pretty substantial trinity. Sure, it's not Madonna-Michael Jackson-Prince, but at least it's something.

So, for no other reason than I've been listening to this album a lot lately, there's my Katy Perry story.

Katy Perry - Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) (Almighty Club Mix)

"Always say we're gonna stop"

I usually try to focus these day-to-day posts on lesser known artists, but I've gotta take a brief break and give props to Katy Perry. Her album, Teenage Dream, has spawned four number one singles so far and I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes her fifth. I can't think of another album since Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad that has held so many bona-fide hits (and Perry didn't even need a re-release to do it!). To me, Teenage Dream hearkens back to those great, shamelessly commercial pop albums of the 80's -- a real blockbuster. And surprisingly, it's grown on me more as time goes on. Even more surprisingly, I was not a big fan of Perry before this "era." I loved I Kissed A Girl before radio played it (same thing with Hot 'n Cold), but the rest of the album left me bored. Disagree all you want, but she's well and truly won me over. Reliable pop stars are hard to find these days. I can even forgive some of the stupid lyrics of this song (though the term "epic fail" is pretty unforgivable). It makes for a slamming remix, too.

Katy Perry - Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) (Almighty Club Mix) by POPONANDON

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Top 50 Singles of 2010: 15-11

15. The Wanted - All Time Low



Just when I thought boy bands were dead, along comes this song. From the strings to the beat to the cathartic chorus, this was a massive hit for the second half of the year.

14. The Hoosiers - Unlikely Hero



Never had the success it deserved, but it represented everything that I love about the Hoosiers‘ new sound in one song. I don’t know how anybody resists that chorus.

13. Katy Perry - Teenage Dream



California Gurls started to turn me around, but Teenage Dream was the song that cemented Katy Perry as an artist worth listening to. This will be a classic for some time, I think.

12. Mark Ronson - Bang Bang Bang



The craziest confection of this past Summer, I immediately fell for this pop/electro/rap hybrid and couldn‘t stop playing it. The MNDR bits are the best.

11. Foxy Shazam - Unstoppable



Not since the days of Queen have we seen a stadium anthem this huge. It was played during the Superbowl this year. With any luck, that’s a harbinger of the level of fame this underrated band will achieve.

Top 50 Singles of 2010: 30-26

30. Marina & The Diamonds - Hollywood



Her calling card in a year full of great Marina singles. This was the song that finally convinced me that she was worth a listen. So glad it did.

29. Alcazar - Headlines



Their second Melodifestivalen entry in as many years, this string-laden disco track was unfairly shut out from the finals. Pity, as it’s one of their best.

28. Katy Perry - Firework



More anthemic and touching than I thought Katy Perry could be. Loved this as an album track, but as soon as I saw the video I knew this would be one of her biggest hits.

27. Take That - The Flood



Honestly, as much as I liked their singles in the past, this was the first time Take That became required listening for me. The grandest song on the list.

26. Carpark North - Burn It




I never thought they’d be able to match the quality of 2006’s Human, but with this gargantuan greatest hits single they came back in perfect form.

Top 20 Albums of 2010: 14-13

14. Ola Svensson - Ola



He’s given us some of the best pop songs of the last decade, but I‘ve never enjoyed an entire album of Ola’s material. This changed that. If he’d stuck to the Nilsson/Bassflow combo for the entire album (they’ve penned and produced most of his hits), we could be talking about a collection of songs that could have easily made my top three. Instead, he went for a more American urban pop sound, which worried me at first. Luckily, even though most of the material doesn’t come close to matching his best stuff, this was an album of great contemporary pop. He’s still got one of the best and most recognizable voices for the genre.

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13. Katy Perry - Teenage Dream



No album on my countdown as spawned (and will continue to spawn) so many top ten hits. Like it or not, this is a career-defining pop album and will be looked back on as the sound of 2010. There are so many hits here, and so many yet to come. I wasn’t a fan of Perry’s debut at all, but she upped her game by working with the best commercial producers and compiling a tracklist of colorful, critic-proof material. I hate the term “guilty pleasure,” but I think it most definitely applies here. It’s rare in this day and age to hear an album where every song could be a single.

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Top 50 Singles of 2010: 40-36

40. Katy Perry - California Gurls



The song of the summer, no doubt. And even with all the hundreds of times I heard it on the radio, it never really got to the point of oversaturation. That’s quite a feat, especially for such a stupid song.

39. Yeasayer - Ambling Alp



In just one song, these guys transformed themselves from a band that I could appreciate to a band that I could really love.

38. The Hoosiers - Choices



A shockingly ace new sound from a band that I had only tolerated before. This was the stateliest electro-pop on the radio last August.

37. Staygold - Backseat



What a surprise it was to hear Salem Al Fakir letting loose and trying on a completely new style on this track. As far as I’m concerned, he should never go back to the old stuff.

36. Sweet Thing - Change Of Seasons



A sweet summer song from a sweet Canadian band. It didn’t surprise me at all that this became ubiquitous this Fall as the soundtrack to movie ads.

Track-by-Track: Katy Perry - Teenage Dream

Despite helping to define her era of pop with a strong string of singles, Katy Perry's debut album suffered from a lack of consistency. Teenage Dream is much stronger. The goal here is mainstream radio domination, and judged by that standard, you can't really argue with the quality.

1. Teenage Dream - The album's high-point, and an absolute firecracker of a song. It's the kind of pop that's at once disposable and totally stirring. A blazing declaration of intent that lets you know exactly what kind of album you're in for. 10/10

2. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) - The obnoxious lyrics are offset (and saved) by a top-down, Summer melody that flirts with being too repetitive but wins you back with an aggressive sax solo. 8/10

3. California Gurls - There's a reason why this has been a global hit. Sure, it's stupid (and I completely wrote it off at first), but the hooks get under your skin. And like it or not, this will forever define the summer of 2010. 10/10

4. Firework - More Euro-club than any other track here, this is huge sounding stuff, though a little out of place with the other songs. The beat is enormous, though. 10/10

5. Peacock - These single-entendre songs are usually unfathomably horrendous. While it's hardly intelligent, this is funny enough to work. The hook's pretty catchy, too. 8/10

6. Circle The Drain - A vitriolic, rocky track that forgoes gimmicks for an urgent melody and great production. One of the best songs on the album. 10/10

7. The One That Got Away - The tone of this is the polar opposite of the last track, which makes for a jarring transition. Still, this is a sweet pop song with a great melody. Wouldn't be a bad single choice. 9/10

8. E.T. - A beat-heavy midtempo heavy on effects. It's different from everything on here, which is both good and bad. Initially impressive, I've found that this has dulled with time. 8/10

9. Who Am I Living For? - Another darker track focusing more on attitude and tone than melody. It's an interesting sound, but forgettable when compared to the first handful of tracks. 8/10

10. Pearl - Now this is a really strange one. It's a subtle electro ballad, but has the effect of aging Perry by about ten years. The chorus is pleasant, but it feels lightweight compared to the hits and hits-to-be on the rest of the album. 7/10

11. Hummingbird Heartbeat - I love the production on this. It's got that uptempo 80's synth-rock sound to it. I'm not as crazy about the melody, though the chorus is very strong. 8/10

12. Not Like The Movies - Ballads are not Perry's stong suit, but this works surprisingly well. There's a connection here in the delivery that's missing throughout most of the album. 8/10

Album Grade: 8.7/10

Pop Blitz 8/4/10

Robyn - Hang With Me She's two for two this year, following up the instant classic Dancing On My Own with a song nearly as strong. The beat's similar, but it's the sticky melody that keeps you coming back. A

The Wanted - All Time Low
I've never been much of a fan of boybands. They're so inherently cheesy. But this is as close to a Kings Of Leon style anthem that boybandpop gets. Adding a bit of a club beat throughout was a great touch. A deserved UK #1. B+

Ne-Yo - Beautiful Monster
If Closer was a step in the right direction, this is an example of Ne-Yo's fully realized club sound. He pulls a total Jacko in the video, and I appreciate the new sound, but something about his vocals has always left me a little cold. B-

Linkin Park - The Catalyst
In which Linkin Park extend their fame yet again by trying something totally new. This odd breakbeat/protest/anthem/experimental-rock/dance hybrid is unlike anything else on the radio right now. I'm not sure what I think about it, exactly, but it's more interesting than anything the band have done thus far. B+

Flo Rida - Club Can't Handle Me (ft. David Guetta)
I am so tired of this David Guetta sound. Flo-Rida aims for an I Got A Feeling and gets something with the same drive but no feeling behind it. A hit by default, but it'll be forgotten next year. C-

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
Like the first album, she's followed up a ridiculously catchy novelty hit with an equally catchy pop track. And also like the last album, it's a one-two punch. A perfect example of breezy, modern radio pop. A

Eliza Doolittle - Pack Up
This should be subpar Lily Allen, yet it completely works. It's all about the sample, which is the perfect hook for the summer. I don't think I'd like to hear anymore from Doolittle, but this is a great little novelty pop song. A-

Wow, this may have just been my highest rated Blitz yet!

Katy Perry - Use Your Love

"I don't wanna lose your love tonight"

Where is my newfound Katy Perry love coming from? I can't figure it out. Beyond the first two singles from her debut (which were horrendously overplayed), I couldn't stand the girl. Then a novelty hit that should have been horrific (California Gurls) turned me around, and her brilliant new single, Teenage Dream, cemented my excitement for the upcoming album. But even when I didn't quite care for her, I've always loved Katy's cover of the 80's Outfield song, Use Your Love. To me, she's at her best when she goes for the retro Cyndi Lauper vibe, so her singing an 80's cut is a perfect match. She beefs up the sound and changes a few lyrics here and there, but the vocal delivery is spot-on. I love hearing her backed by powerpop synths as well, as opposed to a more beat-driven, urban sound. Hopefully the new album will have something like this on it. Regardless, it has the potential to be one of the best pop albums of the year if she pulls everything off. We'll see...

Katy Perry - Use Your Love by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the new album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Pop Blitz 5/19/10

Katy Perry (ft. Snoop Dogg) - California Gurls
This should be horrible. It's got a lame title, some dubious lyrics, and a general Ke$ha-ness about it. Yet the summer beat washes all the shortcomings away and makes this one of Perry's strongest tracks. It's gonna be inescapable. B+

Muse - Neutron Star Collision
This Eclipse single is stronger than most of the stuff on Muse's last album. Sure, it's basically a Queen soundalike, but it's a very good one. And it only gets better as the beat speeds up. B+

Natasha Bedingfield - Touch
Unsurprisingly, she's gone the electropop route. The chorus, as with most of her songs, is slightly irritating and the song as a whole isn't particularly memorable. I'd rather have her brother back, honestly. C

Yeasayer - One
By far their danciest single to date, and one of their best. It comes off a very strong album, too, and has a great video. Very 80's, in the best possible way. A-

Christina Aguilera (ft. Nicki Minaj) - Woohoo
The worst thing I've heard her do (and that's including the last single). It's a thoroughly unsexy "sex" song and by far the most irritating thing in this week's blitz. In fact, it just may be the most obnoxious thing I've heard this year. It's that bad. What a fall from grace. F

Travis Garland - Believe
A budget-rate Jason Derulo/Jay Sean, who themselves are inferior versions of greater artists, this will be here and gone in the blink of an eye. The only thing that saves this song is Garland's voice, which could actually be spectacular given the right production. C

Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina - Stereo Love
A huge hit in mainland Europe, and now the UK, this is certainly an interesting club track. All swishy noises and exotic strings, without much of a melody. I really can't make my mind up about this one. I'll probably like it better the more I hear it, but for now it's a B-

Pop Blitz 1/6/10

Train - Hey Soul Sister
The comeback I didn't think anybody was asking for (yet apparently they were if itunes is any indication), Train are back with something that sounds like solo Rob Thomas or Jason Mraz. It's pretty boring stuff, and that chorus is laaame. I almost kinda used to like these guys. C

3Oh!3 & Katy Perry - Starstrukk
Equal parts catchy and obnoxious, I'm still not entirely sure what to think of these guys. Part of me really just wants them to disappear from Earth. The verses are very, very irritating. The chorus is a bit better, but sounds a lot like their last single. Oh, an getting Katy Perry on here certainly doesn't help matters. C-

The Saturdays - Ego
Picking up where Girls Aloud left off, this is a relatively strong uptempo with a great bridge and chorus but weaker verses. I'm still not sold on this group's potential, but this is a promising step in the right direction. B

Erik Grönwall - Higher
As per tradition, Swedish Idol's winner was saddled with this turgid ballad even though he's got a voice more suited for 80's rock. Loved Erik during the show, but this song pretty much defines crap. They better let him record an album more suitable for his voice. D

Boys Like Girls (with Taylor Swift - Two Is Better Than One
Taylor is everywhere, isn't she? Doesn't matter, as she barely registers here. Seriously, the female vocals could have been anybody. This emo-ballad has grown on me, but there are still so many stronger tracks on the album. B-

Leona Lewis - I See You (Theme from Avatar)
Well, it's no My Heart Will Go On. Like the movie it's supporting, it's quite a pretty experience but lacks any real meat. Leona better start doing better than this if she wants a sustained career. C

Selena Gomez & the Scene - Naturally
I'm actually kind of surprised that this is taking off, not because I don't like Selena (quite the opposite, actually), but because the first (stronger) single pretty much flopped and the album didn't seem to do much better. This is nice in a Hillary Duff sort of way. Fun, throwaway dance pop. B+