Janet Not Giving Positive "Feedback" Regarding Her Label's Promotion

Man, I can't get that Janet Jackson song "Feedback" outta my head recently. Ever since reading that she wasn't pleased about how her most recent album, Discipline, was being promoted by new label Def Jam. Aside from the hot lead single from the album which boasted the controversial simile, "Heavy like a first day period," everything else had a lukewarm reception--including total sales for the album, which stand at 392,000 copies in the U.S. if I recall correctly.

Blame it on your label or blame it on the fact that your follow-up singles weren't hot enough to keep you on the charts? I'm thinking it might be the latter, but don't get me wrong, "Feedback" is pretty amazing.

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New Pussycat Dolls Video: "When I Grow Up"

Yes, the Pussycat Dolls are back with a new video. It's a nice video, full of the dolls dancing, moving, bright colors, lights, and all that good stuff. So far, I don't like this one as much as their main singles from PCD, but time will tell.

I thought one of the lyrics was "have boobies" as one of the things they say they want when they grow up, but based on lyrics I found on one site it should be "have groupies." I was about to say, "Way to not be shallow in an already image-driven society."

New Linkin Park Video Out: "Leave Out All The Rest"

First of all, Linkin Park is my personal favorite. Hybrid Theory, to me, is defnitely one of the best albums ever made. These guys are just awesome.

Well, they're back with their newest single and video from Minutes to Midnight entitled "Leave Out All The Rest." I'm glad they chose this one because it's my favorite from the album. Mike Shinoda announced a little while back that this video would have them in outer space, and in outer space they are! It was pretty much what I expected and is now my favorite video of theirs from the MTM era.

Enjoy!

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Imogen Heap Speaks For Herself On Her Second Solo Album

Imogen Heap

Speak For Yourself

2005
Megaphonic Records

Using what she learned from collaborating with electronic producer Guy Sigsworth on their 2002 collaboration album, Details, U.K.-based Imogen Heap--best known in the States for her song "Hide and Seek" being featured in the second season finale of The O.C.--assembled a more experimental and more rewarding album. This is amazing when considering that Heap not only wrote and produced every lick of Speak For Yourself, but even re-mortgaged her London flat in order to finance the project and release it on her own label, Megaphonic Records.

The album features the gentle electropop of Details, but ultimately comes off as more vibrant and eclectic, stepping into new territories, like on the startling, layered a cappella of "Hide And Seek," the rocky ride of "Daylight Robbery," and the funky "I Am In Love With You."

The album itself is already an astonishing accomplishment, but taken the fact that she practically made it by herself makes it all the more admirable.

Track Pick: "Daylight Robbery"
Rating: A-

Jem Sparkles On Her Debut Album

Jem

Finally Woken

2004
ATO Records

After spending time behind-the-scenes, sharing songwriting credit on a track off Madonna's American Life album, and releasing an EP (It All Starts Here...), Welsh darling Jem finally released her full-length debut.

On Finally Woken, she deftly samples on a number of tracks, and throws in beats and even crunching guitars on the racy "24." Her soft, warm voice can be seductive (on the alluring "Come On Closer"), mournful (on the heartfelt good-bye song, "Missing You"), and even a little haunting (on the cool, trip-hoppy "They"--which also contains nonsensical children voice clips).

All this creates somewhat of a nice, vintage feel to the album. The set closes with the warm, acoustic “Flying High,” which is a nice way to wrap up this gem.

Track Pick: "They"
Rating: A-

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Definitely worth your checking out!

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Lavigne Dropped Her Best Damn Album

Avril Lavigne
The Best Damn Thing
April 2007
RCA Records

After making a splash in the music scene with 2002's Let Go, Avril Lavigne presented herself as a fresh young face, scoring three consecutive top-ten hits and millions of albums sales with her sk8er girl persona and Matrix-assisted productions.

With its 2004 follow-up, Under My Skin, she proved she didn't need the songwriting/production trio to achieve massive commercial success. The content was darker and more formulaic, but still bore Lavigne's signature catchiness.

2006 saw her marriage to Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley and talk of a new album. Fans must've wondered what direction she would take, and whether marriage would affect her music.

Well, whether it was a result of her marriage or not, Lavigne bursts with energy on The Best Damn Thing. The super-catchy hit first single "Girlfriend," on which she claims to be "the motherfucking princess," serves as a great way to kick off a disc full of powerpop. The material is much punkier and playful than her previous works, showcasing Lavigne at her most carefree and loudest. And it sounds like she's at her most creative too, as in the fantastic title track, in which she says, "I hate it when a guy doesn't understand / why a certain time of month I don't wanna hold his hand" during the verses. The energy never halts either--not even during the three ballads.

In the end, it's clear that the newlywed triumphs on what is her funnest and most vibrant disc.

Track Pick: "Girlfriend"
Rating: A

Liz Phared Well On Her Fourth Album

Liz Phair
Liz Phair
2003
Capitol Records

Liz Phair came a long way to arrive at her 2003 self-titled fourth album. Her career took off when her 1993 debut album, Exile In Guyville, gained critical acclaim and thereafter became an indie classic.

Follow-up album, 1994's Whip-Smart, spawned the top ten modern rock hit, "Supernova," but never became the big hit it seemed aspired to become. After disappearing from the music scene, Phair got married, gave birth to a son, and divorced.

1998 finally saw her return with the release of whitechocolatespaceegg, the first time she was under a major label (Capitol Records), but turned out to be her lowest-selling album. Phair, who tried to get off Capitol, said, "If I only sold 100,000 records [on an indie label], I'd still make more money than if I sold 1 million on a major."

But Capitol didn't let her go, and wanted songs that would receive substantial airplay, eventually bringing in The Matrix to collaborate work on some tracks. (The Matrix is the music production team well-known for co-writing Avril Lavigne's first three hits, hence the ensuing baclklash and comparisons to Avril).

The four Matrix-assisted songs that make the album are the catchiest songs on the album, but they are--to the dismay of some longtime fans--very professional, conventionally-structured pop. Lyrically, these songs are dumbed down to attract a younger audience, but still above pop-princess nonsense.

The rest of the album (all self-penned songs but one) is a lot more toned-down, and quirky numbers--"Firewalker" and "Love/Hate"--seem like they may fit comfortably on whitechocolatespaceegg, which creates some inconsistency throughout the album. "H.W.C." recalls old Phair sexual explicitness and "Bionic Eyes" seems like typical Phair lyrical matter, but both songs are structured and catchy.

Feelings of betrayal and sell-out accusations aside (of which I have none since I became a fan through this album), it can be said that even through the professional production and pop hooks of this mostly solid album, Phair still hasn't completely lost her signature wit and grit.

Track Pick: "Rock Me"
Rating: B