Mika
"Life In Cartoon Motion"
A-
Available now
Mika could be the most flamboyant musical act since the Scissor Sisters. Though he refuses to answer the million-dollar question (are you gay?), the traces of musical-esque seasoning on "Happy Endings," the candy sucking silliness of "Lollipop" and the homo fling in "Billy Brown" point toward the sky – where there's a big, bright rainbow. But that's neither here nor there, especially when the British popster's album, "Life In Cartoon Motion," is boiling over with potential smashes. Like the Scissor Sisters' lead vocalist Jake Shears, Mika has elastic pipes that work more magic than David Copperfield on the dance ditty "Relax" and the bouncy brilliance of "Stuck in the Middle." "Any Other World" flourishes with a heavy string arrangement and comes full circle with a sharp in-and-out orchestral component. The thumping drums paired with Mika's swooping vocals amplify "Love Today" as an uber-successful exercise in dazzling pop. Though "Grace Kelly," a quasi Queen-type progressive rock tune, showcases the musician's writing skills as he resists conformity, it's "Happy Ending," a glorious choir-heavy mid-tempo track, that cements Mika as more than just the new Brit on the block.
Amy Winehouse
"Back to Black"
B+
Available now
Got soul? Amy Winehouse, an old-school styled loungy singer, does. The 23-year-old British badass revives a somewhat-muddy R&B scene with a fresh dose of slick lyrics, fun-ky melodies and a rad range (think a smoky Lauryn Hill). The chanteuse's latest, "Back to Black," harkens back to Motown times – with the addition of some "F" bombs. No, not that one. More like "fuckery," used in the bluesy jazz-soul tune "Me & Mr. Jones." A sparkling '60s-soul styled song, "Tears Dry On Their Own," pays homage to the gem "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." The boozy Brit, whose stellar songwriting focuses on drawing out love bumps, resists sobriety assistance on the feisty, ultra-irresistable horn-heavy "Rehab." Instead, she says she'd rather be at home mellowing to Ray Charles. Funny, 'cause I'd take Amy over rehab any day – and that ain't no fuckery.
Mary Chapin Carpenter
"The Calling"
B+
Available now
Mary Chapin Carpenter is taking a time warp. After a mellow, melancholy set of illustrious piano-hefty tunes, the singer-songwriter shakes up her latest offering with beaming electric guitar, bringing us back to her country/rock roots. Title-track "The Calling" erupts with passion, both in Carpenter's yearning vocals and the gradual progression of drums and guitar. Aside from personal reflections – and there are plenty – Carpenter stings anti-free speech patriots who plastered the Dixie Chicks on political plea "On With The Song." Much like her solemn predecessor, "The Calling" boasts Carpenter's stellar songwriting – a sometimes-blurred well of multiple meanings. On "Closer and Closer Apart" she illustrates separation, but it's crafted so carefully that it could relate to divided lovers or nations. With heartbreaking vulnerability, her voice – a husky instrument as warm and cozy as a parka – glides over spare piano. Thankfully, some things never change.
Kelly Sweet
"We Are One"
C-
Available now
Sure, Kelly may be sweet. She's got a tender, soft soprano that will draw her comparisons to a pale Celine Dion. And lead-in "We Are One" will likely embellish that similarity. But does the saccharine songstress really want that label? Her debut is lush, precious, dripping with syrup – everything Celine. "Raincoat," with a breezy melody, takes notes from Norah with its breathtakingly effortless vocals and jazzy touch – a rarity among a mess of thunderstorms. The so-safe material on the rest of "We Are One" is as intriguing as watching a dog lick itself. "I am you/You are me/We are one/Take me in your arms/And flow through me/I'll flow through you," she coos on the title track. Where the tune's spark plug came from isn't clear. Maybe Barney? Maybe too much "Saving Ryan's Privates"? Perhaps both? Even sleeper single "Dream On," an Aerosmith classic, strips any edge, quickly tumbling into a schlock-filled feast that'll draw comparisons to a duller, unmemorable Loreena McKennitt. It's another sour moment on an album drowning in them.
