Avril Lavigne
{ITAL "The Best Damn Thing"
B}
Avril Lavigne still wants to be a Toys 'R' Us kid. Forget the step-ahead she took to prove herself as a grown-up on her somber sophomore album. On "The Best Damn Thing" she does a switcheroo – channeling inner angst through bouncy beats and cocky kiss-offs. She's spunky, a little funky and way, way prissy – her dyed blond locks and raccoon eyes aren't so punk-ish as they are princess-ish (Lavigne even labels herself as one. Um, what happened?). After forgiving the scrappy kiddo for reciting some pages from her cringe-worthy middle school journal, it's safe to say the hook-heavy punk mission succeeds with high-voltage electric guitar, hard-banging drums, lots of hey, hey, hey-ing and sprinkles of Pink (on the sassy "I Can Do Better") and Gwen Stefani (on the funky lead-in to "The Best Damn Thing"). To retain a morsel of her inner mature music-maker, the punkster smears in a few bleeped shits and a mo-fo along with a few rousing slow burners. On missing-you single "When You're Gone" Lavigne's slightly nasally voice cruises over a mounting string section. "Innocence," a lyrically blah tune sure to resonate with teenyboppers, maintains Lavigne's yearning for something lost. But the slow-lull hardly lasts before kicking in with "Contagious" – a quickie that defines this bratty princess' addictive, pill-popping style.
Martina McBride
{ITAL "Waking Up Laughing"
B+}
There's not much to ha-ha about on Martina McBride's ninth album, "Waking Up Laughing." Child abuse. A sinking economy. A shattering miscarriage. But, as usual, McBride torches the tunes with an enlightened flair and her infinitely gas-filled pipes. On big-ballad "Anyway" her full-throttle soprano soars through the roof over a massive string section and, in the midst of senseless violence and broken dreams, gives us a quasi-corny chorus but an inspiring reason to keep moving. McBride, no stranger to mountain-moving fodder, offers a spot-on snapshot of a money-thirsty family on "House Of A Thousand Dreams" and a second chance after a failed pregnancy on "Love Land" – both less theatrical, but brilliant soul-digging executions. Keith Urban provides harmony and a guitar solo on "Tryin' To Find A Reason," a burning break-up ballad that glows with a nuanced emotional resonance and a catchy chorus. Though McBride, who served as the solo producer and co-writer of several tracks, relies more on material than sweeping hooks, her gargantuan gift is a mouth-dropping marvel that could sing the ABC's and steal the show.
Casey Stratton
{ITAL "The Crossing"
B}
Casey Stratton is a golden force that didn't fold after dropping off his major label, Sony Music. On his second independent endeavor, the Grand Rapids-based do-it-all musician offers hope with his operatic, quasi-femme fixture and a mostly favorable bag of typical Stratton fare. The subdued opener, "Rising Sun," launches with an extended instrumental intro before settling into comfort-zone territory with gliding notes, a fetching hook and pensive lyrics. With a sky-high voice as precious as porcelain, "The Crossing" highlights his instrument, but when it attempts edginess, it turns into a competition. On the so-so "Sacrifice," the fresh sonic flair fails to add any oomph to Stratton's bleeding vocals, which tend to drown into the pulsating drums. Luckily, balance is found with a grittier Stratton shooting his voice through the vocal-stratosphere during the finale. A fuzzed-out sounding chorus on "Cruel Hand of Fate" is distracting, but its follow-up, "You Showed Me Again," balances clear, catchy production with a voluminous vocal that doesn't venture to far from Stratton's typically trudged trail. The closing-song series, which includes the haunting, Tori Amos-like "Wither and Die" and the blithe-bathed title track, shows Stratton as an artist who can master adult-contemporary cuts when the shoe fits.
Alison Krauss
{ITAL "A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection"
B+}
Who knew leftovers could be this yummy? The bulk of this 16-track odds 'n' ends compilation highlights soundtrack cuts, duets and five previously shelved tracks – all with meaty storytelling. Some cuts, like the primo, heart-torn twangy "Whiskey Lullaby" and an a cappella rendition of "Down to the River to Pray," will ignite memories. The bluegrass-based artist's near-flawless cords gently sail over spare guitar on the so-sad "I Give You To His Heart" (from "The Prince Of Egypt") and delicately tackle the piano-based new-sunrise single "Get Me Through December." The remake of John Waite's 1984 hit "Missing You" gets a proper resurrection as Waite and Krause bite down on it together, her smooth soprano working magic with his more-meaty delivery. Though the collection sometimes ventures from Krauss' bluegrass-beaten path, it's still worth traveling these marvelous miles.