Carla Bruni's 2003 debut was one of the best-selling French language albums ever. Between then and now, Bruni has released a fine English-language effort and (gulp) became the First Lady of France. No wonder why she titled this one "As If Nothing Has Happened." Thankfully, her artistic strengths remain intact: her ciggies 'n' absinthe vocals, tart lyrics and easygoing confidence. She quotes the Beatles, covers an old Dean Martin hit, references Columbian marching powder and sings in her native Italian. Arranger Benjamin Biolay's backings are as elegant and jazzy as the cut of Bruni's trousers. Editor: Nick Dedina
Emboldened by the success of early anthems such as "People Get Ready," the Curtis Mayfield-fronted Impressions deliver their usually satisfying blend of gospel-inflected love songs and socio-political civil rights anthems. "Choice of Colors" is brimming with post-MLK optimism, though "Jealous" reflects a more tumultuous inner-life. Editor: Sam Chennault
The critically acclaimed songwriter delivers his finest achievement yet, a pitch-perfect blend of Tom Waits' late period weirdness and Wilco's warmly rocking country-pop. Tiny Voices has the same feel as the first Latin Playboys record, where every last detail has been attended to, seemingly by experts. Editor: Mike McGuirk
Lloyd's libido dominates much of his third album, and his sex talk here is either surprisingly Catholic ("Year of the Lover," "Have My Baby"), oddly clinical ("Love Making 101") or faux-nasty ("Party All Over Your Body"). The self-explanatory "Sex Education" features a female coyly purring "I'm going to make an A" and suggests that Lloyd has been spending an unhealthy amount of time with R. Kelly. It certainly works as a pastiche of pop R&B trends, and "Girls Around the World" rides tall with its blatant '80s hip-hop nostalgia and a verse from Lil Wayne. Editor: Sam Chennault
As the singer for country trio Trick Pony, Heidi Newfield proved she has a powerhouse voice. On her first solo effort, Newfield pulls out the stops with a diverse collection of rockin' songs. "Can't Let Go" is a chugging, frantic rocker about an ended relationship that smacks of denial and desperation, while "Love Her and Lose Me" is a hurt-dripping, heartbreaking slow song that wonders what the other woman is like. On the flipside, Newfield expresses optimism about how a relationship should be with her tribute to the ultimate "country" couple, "Johnny and June." Editor: Linda Ryan
Coldplay have mastered their anthemic craft so precisely that with every peak of Chris Martin's falsetto you can hear the faintest cha-ching of dollar signs. So, for them to usher in Brian Eno to help dip their toes into new terrain is a move that deserves some props. Eno gives them room to build their grandiose crescendos, while adding in oblique bars of airy soundscapes ("Life in Technicolor"), Eastern strings ("Yes"), Renaissance strut ("Strawberry Swing") and even some Phil Collins swagger ("Violet Hill"). It's a good progression, but not as innovative as they might have been hoping for. Editor: Stephanie Benson
For her third disc, "Lil Miss Sunshine" stakes a claim as the queen of R&B by turning to the '80s. On "Shut Up and Drive," she samples New Order's "Blue Monday," while lead single "Umbrella" -- with Rihanna's understated, nasal vocals wrapping around dramatic strings -- would fit nicely in a John Hughes flick. The spunky "Breakin' Dishes" is more fun than bitter, and "Rehab" overcomes its rather mawkish sentiments to be an effective break-up ballad. There's hardly a throwaway track, and Rihanna continues to evolve. This edition includes three unreleased tracks, including hit "Take a Bow." Editor: Sam Chennault
Someday, when Miley Cyrus is shaving her head and entering rehab, we'll hear her cover of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" as a cry for help. But Billy Ray's little girl is under a very different pressure: namely, to not be Britney. For someone who's meant to embody America's wholesome ideal of teendom, then, Miley's proper debut is pretty adult. Not in a Vanity Fair sense as much as just an undue focus on hard breakups and serious relationships. Except on the tween-tastic title track and the sassy "Fly on the Wall," Miley doesn't sound like she's having much fun. Editor: Rachel Devitt
For all the jokiness inherent in the Melvins' music, many might think fate has played the ultimate joke on the hardcore/metal pioneers. After all, 20 years is a long time to follow an artistic vision with meager results. But the group proved on Sunday night's concert in Madison, Wis., that being eclipsed by Nirvana and other grunge grandmasters hasn't tamed their sonic firepower or their sense of humor. More
