Amid synth-y disco ­dalliances ("Alive Tonight") and soul-funk workouts ("Your Girl"), she leaves room for snarling riffs on "Look What We've Become" and acoustic boom on "Empty Heart," reminiscent of Sheryl Crow's "Leaving Las Vegas."

Overall, Believe sinks its tendrils into the listener's brain by riding the dance music phenomenon and offering some whizz-bang production alongside Bieber's sticky-sweet singing voice.

For an album with crowded electro-pop instrumentation, the music isn't overbearing, and Little Boots' cheeky lyrics never lose any of their dry attitude.

As the band's first disc for Epitaph following a 15-year major-label run, the stripped-down Hurley mostly delivers what you'd expect.

On her debut album, The Family Jewels, Diamandis backs up her bark with a promising bite.

EVOL doesn’t break any rules or set many new ones, but as the latest in a seemingly never-ending series of wonders Future and his team wield in their creation of druggy, downcast afterparty dispatches, it is a joy.

For this warm set of 11 country-time covers (including a track from his 1986 album, "Eye of the Zombie"), Fogerty turns to his speed-dial list of superstars.

There are times you hope for a little more dumb fun--enter Diplo, who turns up on five tracks with his air horn and Caribbean beats and would be welcome on more--and there's at least one moody ballad too many. But then an aqueous bassline bubbles up and a surge of trance-y pulses sweeps you along to Madonnaland, where introspection and abandon engage in erotic acts of self-actualization.

The band's first release since 2003, "The Chair in the Doorway," is too scattered -- and occasionally silly -- to make a serious re-impression.

There are an awful lot of ideas swimming through Comedown's 11 tracks--some familiar, others (like Casablancas' new fascination with falsetto) not so familiar.

Run is more of a technical accomplishment than an artistic one. Bruno the pop star is not nearly as appealing as Bruno the juggler.

While Jourgensen seems re-engaged with his music, he's also more disinterested than ever in the wider pop culture.

Sara Bareilles returns with more bouncy and intricate piano melodies on her sophomore album

Bundy's obvious affection for feisty predecessors like Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton adds an appealing jolt to the music's already clever hooks and personal narrative. But what Bundy still needs to develop are the durable melodies and lyrical nuance that turned those artists' compositions into classics.

This is also some of Tankian's most accessible material to date, whether it's the grooving verses and exploding choruses of "Left of Center," the cascading ebb and flow of "Borders Are . . ." or the fierce charge of "Electron."

The set careens confidently from the Prince-inspired fuzz-funk of opener "WTF?" to the slinky live-band R&B of "I Want You So Bad I Can't Breathe" to "This Too Shall Pass," a thudding psych-pop anthem in the mold of "Kids" by MGMT. It's not all so good-naturedly goofy.

The album is loaded with luscious orchestration, motivational mantras and playful sex metaphors. Its taught 10 tracks bring to mind the record Justin Timberlake could have made last year, if he had dared to leave anything on the cutting room floor.

Cali Swag District's surviving members memorialize M-Bone in the artwork of The Kickback, the group's debut full-length, which was originally set for release last year through Capitol before arriving in stores independently through a distribution deal with Sony RED. That dedication is a rare glimmer of gravity on a set filled with buzzy, lightweight odes to whips ("Burn Out [Drive Fast]"), women ("I'm Freaking You") and weed ("I Don't Need Your Money").

x finds a hungry artist doing everything possible to elevate to another level, simply by abiding by his instincts.

Rebel Soul brings [that devil (without a cause, of course)-may-care 'tude] back into the mix without sacrificing the lessons Rock learned from working with Rubin and his cadre of top-shelf session hands--only this time he applied them to the live, lived-in feel of his Twisted Brown Trucker band.

Full of blues and roots tracks, the new 13-song set lives up to its title.

The Album About Nothing is his most personal piece of work to date, and also his best. That hair-trigger sensitivity can be off-putting, but it's also what makes him good at what he does.

With the dust having settled around Zakk Wylde's unexpected departure from Ozzy Osbourne's band, better attention can be paid to Order of the Black, the new album from Wylde's Black Label Society.

The album is a sprawling, experimental work defined more by ambient synth hum and field-recording rustle than by melodic hooks or danceable grooves.

On Yung Rich Nation, the band of brothers shows it’s reliable enough to deliver hits, but ambitious enough to rise to a challenge.

All that retro angst is more rote and less involving than the way its debut tried to square loud guitars with the hooky imperatives of chart pop. In the last several tracks, though, the energy returns.

Moore spends much of his debut album, Up All Night, outlining the pleasures to be had from hot women and cold beverages.

Half [of] this EP is a weak gesture in the direction of current radio trends.... But on the other half of this EP, Dream shows an impressive new dimension to his romantic games.

Naledge's rhymes are a complex web of pop culture references and braggadocio. Double-O's pop-soul production serves as a bright, sugary backdrop for Naledge's brag-rap.

On Everything Is 4, some songs give him newfound definition, but then others distract from it.

Much of It's About Time is dense, cooking Southern rock. It can be frivolous (the bleacher-stomp shout-alongs "Club U.S.A." and "The Party's On") but has no problem nailing a groove.

[Morello's] contributions feel inventive, versatile and natural, like an extension of the direction Springsteen was already moving in.... Aniello's production work definitely enhances and does not distract from or obscure the tracks.

The usual, more or less. Musically, it’s her typical mix of pop-classicist balladry and hip-hop-tinged summer jamming, and if Carey doesn't exactly go strutting into new territory, it’s because she knows most people like her right where she is.

The British vocalist was pegged as a Beyoncé-style pop/ R&B diva during an abortive mid-decade Los Angeles stint. But escaping that environment allowed her to develop the genre-straddling, retro-modern mélange of Travelling Like the Light, which was released overseas last July.

She continues to hit each note with the precise amount of retro pomp that one would expect, and there are again moments when the '70s soul love affair gets a little carried away.

From the range of production styles to the bonus disc of live tracks, Swords is a welcome catalog addition

Despite a few highlights, This Is Acting is scattered and forgettable next to the emotional 1000 Forms of Fear.

Produced by renowned adult contemporary producer Tommy LiPuma, American Classic-Nelson's finest album since 1998's "Teatro"-contains 12 timeless melodies that bridge the gap between Nelson's love for Django Reinhardt and Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys.

The new set casts a spell with Stuart Price's signature preternatural touches, Minogue's breathy chirp and the hooky melodies of a varied crew of dance pop-focused songwriters and producers.

Strange Weather, Isn't It? is not life-altering fare, but the album's 40 minutes of club-approved funk-rock signals another noteworthy entry in the band's discography.

It may take listeners a while to wrap their heads (and ears) around Scratch My Back, but it will undoubtedly polarize an audience that has long awaited something new from Gabriel.

Until its sequels are released, Green Day's latest should be regarded as a disposable but thoroughly enjoyable return to the band's long-deserted roots. The Cali punks are back, and it's nice to see them.

The opening track, "Don't Let Me Fall," showcases the rapper's smoothed-voice singing talent and vulnerability ("They say what goes up must come down/But don't let me fall") over a booming guitar, while "Magic" (featuring Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo) takes a more pop-driven direction.

The set is an enveloping mix of melody, mood and texture that speaks to Robertson's triple-threat virtues as a performer, composer and producer.

Country singer Reba McEntire doesn't miss a beat on Keep On Loving You, her debut album for Valory Music.

Lil Wayne's latest album, I Am Not a Human Being, is not as experimental as the rapper's previous rock-tinged "Rebirth" set that arrived earlier this year, and most fans will likely appreciate this.

Years removed from their teen-pop prominence, Backstreet Boys continue to produce pleasurable hooks and hummable vocal harmonies on This Is Us.

Keys delivers a musically understated but richly passionate set of soul paeans to being in love, out of love, lovelorn and pining for her man to return.

Like the singles "Spotlight" and "Wasted," the songs on the album that jump out most aren't the ones with creepy rhythms, but those with Gucci Mane's witty lyrical delivery.

On its latest release, A Thousand Suns, the six-piece rock act truly breaks the habit of everything we've heard from it before.

Jackson's music mixed celebration and terror, as if he was unable to find, or maintain, the division between the two. His music offered a place to both explore and escape those tensions. On this album, it does again.

Her debut album, Just Like You, has no shortage of commanding pop-rock tunes, but Iraheta really shines when her spirited voice breaks through the precise production.

Lady A has always demonstrated the potential to deliver a little something more. On 747, we finally get a glimpse of it.

The more expansive arrangements suit McMahon's hyper-expressive singing, especially on a handful of cuts ("My Racing Thoughts," "Platform Fire") with keyboards by veteran session player Patrick Warren. But occasionally they make McMahon's songwriting feel less distinct than it has in the past.

The set is a nice welcome back and a new beginning for the singer.

Southern Voices is done well overall, but listeners may want to keep close a copy of McGraw's upbeat hit 'I Like It, I Love It' to lighten the mood.

A mixture of optimism and realism is present throughout Everybody, and Michaelson's insights occasionally sting with honesty.

Trespassing continues the work of the underrated "For Your Entertainment" and allows the singer to keep unveiling his character in broad, colorful strokes.

A tendency to let the songs run too long notwithstanding, this 100 Miles is a path Crow was certainly wise to tread.

While the inclusion of faint funk ("Sole Brother") and hints of country twang ("Retard Canard") expands Born Ruffians' repertoire, the track "Blood, the Sun & Water" brings the most energy to the set.

Plenty has been said about how well They Might Be Giants' playful, absurdist rock translates to kids' music-and the band's fourth offspring-focused effort is no exception.

Interpol is undoubtedly a solid effort, but solid shouldn't be satisfying for a band that has proved to possess the talent of indie rock's elite class.

A manifesto for the synthesis of dance and hip-hop, French DJ David Guetta's new album One Love turns out top 40-friendly songs while remaining true to dance club culture.

Although Darker My Love implements a laid-back style on Alive As You Are, the group still engages the listener and delivers a solid set.

One that makes us hope the Queen takes a stab at even bolder covers in the future.

Merriweather delivers just fine in his own right, with a soulful voice of the Otis Redding/Al Green/Marvin Gaye variety and lushly arranged songs that channel an array of influences from early Elton John ("For Your Money") to vintage Holland-Dozier-Holland ("Impossible").

Given Healy's winsome vocals and his good-guy image, the grab at gravitas doesn't always connect.

The Beach Boys mastermind's dip into the world of George & Ira Gershwin is a love's labor that makes plenty of sense and opens up at least a few of the tunes to illuminating interpretations.

Sprawling, ambitious and mostly well-executed, While (1<2) may confuse his fan base’s Ultra-attending electro house contingent, but deadmau5’s double album undoubtedly marks his most mature and forward-thinking release to date.

Given his role as one of pop's most respected songwriters, Neil Diamond might be expected to fill a covers album with underappreciated obscurities by tunesmiths less highly regarded than he.

The new album finds vocalist Dave Gahan and songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Martin Gore refining some familiar sounds and trying out some new wrinkles.

Joy is a journey not to be missed.

For something drawn from so many obvious sources, Amoral is refreshingly original.

Judging by the delivery of those poignant lines, it's hardly a stretch to imagine Bieber racking up more hits in the next decade to come.

Percussion is nowhere to be found on the group's latest release, Declaration of Dependence, and the pair's Simon & Garfunkel-esque harmonies are less dynamic than they once were. But there are still plenty of bright spots.

With these 13 tracks--nine of which the band had a hand in writing--One Direction does maturity much better than on its last album, 2014's ballad-heavy Four.

With sophisticated grace and evocative lyricism, Melua has made a brave reinvention that raises her already lofty artistic bar.

It's not high art, and it won't land them on any year-end best-of lists, but it will sell a load of copies, and it's just the thing for your next lousy day.

It doesn’t all click, like when Imbruglia smooths over all the emotional grit of Damien Rice’s “Cannonball.” But her charms on Male win you over in the end.

Robison and Maguire prove capable of crafting galloping, catchy choruses for such songs as "The Coast," "Ain't No Son," "It Didn't Make a Sound" and "I Miss You."

Along with some quiet surprises, there are also potential hits, including the first single/title track, where Lovato almost sounds like Kelly Clarkson's kid sister.

Of the book, the flick, and the soundtrack, only the music really hits hard enough to leave a lasting mark.

Even those too young-or not yet born-for the Vaselines' heyday can appreciate the earnest fun of Sex With an X.

Overall, 5 Seconds of Summer is a delightful debut from a group that cannot be easily pigeonholed, and is worth paying attention to.

Original Santana percussionist Michael Carabello and Checkmates singer Sonny Charles (now a member of the Steve Miller Band) fortify the performances, while longtime Miller fans will also soak in some of the last recordings by the late harmonica ace Norton Buffalo.

None of these tracks can match the best cuts on the act's first two albums for sheer catchiness.

With erotic themes, smooth production and the use of a Japanese Omnichord synthesizer, the band's fourth album, OMNI, proves that there's still plenty to explore.

The long-awaited Blueprint 3 doesn't disappoint. In fact, the album may just be the blueprint for hip-hop music to come.

While not groundbreaking, Evolution of a Man shows McKnight still has a way with the ladies.

Comprising eight new songs plus There Goes My Baby, the new set alternately bumps and throbs as a reinvigorated Usher further paves his comeback path.

It allows listeners to refamilairize themselves with the Weeknd's aesthetic, which was striking and singular to begin with.

Taylor is at his best when he brings his fuddy-duddy charm.

Ursa Major isn't Third Eye Blind's crowning jewel, but it's a welcome return to form after such a lengthy hiatus

For the most part, Lavigne's fifth full-length encapsulates everything worth loving about the 29-year-old's long-running artistry.

Style trumps substance in this particular breath of Air.

She's confident for a new artist, but this promising debut backs up her big words.

With his latest album, Mixed Race, Tricky picks up where 2008's Knowle West Boy (named after his rough birthplace) left off, exploring his diverse background, sonic heritage and frequently unforgiving surroundings with sounds as much as words.

Songs of Innocence is a colossal-sounding record from rock's ultimate stadium wreckers, and a quick listen reveals why no other marketing strategy would have worked.