Her fourth, The Element of Freedom, is full of straightforward pleas for affection that are neither outstanding nor run-of-the-mill.

For every legitimate contender like 'Arab Money,' there’s mediocre fare such as 'Shoot for the Moon,' where he prattles over a nondescript synth bleat from Danjahandz.

Ciara is most comfortable in the nook of choreography-driven tracks....What Fantasy Ride lacks are the career-defining highs of songs like 'Promise' and 'Like a Boy,' songs that were romantic and indelible and altogether original.

Aside from a new number (281-206-4336!), Jones offers few surprises--the guest list is robust and his rhymes are still mediocre.

After that promising start [with 'I Love College' and 'Lark on My Go-Kart'], however, Asher loses focus. He floods the Bread Aisle with a series of interesting pop concepts ruined by bland choruses.

With his latest long player, The Last Kiss, the Yonkers heat spitter’s exquisite rhymes again get lost in an overabundance of boilerplate attempts at hits.

Too often these songs either sound recycled or just uninspired.

Her ten tracks are disposable, and redeemed only by Prince’s extraordinary production ear.

Ultimately, Hilson’s debut is simply okay, not quite the sum of its parts. She has the right juice. Now it’s just a matter of how to keep it flowing.

With no real stand out single, All I Ever Wanted will be a hit with Clarkson die-hards, but is unlikely to influence any Top 40 outsiders.

What is missing from Intuition is a balance between the party records and the slow jams. The division displays a lack of cohesiveness that separates the effort from being a great album into just a collection of potential singles.

On his sophomore effort, iSoujaBoyTellem (Interscope), the YouTube legend attempts to sound all grown up, but for the most part, sticks to his rather unusual brand of hip-hop for the Google generation.

In fact, the flair that is championed on most Common albums is absent, leaving a vapid display of good ideas with unenthused delivery. This nonchalance has placed Universal Mind Control’s release, regardless of its intentions, in poor form, doing little for progressing Common’s ability.

Stylistics paralyze Hudson's debut, but it is her impassioned talent that keeps the album on life support.

All pounding drums and rolling keyboards, this is the Three 6 sound at its most dumbed down. The same could be said for the majority of Walk, which avoids the experimental sounds the group dabbled in on 2005’s "Most Known Unknown" and treads more familiar ground.

But even with all the emo-passion, nearly half of this album is lukewarm.

Ultimately, he sounds confused--he wants to bare his soul and boogie on, but the boogie isn't nearly enough. [Mar 2008, p.97]

It reeks of generic blandness. [Feb 2008, p.86]

When all three work with the group, they invigorate Red Carpet....But when Danja is left to his own devices, problems arise. [Dec 2007, p.108]

While there's something joyful in the cacophony, the songs remain window dressing on the spectacle. [Oct 2007, p.94]

This once-fiery, if rambling, thinker now sounds like a man cooled off. [Sep 2007, p.130]

Eardrum lacks cohesiveness. [August 2007, p.75]

The Atlanta MC attempts the melodramatic, but to mostly underwhelming results.

On Shock, Timbaland has pushed himself--he's clearly striving for some of the charisma his best collaborators ooze. [May 2007, p.113]

[She takes a] new, inappropriately measured approach. [May 2007, p.115]

The music... is tacky and overproduced.... The songwriting here far outstrips Lopez's previous albums, though. [May 2007, p.116]

A tepid debut. [May 2007, p.121]

!!! certainly have talent and energy, but not the heart to self-edit. [Apr 2007, p.130]