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when you sound as singular country. Big rock guitars, but- JOHN ANDERSON RICK JAMES WILCO as she does, though, and "Are tressed with plenty of pound- Easy Money Deeper Still Sky Blue Sky You Listening ?" rises and falls, ing pop muscle and heart -on- Producer: John Rich Producer: Rick James Producer: Wilco about half of each, almost en- the- sleeve vocals, make "Any Warner Bros. /Raybaw Stone City Records Nonesuch tirely on the lovely, lilting and Which Way" and "Trust My- Release Date: May 15 Release Date: May 75 Release Date: May 15 occasionally sharp- toothed self" both sound like hits wait- Anderson's honeyed 121 A little salsa with your With "Sky Blue Sky," Wilco tones of O'Riordan's voice. ing to happen, and all por- drawl and wild- turkey funk. That's one of the eschews the sonic adventurousness of its last two There are a few deviations: tending a major new artist in wit have made him one of surprises on Rick James' last records in favor of more subdued material. Gone are there's angry Dolores the making -GE country's most reliable studio , recorded in the the electronic blips and blurps and 10- minute ( "Loser," where she tears into album makers for nearly year before his fatal 2004 homages to Kraftwerk, replaced by rootsy, often a pinhead ex) and nostalgi- three decades now, and heart attack. Rather than rely acoustic- driven songs that call to mind '70s light rock. cally pensive Dolores ( "When TANK backing from Warners and on the tried -and -true formula One can hear traces of the Beatles' "Something" on We Were Young "), all joust- Sex, Love & Pain Big & Rich ensures "Easy that brought fame and mis- opener "Either Way," while the rest of the album ing with the aftermath of a Producers: various Money" will be his most vis- fortune, James channels an stews together the Band, Pink Floyd circa "Meddle" breakup. Still, there are plenty Bla ckgro un d/Un i versa l ible release in 15 years. introspective muse while ex- and the Allman Brothers. On first listen, it might seem of sweet moments, like "Apple Motown Oddly, the rather generic panding his musical purview. too derivative, even dull, but Jeff Tweedy's intricate of My Eye," one of a number Release Date: May 75 craft of "If Her Lovin' Don't An inventive infusion of Latin vocal melodies and Nels Cline's ferocious guitar work of cases in which more of the Since hitting us with his Kill Me" and "A Woman and African rhythms powers keep things interesting. Best of the bunch: the twin same is just fine. -JV tender 2001 single

Knows" have been pegged "Secrets" and the title track, guitar soloing of "Impossible Germany," the head - "Maybe I Deserve," Tank (a as singles over tracks that a top 20 adult R &B hit. He nodding, twangy strut of "Walken" and the emotional former backup vocalist for actually make the set pulls off a soulfully intriguing crescendo of "On and On and On." What's most KIMBERLEY LOCKE Ginuwine and Aaliyah) has distinctive -not just the take on David Crosby's "Guin- impressive is the band's ability to gracefully shift from Based on a True Story largely played the back- crazed and t- t- t- tounge -tied nevere," then candidly reflects one style to the next -from track to track, album after Producers: various ground, scribing steamy "Brown Liquor" and the on his sex, drug and legal album -and continue to deliver quality songs. -BF Curb tunes for Marques Houston touring -is- hard -work raver problems ( "Taste ") and ensu- Release Date: May 7 ( "Naked "), Jamie Foxx ( "Un- "Easy Money," but lovely bal- ing self -realization ( "Stroke ") ®Early "American Idol" predictable") and Omarion lads like the dejected, almost after a two -year stretch in York tion ceased, world peace en- finalist Locke, who CO"), to name a few. The fore- cynical "Weeds," the mar- prison. James also conjures Yep Roc sued and armageddon finally reached the top 20 with her ground has never been his riage warning "Something to his signature carnal /romantic Release Date: May 15 arrived, what would Dave 2004 debut "One Love," re- forte. Though solid in some Drink About" and "Bonnie side on "Do You Wanna Play" Six years after his last Mustaine write about? Politics turns with a make -or -break parts, third album "Sex, Love Blue," six mysterious min- and "Funk Wit Me." Overall, set of new material, the has always been his pet topic, sophomore effort that takes & Pain" is standard R &B fare. utes revolving around race the album reveals a still rich - former Mott the Hoople front - however, nearly all of "United the first project's promise and But while production is on the and the South. "Funky Coun- voiced singer and talented man has delivered another set Abominations" decries those soars. Locke co -wrote 10 of 12 elementary side, the disc is try," a better idea than a songwriter who was deter- of accomplished songcraft in power ( "Amerikhastan "), tunes this time out, and with a boosted by Tank's grainy vo- song, isn't the funkiest cut mined to mount another with intelligent and literate war ( "Gears of War ") and our handful of heavy- hitting pro- cals on occasional jewels like here, and "Willie's Guitar" comeback. -GM lyricism. "Shrunken Heads" quickening path to doomsday ducers, proves no formula "I Hate You" and lead single feels somewhat gratuitous mines Hunter's familiar set of ( "Blessed Be the Dead "). works better than great ma- "Please Don't Go," where the beyond its Hawaiian lilt. In sources -including Bob Dylan, "Sleepwalker" is anything but, terial, powerfully performed singer offers doses of vulner- the end, though, almost IAN HUNTER David Bowie and American with its rhythm and lead gui- and perfectly presented. ability. On zhe other hand, every cut kicks in -even Shrunken Heads roots music -for a kind of tars zipping along like electri- "Change" is a killer pop bal- concept tracks like "Wedding those two singles. -CE Producers: Ian Hunter, Andy "Highway 61 Revisited" meets cal currents. AC /DC has got lad that could blow a hole Song' feebly tread on R. "The Lonesome Jubilee," for- its patented style. So does Iron through multiple formats in- Kelly -esque territory. The R &B tified by a forceful guitar at- Maiden (one of its riffs flickers cluding AC, top 40 and even continued on »p72 tack, some tasty violin licks by through "Washington Is Release the Stars Soozie Tyrell and backing vo- Next! ") and Megadeth, which Producer: Rufus Wainwright cals by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy on it affirms on this record. Not GRETCHEN WILSON Geffen three tracks. Hunter makes much new to report beyond One of the Boys Release Date: May 75 plenty of rock'n'roll noise on that. Just enjoy Mustaine's Producers: Mark Wright, John Wainwright's songwriting has "Fuss About Nothin'," offers perpetual sneering. -CLT Rich, Gretchen Wilson always been brash, bold and beautiful, but perhaps some pointed social commen- Columbia Nashville never more so than on this lavishly orchestrated, tary on the title track and DOLORES Release Date: May 15 adventurous effort. Out and proud from day one, "Brainwashed," and turns gen- O'RIORDAN As expected, there's plenty of ass -kicking country on Wainwright makes his most unashamedly flamboyant uinely soulful on "When the Are You Listening? Wilson's third album, but it's her softer side that sets

record yet, larger- than -life melodies wrapped in World Was Round" and "Guid- Producers: Youth, Dan it apart. "The Girl I Am" and "To Tell You the Truth," swelling strings and surging horns and buoyed by the ing Light." Hunter offers a Broadbeck two songs that she co- wrote, expose a more vulnera- singer's typical swoon -inducing, caramel- covered promise to change in "Words Sanctuary ble Wilson. "Heaven Help Me," another co- write, tenor. He pours his heart into everything from (Big Mouth)," but "Shrunken Release Date: May 75 includes the lyrics "I have wounded those that love Broadway -worthy showstoppers like the naughty Heads" is proof that it's ab- Everyone else is doing me and refuse to take the blame /I have hidden all my

"Between My Legs" and the excellent title track, to solutely unnecessary. -GG it, so why can't she? On demons but I cannot hide my shame." The steamy more straightforward confessionals like "Going to a the latest solo debut from a "Come to Bed," which features John Rich and offers a Town," a wounding indictment that laments, "I'm so MEGADETH '90s alt -rock singer, one -time pleasant alternative to a domestic argument, is per- tired of you, America." Though the final third of the United Abominations Cranberry O'Riordan goes a haps the album's best cut, although the stone country album drags a touch as Wainwright lets up on the Producers: Dave Mustaine, pleasingly safe route, sticking "Pain Killer" is also strong. Elsewhere, the title heart -pounding melodrama, the highs here are Andy Sneap, Jeff Balding to her playbook and ending track /current single finds Wilson balancing her rough exceptional. Wainwright once again proves classical Roadrunner up sounding, well, not much and tumble persona with her softer side ( "I know I

and pop -in good hands -can be amazingly well - Release Date: May 15 unlike she did with her old don't act much like a lady, but I still need to be some- suited bedfellows. -SV ®If presidents were hon- bunch. It's hard to imagine body's baby "). -KT est, religious manipula- anything else happening

Releases deemed by the review editors to deserve special attention on the basis of musical merit and /or Billboard chart potential. MAY 19, 2007 www.billboard.biz I 71

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