There's no question that Susan Boyle's story is inspiring, but the same adjective can't quite apply to her debut, I Dreamed a Dream. This is almost a willful antonym of "inspiring" -- it is not stirring, rousing, or stimulating, it is sleepy, reserved, and placid, but is that a surprise? Boyle's grand unveiling on Britain's Got Talent was with a song from Les Miserables -- the very song that lends this album its title -- and if she could become an international sensation based on a show tune standard, there's no reason for her to change her approach on her debut, since that's the sound that made her a star. Plus, a large part of Boyle's appeal is that she's a middleaged woman singing middlebrow material, recalling a bygone era when there were singers that appealed to an adult audience by offering soft, stately versions of pop hits and standards. That time was the late `60s and early `70s, and apart from a rather faithful version of Madonna's "You'll See," I Dreamed a Dream could very well have been released all those years ago, as it mixes up the show tunes, gospel, and Christmas carols with covers of Skeeter Davis' "The End of the World," the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses," and a version of "Daydream Believer" that is easily the most lugubrious on record. Boyle never digs into the intent of the lyrics, but she sings beautifully throughout, delivering more of the same of what she did in her moment in the sun on television. And, frankly, that's all she needs to do: those won over by Boyle, either her voice or story, will surely be satisfied, and those expecting more were never likely to listen to I Dreamed a Dream in the first place. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

  E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) CD
  by Black Eyed Peas
Our Price: $9.99 CD / $7.59 MP3
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Black Eyed Peas, the hip-hop crossover juggernaut that propelled singer Fergie and producer Will.I.Am to superstardom, have, since 2003's ELEPHUNK, been audaciously plugging away at their bombastic but lighthearted style of rap-cum-dance pop--an effort that has translated to a run of successful chart-topping singles including "My Humps," "Pump It," and "Don't Phunk with My Heart." Eager to follow up on the platinum-selling success of 2005's MONKEY BUSINESS, Black Eyed Peas have returned with THE E.N.D. (an acronym for "Energy Never Dies"), their third studio effort. Combining Will.I.Am's thumping 808 kick drum-infused beats with production assistance from a host of collaborators (including vocoder-loving Torontoians MSTRKRFT and French house veteran David Guetta), BEP's infectious party-time rhymes are an easy match for the album's Ed Banger-style of electro rapping and Auto Tune jamming, especially on lead-off single and sure-fire 2009 summer anthem "Boom Boom Pow."

  If On A Winter's Night... CD
  by Sting
Our Price: $12.19
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It's no secret that Sting is a serious man, so it's only logical that his holiday album -- his first new music since the Police reunion, not that it really matters -- is a serious endeavor, thank you. No niceties for him, no comforts of carols; he favors formal over familiar, writing madrigals, not ditties. It is music made by someone who lives in a castle, which isn't necessarily such a bad thing: the austerity is genuine, not affected, and the cerebral nature of the album is fascinating, albeit mildly so, as this is as sleepy as it is thoughtful. And it's that thoughtfulness that does distinguish If on a Winter's Night...; no other Christmas album exists in the head like this. It's a holiday album for people who have never wanted to hear a holiday album, let alone own one. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

  Funhouse CD
  by Pink
Our Price: $8.99 CD / $9.99 MP3
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Pink's insistently hooky, attitude-filled pop-rock has kept the singer a fixture on the radio and on singles charts since the early 2000s. The artist's fifth effort, FUNHOUSE, doesn't tamper with the formula: Pink's powerhouse vocals and in-your-face approach, backed by stadium-sized production, are in full effect on all 12 tracks. Even though the album deals primarily with aftermath of her divorce and includes serious moments of self-confrontation like "Sober," fans needn't worry that Pink has lost any of her chutzpah.

If anything, there's an increased sense of confidence and newfound liberation on tracks like the chest-thumping "So What" and the mischievous, bouncing "Bad Influence." In softer moments, like the ballad "I Don't Believe You" and the soulful "One Wrong Foot," Pink channels her personal experience into expressions that carry no less strength or muscle. But FUNHOUSE is a pop album first and foremost, and its catchy choruses, rollicking beats, and memorable vocal performances won't disappoint.

  Noel CD
  by Josh Groban
Our Price: $12.99 CD / $10.89 MP3
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Only his fourth studio album, NOEL finds Josh Groban already tackling that canonical mainstay of the adult contemporary singer, the Christmas album. As always, NOEL is a masterfully performed set, balanced neatly between pop standards and the more operatic material that showcases Groban's roots. Interestingly, he sounds best on the most familiar holiday standards, like "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song," both of which he invests with casual, jazzy phrasing, providing a welcome disinclination for the usual Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby homages that many other young singers in the style fall into. Even this early into his career, Groban clearly has a deeply held sense of who he is as a singer and interpreter, and this lovely collection is proof that he's one of the most exciting adult contemporary stars to appear in ages.

  Echo CD
  by Leona Lewis
Our Price: $12.95 CD / $9.99 MP3
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The goal of Leona Lewis' 2007 debut Spirit was to prove that an X Factor winner could be a phenomenon not just in the U.K. but in the rest of the world. The goal of her second album, 2009's Echo, is to prove that success was no fluke, to build upon "Bleeding Love" and turn Lewis into an actual diva. Certainly, Echo in any of its incarnations -- its song listings are tailored for individual markets, with the U.K. getting a cover of Oasis' "Stop Crying Your Heart Out," while the U.S. gets a second song co-written by Justin Timberlake -- uses the chilly, synthesized "Bleeding Love" as its foundation, creating a sheet of sound equal parts Euro-pop and modern American R&B. As opposed to the often-stuffy Spirit, this is proudly modern, and if the sounds emanating from the two sides of the Atlantic might seem to be aesthetically opposed, they're both producer-driven music constructed layer by layer from rhythm to the vocal, where the overall sound matters more than what's being sung. Which isn't to say that Lewis doesn't sing the hell out of the songs on Echo: she has an uncanny gift for hitting impossible notes without seeming as if she's grandstanding. In fact, there's nary an ounce of diva in Lewis, she seems to enjoy singing for the sake of it, which is what keeps Echo interesting. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

  Let It Roll: The Best Of George Harrison CD
  by George Harrison
Our Price: $14.29 CD / $12.19 MP3
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George Harrison had two periods of great commercial success, separated by 15 years and two record labels. This extended gap is the chief reason there hasn't been a career-spanning Harrison collection until 2009's LET IT ROLL: SONGS BY GEORGE HARRISON, the first-ever disc to gather songs from George's stints at both Apple and Dark Horse, and only his third-ever hits collection (following 1976's Beatles-heavy THE BEST OF GEORGE HARRISON and THE BEST OF DARK HORSE, released in 1989 in the afterglow of CLOUD NINE's comeback success).

LET IT ROLL balances these two periods, swapping any Beatles-era song ("Something," "Here Comes the Sun," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps") for a live version from THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH, then mixing it all up chronologically, so the set starts with the pristine bounce of "Got My Mind Set on You" before giving way to "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)." If anything jars, it's the sounds of the times, as Jeff Lynne's clean, manicured arrangements don't necessarily fit with Phil Spector's lush, magisterial productions, but that's a minor quibble about a useful compilation that consolidates all of Harrison's signature tunes on one very enjoyable disc.

  Very Best Of Prince CD
  by Prince
Our Price: $15.05 CD / $10.89 MP3
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Starting with the 1979 #1 "I Wanna Be Your Lover," Prince's pop sensibilities and inquisitive nature have found him cleverly bouncing back and forth between the twin poles of sex and spirituality. Whether it's the runaway pledge of faith found in "I Would Die 4 U," sly lasciviousness of "Gett Off" or battle-of-the-sexes throw-down with Sheena Easton on "U Got The Look," this Minneapolis native's way with a hook makes more of an impression in retrospect than his ability to shock. Other highlights include the millennial jam "1999," chilling view of the world "Sign O' The Times," gorgeous "Diamonds And Pearls" and irresistible "Alphabet Street."

Out of print in the U.S.! Putting together a single-disc compilation from Prince must have been a tough task, but whoever put this together did a great job. 17 of the R&B/Pop icon's best including 'When Doves Cry', 'Little Red Corvette', 'Kiss', 'I Would Die For You' and many others. For the full and part-time fan, this is like a trip down memory lane, but for the beginner, this is the best path to take. Warner.

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