Music » Vocal Pop Music

Asian edition of the sensational soprano's 1998 album 'Eden' with 'Lost Words You Said' (composed by & featuring Richard Marx) added as a bonus track. 1999 release. Comes packaged in a full color, embossed brilliant box.

This revamped version of the Carpenters' two original Singles LPs may, despite the absence of some Top 40 charters, stand as the definitive single-CD collection of the duo's hits. Included are most of the reasons Karen Carpenter's bring-the-pain vocals are still revered by thrift-shopping college kids and their moms alike. Despite the act's squeaky-clean image, Karen was of course more than touched by tragedy; at least one of the more hopeful of these tunes, "For All We Know," has doubt built right into its title. The best of this is smart, cry-in-your-Evian pop that sounds a lot less dated than it might in your memory. "Close to You" and "Hurting Each Other" are actually soulful claims on their then-new soft-pop tradition, while the towering "Goodbye to Love" is worthy of Rumours-era Christine McVie. Despite some duds, mostly from its later period, 1969-1981 makes its case for this enduring and sometimes classic outfit. --Rickey Wright

The classical-pop act's sophomore album. 13 tracks. Decca. 2002.

1997 release featuring 20 of their best loved ballads, including 13 of their 20 top 40 hits! Contains 'Solitaire', 'We've Only Just Begun', 'Superstar', 'Rainy Days And Mondays', 'Top Of The World', '(They Long To Be) Close To You', 'For All We Know', 'Only Yesterday', 'Hurting Each Other', 'Goodbye To Love' and much more! An A&M release.

Kelly Clarkson, the toothsome winner of Fox TV's first American Idol competition shows that her prime-time win was no fluke. She blithely skips through octaves and genres like a seasoned pro, belting out power ballads like hooky "Low" and the Diane Warren-penned "Some Kind of Miracle," with the aplomb of Pat Benatar in her prime. Clarkson tackles the neo-gospel "Anytime" without flinching, then shows some dirty street cred as she growls through "Miss Independent," a song she penned with Christina Aguilera. But Miss Independent would be a gross misnomer; despite the fact Clarkson co-wrote four of the album's tunes. Clarkson not only had uber record exec/executive producer Clive Davis at her disposal, but an arsenal of producers and songwriters to make sure she didn't make a creative misstep. Despite Clarkson's sublime vocal talents, excessive gloss at times overwhelms the quirky charm and personality she displayed on Idol. --Jaan Uhelszki

Release Date: 1991-02-01, Audio CD, Capitol

When the Carpenters found themselves with a sudden radio hit ("Close to You"), their record company put the pressure on them to come up with a whole album. The album's glue is, of course, the unabashedly sentimental and corny title track and the subsequent chart topper, "We've Only Just Begun." However, their lush covers of now-classic songs such as "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" and "Baby It's You," and Karen's tragic plea on John Lennon's "Help," contribute to the strength of this collection. The band toys with bossa nova sounds on "Love Is Surrender" and explores deeper emotional terrain on the beautiful "Crescent Moon." Close to You stands as a harbinger of the great things ahead for the Carpenters in the '70s. --Lorry Fleming

On their 1997 release, Dude Ranch, juvenile hardcore-pop band Blink 182 tickled the funny bone with an assortment of dumb sex jokes, off-color artwork, and between-song skits, including one of a dog drinking from a freshly peed in toilet. So, two years down the road, have the band matured at all? One look at the cover of Enema of the State, which features cover art of a tarted-up blonde nurse donning a rubber glove, provides the easy answer. Fortunately, Enema supports the humor with strong musicianship. The songs are more dynamic and multitempoed than those on Dude Ranch, sounding like a cross between the Descendents and Fountains of Wayne. And unlike the glut of alt-rock releases that offer one or two memorable songs, Enema is flush with instantly memorable melodies and ear-pleasing harmonies. Good, dirty fun--no more, no less. --Jon Wiederhorn

Release Date: 2002-08-13, Audio CD, Tee Vee Records

Release Date: 1998-10-20, Audio CD, Mca