Side Effects Of You – Fantasia – In the battle for American Idol diva supremacy, Fantasia always played suicidal kid sister to Jennifer Hudson's late flowering superstar. But this is a terrific album, with three sure shots and handfuls of groove filled post-disco movers. Fantasia wins. ALBUM OF THE WEEK – Grade: A-
Bankrupt – Phoenix – It sags bad in the middle and "Entertainment" sank without a trace, but the post stardom difficult album has "S.O.S. In Bel Air" in its pockets and that should push it hard into the chart… but it still is a bore for too much time – B+
Venemous Rat Regeneration Vendor – Rob Zombie – I hope to never write that song title again – B
Live At The Montreux Festival 2012 – Alanis Morrisette – Pleasant enough but pointless enough concert memory retrospective; always nice to hear "Thank You" – B
Reincarnated – Snoop Lion – Snoop got himself excommunicated from the Rastafarian faith for supporting gay marriage. But if that hadn't done it this terrible album would have. Astoundingly weak rhythms lead a sorry bunch of superstars (from Drake to Busta) through the dodgiest songs of 2013 – Grade: D-
The Low Life – Steve Earle – I am not a fan of Earle and not because of his politics, which I don't much care about one way or other, but because there is exactly one song on this entire album worth mentioning in the same breath as "Guitar Town" and it is a Costello steal. It's like Nebraska without the songs. Or do I mean Wrecking Ball? – B-
Spirit In The Room – Tom Jones – Oh great, Jones became a fucking artist. This is nearly as good as 2010's Praise And Blame only without the surprise factor. The Dylan and Cohen songs are excellent. But "Dimming Of The Day" is too obvious and the rest of the album is more of the same – B
Electric Light Orchestra – Why release a live album by a bunch of studio geeks who broke up in 2001 and finally got around to dumping a live set. If it was from the mid 1970s maybe… PS Where is Roy Wood? – C
Love Has Come For You – Steve Martin And Edie Bricknell – The songs are a bit draggy but the playing and the singing will do nicely – B
#willpower – Will I Am – It is now three years since The E.N.D. and it is time to wonder whether that album was simply blind dumb luck. The man is morphing into Wycliff Jean before our eyes – C+
To Be Loved – Michael Buble – The two originals are OK but not as good as the last album, the rest of it is useless American Songbook. The Reese Witherspoon duet is a must hear, the funniest thing in the world – C-
…And It Shook Me – The Postelles – Long time fan, first time reviewer, these indie boys record first rate power pop. Great stuff, unfortunately who is ginna listen? I mean besires me… B+