Pop

: auto 0in”>Fervent followers will recognize more than the average Joe, such as Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (from the late, great Jellyfish), who’s represented by “American Affluenza.” But don’t miss the easygoing Sixties sounds of The Tomorrows’ “Effortless Lee” (nice wordplay), the young-punk bop of Blackout 101’s “Let’s Not Get Ahead of Ourselves,” the garage-floor […]

Hollywood The trio of Jonas Brothers’ Nick, Kevin and Joe’ has released “A Little Bit Longer,” the group’s supremely catchy third release. The songs are an irksome delight. Upbeat, fluffy and cheerful, like a laundry detergent commercial. Songs like “BB Good” and album closer “Got Me Going Crazy” are easy to remember, while the power […]

Columbia Fusing a lo-fi audio aesthetic with delightful, catchy songs, the debut full-length from Florida’s Black Kids is diverse and wildly appealing. Most of the songs on “Partie Traumatic” are surprisingly different, especially for a major-label debut, but contain a commonality of being wonderfully strange and well-written. Indie sex pools underneath “Hurricane Jane,” a track […]

Columbia Finally, a collection of live songs made more annoying by a stadium of screaming morons and improvisational guitar noodling. “Where the Light Is” is split into two CDs, as John Mayer plays acoustic guitar and leads a trio on the first disc, and performs with a full band on the second. The hit “Waiting […]

Capitol You’ll have fun, fun, fun with The Beach Boys’ “U.S. Singles Collection: The Capitol Years (1962-1965),” a set that’s an embarrassment of riches, containing 16 CDs in a sturdy wooden box. Rather than issue yet another greatest hits package, Capitol’s approach here is pretty novel: Present the legendary group’s original singles as they once […]

Reprise In her early career, Madonna’s music was at the forefront of a pop revolution’ a generation of sound she helped define with her 1983 self-titled release and follow-up gems “Like a Virgin,” “True Blue” and “Like a Prayer.” But much like the performer’s 1998 release, “Ray of Light,” and “Music” in 2000, Madonna’s latest, […]

in about 14 minutes, and if your household contains young kids or a macaw’ be warned’ you will hear “Mystery Girl,” “Body I Occupy” and “I Don’t Want to Go to School.” In fact, the latter could easily become this generation’s sweetly melodic version of Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” The songs are, […]

Astralwerks As far as dance-inspired rock bands go, We Are Scientists have always been decidedly gritty and a little low-fi’ kind of like a dirty Duran Duran. The New York duo’s fourth album, “Brain Thrust Mastery,” is solid in musicianship and songwriting, but lacks the urgency and excitability of its 2006 release, “With Love and […]

AstralwerksIt’s been nearly 16 years since the quirky pop-synth stars have put out a studio album, but The B-52’s haven’t spent the years with ears shut. The band’s latest, “Funplex,” is a likable assortment of electro-dance songs that are easily enjoyable for old fans and unfamiliar audiences. “Ultraviolet” is more of the vintage B-52’s sound’ […]

Atlantic   The weird pop/soul collaboration of Gnarls Barkley has released another strange brew of songs that span the gap between melodic depth and fun party music.   Cee-Lo Green’s soaring falsetto croons through “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul,” one of the most musically interesting songs on the duo’s second album, as is “Run (I’m […]