than on 2001’s So Blu . Bittersweet finds her teamed at various points with a handful of hot producers, ubiquitous dancehall artist Sean Paul, and some predictable lyrics, but nonetheless showcases a supple vocalist with her own mind. At the same time, Cantrell recalls some of the best of her influences on the Stevie Wonder-like "No Place Like Home" and "Happily Ever After," which would’ve fit in on any number of Prince records. If Cantrell continues to get the attention she deserves, she may well prove to be an artist we’ll be following for decades. --Rickey Wright  (less)

Hendrix. But, like many new converts to anything, Common goes a little off the deep end. His ambitious quest to expand the boundaries of hip-hop is crammed to the gills with a thousand motifs and is a little too busy to be a complete success. Perhaps not surprisingly, Common’s rhymes (sample lyric: "my mind screams like Al Green to stay together!") take a distant second place to the complex musical landscape he’s fashioned. In addition, a sidereal array of vocalists (including Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Cee-Lo, Bilal, and Common’s main squeeze, Erykah Badu) and musicians (Prince, Bobbi Humphrey, Nicholas Payton) add to the sonic density. All in all, Electric Circus mightn’t strike the universal chord that...  (less)

Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, Robin Thicke, and Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls. 50 has 2 HOT tracks leading up to the release of Curtis! Both have taken the radio airwaves by storm: "AYO TECHNOLOGY" featuring JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and TIMBALAND - produced by TIMBALAND, and "I GET MONEY!" Curtis continues 50 Cent's phenomenal rise from the mean streets. His official debut album, 2003's Get Rich Or Die Tryin.., sold 872,000 units in the first four days of its release, making it the fastest-selling debut disc in the SoundScan era (since 1991). The album was the biggest seller of 2003 and is currently ten times platinum worldwide. Later that year, The New Breed, a DVD with a bonus CD inc...  (less)

Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, Robin Thicke, and Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls. 50 has 2 HOT tracks leading up to the release of Curtis! Both have taken the radio airwaves by storm: "AYO TECHNOLOGY" featuring JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and TIMBALAND - produced by TIMBALAND, and "I GET MONEY!" Curtis continues 50 Cent's phenomenal rise from the mean streets. His official debut album, 2003's Get Rich Or Die Tryin.., sold 872,000 units in the first four days of its release, making it the fastest-selling debut disc in the SoundScan era (since 1991). The album was the biggest seller of 2003 and is currently ten times platinum worldwide. Later that year, The New Breed, a DVD with a bonus CD inc...  (less)

Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, Robin Thicke, and Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls. 50 has 2 HOT tracks leading up to the release of Curtis! Both have taken the radio airwaves by storm: "AYO TECHNOLOGY" featuring JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and TIMBALAND - produced by TIMBALAND, and "I GET MONEY!" Curtis continues 50 Cent's phenomenal rise from the mean streets. His official debut album, 2003's Get Rich Or Die Tryin.., sold 872,000 units in the first four days of its release, making it the fastest-selling debut disc in the SoundScan era (since 1991). The album was the biggest seller of 2003 and is currently ten times platinum worldwide. Later that year, The New Breed, a DVD with a bonus CD inc...  (less)

a half hours of live performances featuring guest appearances by Bryan Adams, Mary J. Blige, Billy Joel & Ronan Keating as well as five promotional videos in 5.1 Surround Sound!  (less)