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Rhapsody Feature

Coldplay
This British quartet's casual dream pop melodies and poetic lyrics have brought it international stardom.

Top 3 Albums In Rhapsody

Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
Coldplay have mastered their anthemic craft so precisely that with every peak of Chris Martin's falsetto you can hear the faintest cha-ching of dollar signs. So, for them to usher in Brian Eno to help dip their toes into new terrain is a move that deserves some props. Eno gives them room to build their grandiose crescendos, while adding in oblique bars of airy soundscapes ("Life in Technicolor"), Eastern strings ("Yes"), Renaissance strut ("Strawberry Swing") and even some Phil Collins swagger ("Violet Hill"). It's a good progression, but not as innovative as they might have been hoping for.
Editor: Stephanie Benson
Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded
For her third disc, "Lil Miss Sunshine" stakes a claim as the queen of R&B; by turning to the '80s. On "Shut Up and Drive," she samples New Order's "Blue Monday," while lead single "Umbrella" -- with Rihanna's understated, nasal vocals wrapping around dramatic strings -- would fit nicely in a John Hughes flick. The spunky "Breakin' Dishes" is more fun than bitter, and "Rehab" overcomes its rather mawkish sentiments to be an effective break-up ballad. There's hardly a throwaway track, and Rihanna continues to evolve. This edition includes three unreleased tracks, including hit "Take a Bow." This version also contains exclusive live bonus tracks from Rihanna's appearance on FNMTV.
Editor: Sam Chennault
We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
Given the funky guitar, airtight horn punctuations and occasional falsettoed "whoo!," it seems like Mraz has been spending some quality time with MJ's Off the Wall of late. He pulls it off with varying success, alternating the blue-eyed funk pop with coy girl-crazy pap, er, pop and overtly sentimental numbers (grab the Kleenex for "Love for a Child"). The showpiece might be the sunny "Lucky," a duet with the do-no-wrong princess of beach bums, Colbie Caillat.
Editor: Nate Cavalieri

Top 10 Tracks In Rhapsody

Album: Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
Artist: Coldplay

Album: Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded
Artist: Rihanna

Album: We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
Artist: Jason Mraz

Album: So What
Artist: P!nk

Album: Kala
Artist: M.I.A.

Album: Whatever You Like
Artist: T.I.

Album: Forever
Artist: Chris Brown

Album: When I Grow Up
Artist: The Pussycat Dolls

Album: I Kissed A Girl
Artist: Katy Perry

Album: Spirit
Artist: Leona Lewis

New Releases In Rhapsody

Swing Ya Rag V Cast Collection
The King and Swizz Beats team up on a triumphant new party anthem, an updated "Lean Back" loaded with down-South swagger.
Editor:
Do You Know
Pop star Jessica Simpson goes country with Do You Know, and don't be surprised that she gets it mostly right -- she's a Texas girl after all. What is surprising, however, is how much Simpson evokes shades of Faith Hill and Martina McBride on songs such as "Pray Out Loud," "Remember That" and "Sipping on History," all of which could be singles. And although the diva's tendency to over-sing renders some of the album a bit homogenous, there are a number of highlights here, including the title track, which was written specifically for Jessica by Dolly Parton, who also sings back-ups.
Editor: Linda Ryan
The Quilt
Now that Gym Class Heroes have little left to prove, they don't front-load their third LP with hits; the big single, "Cookie Jar," sits square in the middle of this set of buoyant, rock- and soul-inflected hip-hop, which is as witty and fresh as any of the stuff that caught people's ears in the first place, and endowed with more ambitious production. The guests, which include Cool & Dre, Busta Rhymes, Estelle and, ahem, Daryl Hall, add some appealing luster; the best tunes are "Drnk txt Rmeo," the relaxed gait of "Like Father, Like Son" and the hard, weird groove of "Home."
Editor: Nate Cavalieri

Rhapsody Staff Picks

An Invitation With Van Dyke Parks
Although Van Dyke Parks scored arrangements for Joanna Newsom's Ys, he sounds more at home working with Inara George, daughter of his old friend Lowell George (who passed away in 1979). An Invitation swoons and bops with Parks' trademark orchestration: Looney Tunes shrouded in a dreamy ocean fog. As for Inara, she's like Bjork exploring art in song. Lyrics border on the abstract, delivered with a touch of jazz. But as with all things Van Dyke, An Invitation is ultimately a playful and tender affair.
Editor: Justin Farrar
Learning To Crawl
With two key members OD'ing, it looked like the Pretenders were finished. Instead, the band came back with its best-selling -- and best -- album. Once again, FM rock, New Wave and punk fans came together for an LP loaded with too many classics tracks to mention. Hell, we can't help ourselves: how great is "Back on the Chain Gang"?
Editor: Nick Dedina
David Cavazos [Rhapsody]
Into every generation, a perfect balladeer is born, and for this generation, David Cavazos might just be the one. He gently embraces anything that'll get the seduction done, whether it's a hint of smooth jazz, Quiet Storm or even (believe it) electro-funk. The guy doesn't miss a trick, but if he didn't believe every romantic word he sang, we wouldn't either. He means it, and he also knows how to subvert our expectations -- "No Es No" plumbs neo-Brazilian depths with a panache that suggests this guy's a pretty crack songwriter too. Check out the exclusive acoustic version of "Bruja Hada."
Editor: Sarah Bardeen

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