Wed. June 25, 2008
By DJ Plez
You Really Are Gay
Katy Perry has already gained a loyal following in the past year with her wildly popular single "Ur So Gay," and so it will come as no surprise to me if her recently released debut album, ONE OF THE BOYS (Capitol), leads to her becoming one of the year's breakout music stars. The 23-year-old Californian has a big, strong voice that delivers marvelously on this well-produced album that will have her name mentioned in the same sentence as Natasha, Leona, Gwen, and Avril.
R&B Goodies
There are two new releases on the R&B front that deserve your attention. The sexy U.K. star Craig David is back with a funk-laden long-player called TRUST ME (Warner Bros) and it is simply a fantastic album. From beginning to end, this CD is loaded with strong song after strong song. And while many seem pre-occupied with Danity Kane, the all-girl R&B group banner is being better held aloft by Cherish, the quartet that just released their sophomore effort THE TRUTH (Capitol). Not quite ready to be placed on the same level as TLC or Destiny's Child, this new album shows that Cherish's present is good and that their future is indeed bright.
Continuing British Invasion
The first time I heard Duffy, who hails from Wales in the western part of England, perform on the "Regis and Kelly" TV show, I became instantly intrigued. After her debut CD, ROCKFERRY (Mercury), arrived in my mailbox a few days later and I listened to it, I instantly became a big fan. The U.K. has had an impressive track record of your soulful sirens – Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis, Corrine Bailey Rae – and Duffy holds her own with a deep and powerful voice that has been favorably compared to Dusty Springfield. Thankfully avoiding the pitfalls of too much production, ROCKFERRY's ten tracks first and foremost highlight Duffy's captivating vocal abilities, which is sure to earn her a large global following. She's really that good and so is this album.
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