record reviews

November 27, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

RIHANNA

Album: “Talk That Talk”

Grade: A

Rihanna hasn’t racked up 20 Top-10 hits faster than any other solo artist ever because of her voice. It’s because of her ears.

No one can currently match her for hearing a musical trend and making it her own. “Talk That Talk” (Def Jam), her impressive sixth studio album in seven years, confirms it.

This time out, Rihanna takes on the new fascination — mostly European, so far — of dubstep, the club sound that is as much about atmospherics and melody as thudding beat. Her No.1 smash “We Found Love” shows how the spare sound works best, but its impact is even more powerful when paired with the equally potent “Where Have You Been,” which creates similar emotional peaks as “We Found Love” and should also easily top the charts.

After all, Rihanna is major enough that when she acts on her interests, radio follows her. She certainly has some new adventures planned — from the breezy, island-tinged sing-along “You Da One” to the playful “Watch ’n’ Learn,” which feels like her answer to Janet Jackson’s “Doesn’t Really Matter.” She also offers a new powerful ballad, “Farewell,” which could grow into one of her signature songs.

— Glenn Gamboa, Newsday

MARY J. BLIGE

Album: “My Life II: The Journey Continues, Act 1”

Grade: B

When Mary J. Blige released her classic “My Life” album in 1994, she was enjoying the highs in her career and weathering the lows of her personal life, battling depression and drug abuse.

So it’s definitely a personal improvement that the sequel, “My Life II: The Journey Continues, Act 1” (Geffen), is far more even-keeled, even if it lacks some of the passion of the original.The bulk of “My Life II” is focused on updating the quiet-storm R&B ballads of the late ’70s and early ’80s, delivered emotionally in “The Living Proof” and stylishly with Beyonc in “Love a Woman.” Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of the Mary passion we’ve grown to love. Mostly, the firepower on “My Life II” comes from her guest stars, including Drake on the current single “Mr. Wrong,” Busta Rhymes on “Next Level” and Rick Ross on “Why.”

— Glenn Gamboa, Newsday

JAVIER COLON

Album: “Come Through for You”

Grade: B

Javier Colon can sing anything well, and he does on “Come Through for You” (Universal Republic). Whether it’s pop (“As Long as We Got Love,” his duet with Natasha Bedingfield) or dance (the catchy “1000 Lights”) or rock (the anthemlike “Raise Your Hand”), Colon excels. However, it’s the poignant ballad “OK, Here’s the Truth,” with its surprising twist ending, where he gets to best show off his skills as a singer and a storyteller. “Come Through for You” is easily the best first album from a reality-show winner since Kelly Clarkson’s “Thankful.” Score another victory for “The Voice.”

— Glenn Gamboa, Newsday

DAUGHTRY

Album: “Break the Spell”

Grade: B

Daughtry is like a pop-rock homing pigeon. Wherever Chris Daughtry and friends start out in the songs from “Break the Spell” (19/RCA), either musically or lyrically, they eventually end up in their same dramatic sweet spot, with raised voices and power chords. Every time.

It’s not a bad formula, and it has its moments, such as the wrenching sing-along single “Crawling Back to You” and “Louder Than Ever,” the super-shiny throwback to ’80s Bon Jovi and Loverboy. But it all blends together after a while, whether they approach it from the revved-up Aerosmith-influenced opening of “Renegade” or the weird “Spaceship,” which seems to share a similar melody to the theme from “Growing Pains.”

On Daughtry’s previous albums, there were standout songs in which they tried something different, with mixed results. For “Break the Spell,” the sense of adventure is gone.

— Glenn Gamboa, Newsday

Michael Jackson

Album: “Immortal”

Grade: C

“The Immortal World Tour” is a new Cirque du Soleil extravaganza that pays tribute to the life of the late King of Pop through his rich catalog of hits. Word has it that the show, which will tour the country beginning in December, is a must-see production. Listening to the soundtrack will leave you with a “must-see” feeling about the show as well, mainly because you’ll feel like you’ve got to see the show to put much of the re-imagined versions of Jackson’s hits in context.

Without the imagery and plotline, much of the album seems disjointed.

There are a few exceptions. “Dancing Machine” is paired with an electro-groove that gives it a nice updated feel (until it is bogged down by the weird insertion of “Blame it on the Boogie”); “I’ll Be There” sounds gorgeous with Jackson’s voice and a piano; and the a cappella confrontation scene from the “Bad” video fits perfectly into “State of Shock.”

Onstage, it probably all makes sense beautifully. But without that visual picture, the listening experience is a disappointment.

— Nekesa Mumbi Moody, Associated Press