record reviews

Justin Bieber

Album: “Believe” (Island Def Jam)

Grade: B

Because Justin Bieber is Justin Bieber — a teen-singer heartthrob — it’s hard to take his music seriously.

Everything about him screams “Tiger Beat,” from the endless screeching girls to his relationship with fellow teen sensation Selena Gomez to that hair (let’s not forget about the promotional products, from his perfume lines and those Proactive commercials). And then there’s the song that has defined him most — “Baby,” perhaps the most saccharine, bubble-gum song recorded in quite some time.

With all that weighing him down, it’s not surprising that few have taken Bieber — the artist — seriously. But his new CD will help change that.

“Believe,” his third full-length album, is a 13-track set that shows that Bieber, now 18, is growing as a musician, and the result is enjoyable. The album’s first single, “Boyfriend,” is a great pop song that sounds like Justin Timberlake’s falsetto mashed up with the Ying Yang Twins’ “The Whisper Song.”

The rest of the album also has future hits: “All Around the World” (with Ludacris) is upbeat, as is the futuristic, Big Sean-assisted “As Long As You Love Me,” which sounds like it could have been produced by Skrillex and David Guetta.

Bieber co-wrote all but one song on the album, working with producers such as The Messengers, Rodney Jerkins, Hit-Boy, Diplo, Max Martin, Bei Maejor and others.

His best collaboration, though, is with Drake on “Right Here,” a 1990s sounding-R&B jam that proves the Canadian singer is best on smoother tunes, not Euro-flavored ones. “Catching Feelings,” a soft, pop groove co-written by Babyface, is arguably the best track.

While Bieber channels Timberlake at times, he also has moments inspired by his idol, Michael Jackson. Bieber samples Jackson’s “We Got a Good Thing Going” for the nicely done, R&B-tinged “Die In Your Arms,” and there’s also a bonus track “Maria,” a song about Mariah Yeater, the woman who falsely claimed Bieber fathered her child. The song recalls “Billie Jean,” and it’s clever and amusing.

— Mesfin Fekadu, Associated Press

Kenny Chesney

Album: “Welcome to the Fishbowl” (Columbia Nashville)

Grade: B

He’s a four-time Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year with more than 30 No. 1 country hits and a perennially popular road show, but don’t try to pigeon-hole Kenny Chesney.

His 13th studio album features a little bit of every style — from ballads to boot-stompers to a song about a father with Alzheimer’s.

The first single, “Feel Like a Rock Star,” is a duet with Tim McGraw destined to bring down the house every time they play it together on tour this summer.

But for every party anthem there’s a melancholy tune.

The result feels like an uneven album, but in a world where the money is made on singles and tours, fans probably won’t care.

— Rob Merrill, Associated Press

Fiona Apple

Album: “The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do” (Epic Records)

Grade: A

After making a name for herself at 19 with her acclaimed debut “Tidal” in 1996, Fiona Apple slowed down and almost ground down to a halt. Now 34, she releases her fourth album after a seven-year break, and the title’s a mouthful: “The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do.”

But the dense name is merely indicative of the richness of material on the album and the now 34-year-old’s fearlessness in taking her time to do the exact music she wants.

Stripped down to 10 tracks and using instruments scarcely, “The Idler Wheel” presents the listener with a deceptive facade of frugality, when in fact, like with all of Apple’s work, it blooms into a rich tapestry of emotional stories. The singer pours herself vulnerable and raw into the music, particularly on tracks like “Every Single Night,” “Periphery” and “Anything We Want.” Apple’s remarkable voice exudes a mix of confidence and hurt, modulating itself perfectly to the atmosphere of each song.

— Cristina Jaleru, Associated Press

Chris Smither

Album: “Hundred Dollar Valentine” (Signature Sounds)

Grade: A

Wise words pour forth from Chris Smither — observations and aphorisms, similes and internal rhymes, run-on sentences and concise quips, all in a conversational flow.

Smither is a New Englander from New Orleans who’s hardly new at songwriting, and “Hundred Dollar Valentine” suggests he has mastered the craft.

The careful construction of Smither’s lyrics is a thing of beauty and the bedrock of his bluesy folk music. On “Valentine,” his 12th studio album and perhaps his best, Smither mulls the meaning of life (“All We Need to Know”), the passage of time (“Place In Line”) and current events (“Make Room For Me”).

There’s a melancholy to much of the material, and as with all great blues, the music serves as a salve. Smither is an excellent acoustic guitarist and first-rate foot-stomper, and the rustic arrangements are nicely augmented by harp, percussion and occasional strings.

— Steven Wine, Associated Press