(Epic/Sony)
The opening cut "Love Don't Cost a Thing" opened at number one its first week of release, but unfortunately the rest of the CD doesn't measure up. With 15 tracks to cover, it's easy to lose your focus. j.Lo moves all over the map with Latin roots offerings such as "Si Ya Se Acabo" and "Carino" mixed in with pop fodder like "Dance With Me," "That's Not Me," and the frivolous "That's The Way," which would have better suited Britney Spears.
(La Face Records/BMG)
The liner notes alone are worth the price of this admission. Toni lets it all hang out on this slick CD dedicated primarily to her lawyers and caregivers ("I could not have done any of this without my God, my family, my manager, friends and fans"). Well, I guess that about covers it. Apart from that ongoing soap opera, Toni looks great and the first single and video "He Wasn't Man Enough" can be heard at your nearest radio and video outlet.
(EMI)
A solid major label debut from the brooding English quartet (think Third Eye Blind during the Cold War). Filled with haunting guitar riffs and vocals and razor-sharp lyrics, three tracks stand out, including the opening cut, "Don't Panic," "Spies" and the love song "Yellow."
It Was All A Dream
(Bad Boy Records/BMG)
Surprising he has the time, what with j.Lo troubles and court proceedings going on, but Sean "Puffy" Combs is the executive producer of this debut, featuring four fresh-faced female teens out of L.A. Another made-for-video act that no doubt will spawn a new generation of "Spice Girl" dreams.
O Town
(J. Records/BMG)
You've got to hand it to Clive Davis. Forget other music moguls like Geffen, Mottola and Azoff, this guy has put together, along with ABC, MTV and Disney, the newest cookie-cutter "boy band sensation" after his own resurrection in partnership with Carlos Santana a couple of years ago. Talk about a pulse on the marketplace!
(Sony Music)
Featuring three new tracks, and anchored by "You Can't Walk Away From Love" especially written for the Original Sin soundtrack, the CD kicks off with the danceable "Turn The Beat Around" and "Everlasting Love." Estefan pays homage to her ancestry with "You'll Be Mine," "I'm Not Giving You Up" and "Oye." A duet with N'Sync, "Music Of My Heart," which served as the theme to the film, rounds out the collection.
- Gerry Young