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A pair of young songstresses lead the week’s pack of New Reviews, as Jordin Sparks and Demi Lovato both release their second albums today. Sparks, the former American Idol champion, can’t avoid the dreaded sophomore slump on her new disc Battlefield, which earned a two-and-a-half star review from Rolling Stone’s Christian Hoard. For those keeping track at home, that’s one star less than RS gave her self-titled debut in 2007. Sparks sounds down on Battlefield as she “emotes about bad love amid beats that mix snazzy electro with stadium-rock bigness,” Hoard writes, adding that Shannon-sampling second single “S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)” sounds like bland disco wishing it was Lady Gaga. Hopefully third time’s a charm for Sparks.
For the Radio Disney masses, there’s Lovato and Here We Go Again, the Camp Rock star’s second album in less than a year and her latest attempt at swiping Miley Cyrus’ throne. While the native Texan is a self-proclaimed fan of death metal, her latest disc is more Kelly Osbourne than Ozzy Osbourne, and closer in style to fellow Texan Ashlee Simpson than fellow Texan Kelly Clarkson. Lovato’s charm and energy shines through though on album highlights like the synth-heavy “Got Dynamite” and the soulful “Every Time You Lie,” Caryn Ganz writes in her three-star review of the LP.
Finally, New Reviews has some old reviews, featuring albums that came out when our Jonas Brothers double issue was out on stands. Leading the charge is Daughtry’s Leave This Town, the follow-up to the former American Idol contestant’s zillion-selling debut album. For that review and more of the biggest albums released in recent weeks, click below and check out our new issue which hits newsstands tomorrow.
• Daughtry - Leave This ...
Article Source: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily