Pure-Bred

Ke$ha "Animal" (8/10)

When the best pop albums of the 2000s are decided, it's unfortunate that Ms. Kesha Serbet's will be five days shy of being eligible. Lady who? Britney what? Ke$ha has created the near-perfect pop album with Animal, something that Brit and Gaga have yet to do.

And it's not as if these and other pop divas haven't put out some great work. It's just that for every "Poker Face" on The Fame there was a "Money Honey" that fell short of the mark. For every "If You Seek Amy" on Circus there was a "My Baby."With the exception of one track, there is none of that to be found on Animal. 13 out of 14 songs are engrossing, interesting, sometimes even insightful tunes that both pack an emotional whallop and have fun. That's a hard balance to find.

It all begins with one of the strongest tracks "Your Love is My Drug." It chugs along with this light, breezy energy that has been quite absent from electro-pop music lately. The best moment comes at the end of the song when she's quietly repeating the refrain, proving that her voice can survive without synthesizers.

Then her first single, Tik Tok comes around. I won't go into detail, as pretty much everyone in America has heard it. Safe to say it is another extremely powerful song. The third number, Take It Off, is probably the biggest throwaway of the album. After two exceptional performances, this seems like a pale imitation. Kiss and Tell, track 4, is not that way at all. It surpasses even the opening double punch and makes itself known as the best fast tune on the CD.

What's great about Ke$ha is her diligence to pure fun. Even on slower songs, like Stephen, Hungover, and Blind, she creates an atmosphere and a presence. Some are dark-tinged, but all are wonderful. Also of special mention is Backstabber, which is an even stronger version than the ridiculously catchy demo she released two years ago.

It would be foolish not to discuss the last track on the record, as it is one of the most interesting I've ever heard. The way the song progresses, you feel like you're gliding softly over the African plains, then suddenly you're in a passionate embrace. The shift in imagery is astounding, in no small part because it happens in a split second. Ke$ha has created a gem with her debut, a sparkling, vibrant world where "show me where your dick's at" is an acceptable phrase. A world where party's don't end until dawn. It might not be a perfect world, but it's hers. And isn't that what music is about?

Have you Met... Priscilla Ahn?

The "Have You Met..." column will focus on artist's who have debuted in the last few years that you might have missed. These will, for the most part, be singer/songwriters who should have had commercial success, but for one reason or another, were lost in the shuffle.

Priscilla Ahn "A Good Day" (8/10)

In 2007, a Korean-American folk artist rocked the indie music scene with an EP that positioned her to be the next Regina Spektor or Ingrid Michaelson. Unfortunately for Ms. Ahn, that 5 song wonder was forgotten in the year and a half between it and her full-length debut, proving that even music nuts have short memories. Despite being the iTunes Editor's Pick of the month, "A Good Day" never really got off the ground, failing to break into the Billboard top 200.

However, this was not due to lack of quality. On the contrary, Priscilla's album may be the most vibrant and slick (in a good way) CD from a folkie in a long time. In the album's opener, "Dream," she blends pop and lo-fi together in such a way that it is universally appealing without being vapid or idiotic.

The rest of the album is just as good. "Wallflower" is a cute song about two shy kids meeting at the same party, while the record's best song, "Red Cape," is pretty much about nothing, but her lyricism and sparkling wit makes it a runaway hit creatively nonetheless.

On the softer side of things, "Lullaby" could be a long-lost children's bed time song with it's strong melody and Ahn's beautiful falsetto. Clocking in at almost 5 minutes (unusual for a folk song) you still want to hear more and more. "A Good Day (Morning Song)" is the perfect album closer, bringing to mind waking up to a beautiful sunrise. From the emotion of her words to the powerful quietness in her voice, Priscilla Ahn proves that she does not deserve to be just another Hotel Cafe singer. She deserves to be a star.

Wainwright Kin and Wonder Twins

Lucy Wainwright Roche "8 Songs" (7/10)

Throughout the years, the Wainwrights have had much success in the indie music business. Louden was a world-renowned songwriter in the 80s, and his children Rufus and Martha followed suit, making some of the most interesting and unique albums of the last decade. Even though the newest member of the family, Lucy, might only be a half-sibling to the twosome, she continues the tradition of great Wainwright CDs.

More often than not on the self-explanatory "8 Songs," Lucy uses her voice like a cannon, emphasizing every note as if it is the last she'll ever sing. While initially pleasant, this can wear upon the listener after several spins. It doesn't help that it's clear as a bell when she uses it in this manner, as it feels more like an attack upon the ear than a sweet lullaby. There are exceptions to this rule, as she demonstrates on "The Next Best Western," where at times she barely sings over a whisper.

As for the songwriting, it is simply exquisite. In typical folkie tradition, she uses little (or no, in the beautiful case of B. Allen) instrumentation and lets the words speak for themselves. Several covers are present here, from a traditional English ballad (Wild Mountain Thyme) to Fleetwood Mac (Everywhere). These do not differ in quality from her original compositions, which gives the CD a feeling of coherency and clarity.

It would be wise to give this little EP a listen if you like any type of traditional stripped-down music. While she can be a bit bombastic (as much as a folk artist can be), it really is a wonderful set of songs that will brighten your day.

Tegan and Sara "Sainthood" (9/10)

In the last 10 years, the Canadian group Tegan and Sara have flown under the radar in the realm of pop music. It's not for lack of a hook: lesbian twins? Hollywood eats that crap UP. But they reached beyond what could be a serious gimmick (see: Jason and deMarco) to bring us some of the best indie-pop of the new century. Their last album, "The Con" was very dark and J-pop influenced, making for unique quasi-hits like "Back in Your Head." They had hit a plateau of brilliance and no one thought they could match it.

Thankfully, the girls agreed. Which is why they took a step back on their fifth studio release and decided to make fun, frolicy, under 3-minute pop ditties. While there is some dose of art consciousness on "Sainthood," they never move away from the hooks and finger-snapping lyrics that they have made their primary goal. For instance, "Alligator," with it's xylophone and electronic production, is a lesson in a great, light, catchy tune. This is a standout on the record, but it doesn't end there. The opening track, "Arrow," and the first single "Hell" follow the same doodley blueprint.

Like I said before, the CD is not without a measure of sophistication. "The Cure" and "Wrists" in particular showcase the duo's aptitude for taking lyrical risks and succeeding every time. The album lags just for a short spell at the end, but that barely matters when the material is as fresh and interesting as this.

Glee Finale Recap: Lights, Camera, Macktion?

Glee "Sectionals" (8.5/10)

Miracles happen every day, my friends. Sometimes women lift cars to rescue children, sometimes the Cincinnati Cardinals win a baseball game (my first sports reference! Dan Rather, eat your heart out). Sometimes, even more shockingly, Glee comes up with a terrific episode that bolsters my confidence for the second half of the season.

The road to the sectionals (which is the title of the DVD set, by "pure" coincidence) was not without its pitfalls. To pick a glaring example, there were times when certain stories were MIA for two or three episodes at a time. But I decided, as I clicked "Watch Live TV" on my Tivo screen, that I was going to watch this finale as if I knew what had happened, but not how it did. And the result was astounding. By depriving myself of any prejudices about blunders past, it helped me to enjoy what was a very successful follow-through on what had been promised in the pilot.

But first I have to complain for a skinny minute about a few minor grievances the show committed tonight. I'll list them as they are in my notes.

The Bad Things:

- The suspicion = knowledge plot point at the beginning had me reeling on the ground in abject horror. Thank God the episode got better from there.

- The pedophilia coming from one of the judge's ("Those girls shook it in all the right places") was not as funny as the producers intended.

- What in the name of all that is camp was Mercedes wearing during her rendition of "And I'm Telling You..."? I'm not a fashion critic, but that top was FUG.

- What was with the size of the trophy? They make that for a competition between three teams who didn't have to even compete in a qualifying round? It just didn't jive logically.

- Why did the ghetto school steal the wheelchair thing? That only makes sense when the McKinnley high students did it. When the black kids preformed like that, it would have appeared to be totally out of the blue and without context.

Anyway, like I said, these are relatively minor complaints. Now we shall move on to...

The Good Things:

- The episode had a distinctly satisfying conclusion. Even though everyone knew what was coming, Jayma May's incredible acting made it seem unpredictable and magical.

- I was totally wrong about Amber Riley's version of "And I'm Telling You..." It was great. And, like Lea Michele's later song "Don't Rain on My Parade" (my personal pick for best performance of the season) it didn't sound produced or studio-ized.

- I stand by my critique of the Kelly Clarkson song, but it the "You Can't Always Get What You Want" number had me smiling throughout the whole thing.

- Just like last week, the reveal of Quinn's baby's father's (that's a lot of possessive forms, peeps!) identity was done very organically. Diana Agathon really got to show off her acting chops tonight.

- I guess this was a girls' episode, because Jane Lynch, while not bitingly funny like she usually is, was in top shape dramatically. Her spot-on delivery of the rapid-fire dialogue didn't even make me think about the cliches that were pouring out her mouth (until just now.) The woman surpassed Matthew Morrison's feeble acting in every single scene, and she should be commended for that.

- The judge's panel (apart from the statutory rape hiccup) was very funny and very well done. In an episode that wasn't banking on the humor, it was a nice relief.

- It was nice to see Will and Emma hit it off, but it was equally nice to see Rachel and Finn NOT get together. It would have been a cheese overload, and it was a great call on the part of the producers.

Final Thoughts:

Glee certainly didn't bring it this season like I wanted it to. The baby subplots got old fast, the romance was a episode-by-episode affair, and the illogical reasons for things wore thin by the seventh installment. Nonetheless, I am still intrigued by what could have been a train-wreck finale, and was turned into a great show. With Terri out of Will's life (for now) and with all the secrets revealed, maybe the wait until April will give the writers time to find the magic again. And if they do, this could turn out to be a great show after all.

Rewind Sunday: Damien Rice

Damien Rice "O" (Then: 10/10 Now: 10/10)

It's hard to pin down what to say about Damien Rice's incredible concept piece, O. From the name (which I thought was "Zero" instead of the letter for a few months) to the lilting vocals and the extraordinary songwriting, Rice hit it out of the park with this 2003 release.

The first time I heard the opening song ("Delicate") I thought, "Well, it's great, but there's no way he can match it." So many songwriters put their heart and soul into one number, then just use the other 9-12 as filler so they can make an album. A big offender in this area has to be Lily Allen on her first CD. "Smile" was a great song with fun lyrics and a catchy beat, but the rest just kind of paled in comparison.

But there is no coasting to be found on O. To the contrary, Rice creates a perfect bell curve of emotion. The beginning starts off great, the middle becomes unbelievable, then the end kind of shifts back down to great again. Songs like "Older Chests" and "Amie" are the most intimate pieces, the latter sounding like U2 in their prime. The haunting finale is also worth a mention, putting in not one, but two bonus tracks after the last song has faded away.

Of course it wouldn't be right not to give substantial credit to Rice's vocal partner, Lisa Hannigan, who guest sings on more than half the songs. Usually it's just backup, but occasionally she does a full-on duet with Damien. She even solos on the very last song, an a cappella re-tooling of Silent Night. This has to be one of the most ludicrously gorgeous covers in the history of music.

The best part: the entire thing is utterly timeless. It could be from the early nineties, it could be alongside Carol King in the record shop. That's the thing about Damien Rice: he proves that awesome songs transcend age. By putting so little production on them, he avoids the "in the moment" pitfall ninety percent of artists fall into.

O is simply one of the best full albums I have ever heard. Every song is like a gift from Rice himself, wrapped in strings and flutes and sensitivity, making it a definite buy for music lovers everywhere.