5. SHINE THROUGH IT
Terrence Howard
Hustle & Flow? Loved him. Iron Man? Can't get enough. As an actor, Howard is reliably excellent, but musically, he makes Eddie Mur*phy sound like a maestro. Then again, maybe couplets like ''Just make me beauti*ful/Mother nature's running down the seamen [semen? cement?]'' are some kind of far-out dadaist art. In that case, bravo!
4. IDENTIFIED
Vanessa Hudgens
While her 2006 debut had its tween-friendly (and guilty-adult) charms, the High School Musical star's less-than-lightweight vocals can't support the seriously lackluster material here, and choosing perhaps the album's worst song, ''Sneakernight,'' as the lead single didn't exactly leave Ashley Tisdale shaking in her ankle boots.
THE WORST:
3. SHWAYZE
Shwayze
Booby-obsessed Malibu rap-rock + stoned Sugar Ray revivalism = oh, shut up.
2. ROCKFERRY
Duffy
While the Welsh song*stress is blessed with a lovely voice, there are no lights on in this (Wine)house. Amy's break*through album felt grubby and honest and true, but Duffy's seems strangely blank; she comes off like a pretty doll propped up by opportunistic industry shills — shills too rushed to craft songs worthy of her vocal talents.
1. DISCIPLINE
Janet Jackson
Dammit, Janet! Once you held a Rhythm Nation rapt. Today, not even Tito would touch this messy pupu platter of tired come-ons, recycled beats, and nonevent choruses. We really do want to ''Rock Witchu,'' but it's kind of hard when you're bust*ing out Flowers in the Attic lines like ''Daddy I want you to take your time (I'm scared)/My heart is beating fast/Shiver as you grab my neck/Baby, blindfold me Daddy.''
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,2016...247308,00.html
Starts from 11-15
