The latest from Rihanna, Christina and Alicia

Psy is still there complicating things. K-pop is now a force to reckon with. Adam Levine and the other Maroon 5 boys are also there, signs of stability in a fast changing world. But there is really no use denying it. With the likes of Taylor Swift and Adele and newcomer Carly Rae Jepsen dominating the hit lists, it is now a fact that the music business has become a world of gorgeous females. The big girls all came out to play during 2012’s final quarter. That means Rihanna, Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys. Brace yourselves for more. Both Britney Spears and Beyoncé Knowles have announced the release of new albums soon. 

Will the Justin Bieber be able to hold the fort? What about Bruno Mars, will his new album be able to help? I do not have the answers. What I am sure of is that Usher, Kanye West and maybe even Tony Bennett had better come out with some sure sellers soon if they want to tell the world that, hey, we guys can still do it. But meanwhile, let us all enjoy the sounds of the girls. And I tell you, they all made really great stuff this time around.

Unapologetic. Maybe it is some sort of defense mechanism on her part over all the media attention she gets. But I noticed that there always seems to be an other-worldly quality to Rihanna’s singing. Sexy, but coming from a disembodied entity.  It sure works for her. And maybe we would feel that way, too, if we were working our butts off making music when all that people cared about was if she will get another beating from boyfriend Chris Brown this second time around.

Maybe that is also why she titled the CD Unapologetic. No apologies here for anything including Chris. Let her rip. She probably needs to and just enjoy the good, solid tunes. I like it that she gets to really sing with the great ballads, What Now, Stay with Mikky Ekko and Love Without Tragedy, which is, would you believe?, about Chris. Then they do this duet Nobodies Business, which you want to dismiss as some media booster but is actually very good. The big winner here is Diamonds, and it makes for an excellent, commercial single. I also like the reggae-flavored No Love Allowed and the jaunty, infectious opener Fresh Out The Runway.

Lotus. This is Christina’s fifth studio album and she arrives fresh from Moves Like Jagger, her phenomenal collaboration with Maroon 5, whose frontman Adam was her co-judge in the top-rating talent show The Voice. That one must have felt really good because she has recruited her other two co-judges to sing with her in the CD. The soulful Ceelo Green is in Make The World Move while country music star Blake Shelton is in Just A Fool. So, she has country and soul.  She also has dance and rock. And lots of big, pop ballads. Christina has thrown everything into the album and it has emerged very commercial.

There have been several missteps in Christina’s career of late. Bad, flop album, Bionic; flop movie, Burlesque with Cher; also a flop relationship, she is now divorced; and worst of all flop singing, remember the Star Spangled Banner at the Superbowl?  Then she also made the most incredible turn-around.  Moves Like Jagger, The Voice and now the hit-filled Lotus. The ballads Army Of Me and Blank Page echo the Christina from the old days. Let There Be Love and Your Body make for dance floor fun and it looks like she will also get a big seller with Ceelo’s Make The World Move.

Girl On Fire. This is also Alicia’s fifth studio album. Her superior writing skills and unique piano playing still dominate but she now also plays more with other rhythms. Reggae mixed with soul. R&B combined with electronica. The themes seem to be very personal and are mostly about women being strong and empowered. To her credit, she keeps them relatable to any listener. The sound is contemporary but her melodies and singing are timeless. It would be fun to hear these songs with different arrangements.

Girl On Fire is the first single release but I prefer Tears Always Win which is typically Alicia. Fire We Make though is just the best. It is a duet with Maxwell, whom I have not heard in a long time and who certainly has one of the best voices ever. She also has a great duet with a surprisingly serious Nicki Minaj in New Day, the Inferno version and a sweet love song in That’s When I Knew.