Judging by the themes of anger and betrayal that dominate Kelly Clarkson's third disc, My December, perhaps 'Jagged Little Idol' would have been a more telling title. According to interviews, the massively successful artist wanted more creative control with her music going forward; as a result, unlike her previous CDs, Clarkson contributes as a songwriter on every track. The final product is not nearly as catchy as Breakaway, but is far more introspective and honest. My December's overall sound brings a harder musical style than fans might expect, with acerbic lyrics to match; the disc's first single "Never Again"-a dark rock song slamming her ex-boyfriend-is certainly a tip-off. The compelling chorus of "Hole" finds Clarkson singing "There's a hole/inside of me/it's so damn cold/slowly killing me" over a melody that is far more Tool than top-40. "Haunted" and "Judas" are wrought-over tracks that veer into Evanescence territory, while the wonderfully sparse "Maybe" is a highlight within which Clarkson's pleading voice is perfectly showcased. My December's final listed track, "Irvine" (prior to the hidden bluesy acoustic ballad "Chivas") sounds far more Cat Power-meets-Corinne Bailey Rae than Clarkson, but it is certainly one of the most captivating songs on the disc, and serves as yet another reminder of just how versatile her voice is. Fans of her previous radio-friendly releases may well be divided on her new direction, but it appears to be the path Clarkson is likely to continue to travel. -Denise Sheppard.

Scott Walker's third solo recording-album titles were never really his strong suit-is an uneven but engaging work, illustrative of the career quandary that Walker, still in his mid-20s, was trying to reconcile. He clearly saw himself as tortured, anguished performer-poet, an ombudsman of angst whose early glimpses of fame and fortune had alerted him to the essentially hollow nature of this existence, and so on. Meanwhile, an awful lot of excitable young girls continued to see him as that handsome blonde bloke with the big deep voice off the telly. On Scott 3, he is most guilty of trying to live up to both sets of received wisdom. For the first time, the overwhelming majority of the songs are Walker's own-all of them, in fact, other than two by his hero Jacques Brel, and the overblown take on "If You Go Away" that closes this record is not one of Walker's better Brel interpretations. He still seems to be finding his way as a writer, lurching between the unarguably perfect ("Big Louise", "It's Raining Today", "We Came Through") to the somewhat perplexing (most of the rest of it). Even at his least satisfying, however, Walker is still more intriguing than most. -Andrew Mueller.

Although he has experienced popularity on a massive scale with Dire Straits, the band who among other achievements augured in the CD age, Mark Knopfler's artistic concerns have remained steadfast. This, his second solo album, comes four years after his solo debut Golden Heart, and it's a stirring and considered set of transatlantic blues bolstered by contributions from Van Morrison ("The Last Laugh") and James Taylor (the title track). Knopfler's guitar playing is still fresh and alive, merging country picking, folk balladry and electric blues. But it's as a writer that he really impresses-"Baloney Again" is a sensitive portrayal of a black gospel outfit in Jim Crow America, the title track is an intriguing distillation of Thomas Pynchon's doorstopper novel Mason &Dixon and "Silvertown Blues" is an honest appreciation of blue collar endeavour. A lovingly purveyed and honestly crafted collection Sailing To Philadelphia shows Knopfler's talent and commitment are as strong as ever. -Gavin Martin.

This highly anticipated album from Belle and Sebastian arrives with every hope satisfied. Each song is a cunning short story that wraps itself around you like a cosy couch throw. The loose theme running through this 12-song reverie is seduction. It plays out in both the drowsy sexual hopes of principal songwriter Stuart Murdoch's idle protagonists and the giddiness of bandmate Stevie Jackson's "Seymour Stein" and "Chickfactor", which document his bewitchment by the city of New York, its beautiful girls and florid pitchmen. The complex arrangements favour a whimsical diversity best experienced in "Sleep the Clock Around", which features synthesiser bloops, trumpets and bagpipes! If you haven't figured out that this Scottish eight-piece deserves every iota of hype it's receiving, it's time to have your ears checked and your record collection gone over by a certified professional. -Lois Maffeo Belle and Sebastian follow up the considerable promise of 1997's fantastic If You're Feeling Sinister with an album that is, unbelievably, even better. The Boy with the Arab Strap is an immediately infectious and delicious pastiche of fey, Nick Drake-ian vocals; lilting pop melodies; shimmery arrangements; croony wonder; and tortured, lit-smart lyrics. Belle and Sebastian are smarter than the Smiths, wittier than the Beach Boys, more fun than the Velvet Underground, and even more inscrutable than R. E. M. [+]

With the release of Maladroit, just over 12 months after The Green Album, Weezer appear to be in the midst of a particularly fertile creative period. After taking five leisurely years to follow up on 1996's Pinkerton, the Los Angeles power-pop band is apparently on a roll. "Dope Nose", which is easily stronger than anything on the last album, flexes a sinister shout-along chorus and vintage Van Halen riffs, while the potent garage-punk blast of "Fall Together" wipes out any lingering discomfort over the thoroughly Sugar Ray-sounding "Island in the Sun" (which, incidentally, is included again on this album). In a sense The Green Album was just a taster for this, the blissfully thunderous main dish. Sure, there are some deadpan emo moments ("Death and Destruction") littering the course, but mostly Maladroit is Weezer doing what they do best-inverting and embracing dumb rock stereotypes and somehow making them sound smart. -Aidin Vaziri.

The come-from-nowhere success of Shania Twain's previous album, The Woman In Me, proved that the world was ready for a combination of traditional instruments, girl-power themes and dance-pop dynamics. Whether Twain is a modern-day Dolly Parton or a country music Spice Girl is a matter of perspective; with her third album, she accentuates the sing-along choruses and simple dance rhythms while downplaying the country elements. As a pop move, it works wonderfully for her, earning Twain a valued spot on MTV, VH-1 and pop radio. The emphasis is on fun rather than depth, of course, but no one can accuse her of being stingy: She and her Svengali-like producer/husband, slick-rock king Robert "Mutt" Lange (Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, AC/DC) load down the album with 16 songs, all of them quite radio-friendly. -Michael McCall.

"The Power of Love" was Celine Dion's first chart-topping song in America, but it was a career-defining moment in more ways than one. It established her as a dependable hit-maker and also fixed the pattern of her biggest successes to come-songs that begin with delicate melodies and spare instrumentation and build into big, powerful productions over which Dion's incomparable vocals hit stratospheric heights. Dion attempts other directions on The Colour of My Love, such as the light dance-pop of "Misled" and "Everybody's Talkin' My Baby Down", but they don't ring as true as her duet with Clive Griffin in "When I Fall in Love" (from the film Sleepless in Seattle) and the title track. -Daniel Durchholz.

To say that Springsteen's live shows with the E Street Band were legendary is the height of understatement. On a good night, the set might extend to three and four hours of exhilarating, pulse-pounding rock & roll. How best to capture that on CD? Or was it possible at all? As it turns out, Live 1975-1985 comes as close to the experience as possible. Culling material from various tours, with settings ranging from small rooms to stadiums, the three-CD set emphatically displays Springsteen's charisma as a bandleader and storyteller and makes plain the sheer power of the E Street Band. Some of the many highlights here include covers of Edwin Starr's "War", Tom Waits's "Jersey Girl" and Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" and rare versions of originals such as "Because the Night", "Fire" and "Seeds". And relax-all the hits are here as well. If you never saw Springsteen and the E Streeters back then, you might still get your chance. But this set chronicles a special time in the life of a special performer. -Daniel Durchholz.

Underneath all Christine Aguilera's coy affectations and vocal gymnastics lurks a rare talent. With her second album, Aguilera allows it to flower by abandoning all pretence of courting the teenage market. Stripped is a seemingly effortless move into weightier adult territory. Using her extraordinary voice as a much subtler instrument, Aguilera sings movingly about the disintegration of a relationship with grit and anger, ultimately stronger for the pain. But that's not all that's on her agenda: Aguilera also extols the power of women on "Can't Hold Us Down", which features Lil' Kim. Other guests include Dave Navarro, Redman, ?uestlove and Alicia Keys. Aguilera co-wrote most of the songs on the disc, and produced one cut. She also partnered with former 4 Non Blondes leader and Pink collaborator Linda Perry on four songs, which gives her a rock edge she never possessed before. -Jaan Uhelszki.