Muse titled this live disc after the controversial military project rumored to be capable of triggering climatic disasters. While no major earthquakes registered during this 2007 concert at Wembley Stadium, the Brit trio's fondness for histrionics shines through right from the intro, with a nod to the Romeo & Juliet score. The rest of the show doesn't deviate much from the sweeping resonance of their albums, but Muse's overall sound has a staggering effect live, executing boom and bombast on crowd faves like "Knights of Cydonia," "Supermassive Black Hole" and "Stockholm Syndrome." Editor: Stephanie Benson
Diana Ross's first solo album was a revelation when it was released in 1970. Picking up where she left off with the Supremes, Ross expanded the borders of soul with a collection of fantastic arrangements and a flat-out superior vocal talent, not to mention a batch of excellent songs. When "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" kicks in, her voice borders on the supernatural. Editor: Mike McGuirk
There's a YouTube clip of Mike Patton dissing Wolfmother, which kicked off one of them rock 'n' roll war of words. But Patton gets the last laugh, because he's best friends with the Melvins, and they decided to drop an album of 100% sweat rock. Of course, Nude with Boots is a bit strange because King Buzzo is a total freakazoid. But if you want pummeling hard rock, crank "Dog Island" right now. Nobody else can match it. Take notes, Wolfmother. Editor: Justin Farrar
Pop star Jessica Simpson goes country with Do You Know, and don't be surprised that she gets it mostly right -- she's a Texas girl after all. What is surprising, however, is how much Simpson evokes shades of Faith Hill and Martina McBride on songs such as "Pray Out Loud," "Remember That" and "Sipping on History," all of which could be singles. And although the diva's tendency to over-sing renders some of the album a bit homogenous, there are a number of highlights here, including the title track, which was written specifically for Jessica by Dolly Parton, who also sings back-ups. Editor: Linda Ryan
Now that Gym Class Heroes have little left to prove, they don't front-load their third LP with hits; the big single, "Cookie Jar," sits square in the middle of this set of buoyant, rock- and soul-inflected hip-hop, which is as witty and fresh as any of the stuff that caught people's ears in the first place, and endowed with more ambitious production. The guests, which include Cool & Dre, Busta Rhymes, Estelle and, ahem, Daryl Hall, add some appealing luster; the best tunes are "Drnk txt Rmeo," the relaxed gait of "Like Father, Like Son" and the hard, weird groove of "Home." Editor: Nate Cavalieri
Coldplay have mastered their anthemic craft so precisely that with every peak of Chris Martin's falsetto you can hear the faintest cha-ching of dollar signs. So, for them to usher in Brian Eno to help dip their toes into new terrain is a move that deserves some props. Eno gives them room to build their grandiose crescendos, while adding in oblique bars of airy soundscapes ("Life in Technicolor"), Eastern strings ("Yes"), Renaissance strut ("Strawberry Swing") and even some Phil Collins swagger ("Violet Hill"). It's a good progression, but not as innovative as they might have been hoping for. Editor: Stephanie Benson
For her third disc, "Lil Miss Sunshine" stakes a claim as the queen of R&B; by turning to the '80s. On "Shut Up and Drive," she samples New Order's "Blue Monday," while lead single "Umbrella" -- with Rihanna's understated, nasal vocals wrapping around dramatic strings -- would fit nicely in a John Hughes flick. The spunky "Breakin' Dishes" is more fun than bitter, and "Rehab" overcomes its rather mawkish sentiments to be an effective break-up ballad. There's hardly a throwaway track, and Rihanna continues to evolve. This edition includes three unreleased tracks, including hit "Take a Bow." This version also contains exclusive live bonus tracks from Rihanna's appearance on FNMTV. Editor: Sam Chennault
Pop star Jessica Simpson goes country with Do You Know, and don't be surprised that she gets it mostly right -- she's a Texas girl after all. What is surprising, however, is how much Simpson evokes shades of Faith Hill and Martina McBride on songs such as "Pray Out Loud," "Remember That" and "Sipping on History," all of which could be singles. And although the diva's tendency to over-sing renders some of the album a bit homogenous, there are a number of highlights here, including the title track, which was written specifically for Jessica by Dolly Parton, who also sings back-ups. Editor: Linda Ryan
The Roots and the Black Keys spearheaded an eclectic slate of underground acts at the SoCo Music Experience, a free-admission festival on Saturday in Madison, Wis. Despite the event's birth as elaborate marketing ploy, the show exceeded expectations, attracting sonic connoisseurs and offering a lesson in musical appreciation. More
