British club DJ turned singer Craig David took the world by storm while still in his teens with his boastful debut, Born to Do It. It sold 7 million copies while he still bunked at his parents' home in Southampton, England. Two years later, David has slogged through the minefields of sudden stardom and lived to sing about it, which he does with stylist aplomb on Slicker Than Your Average.

David has sacrificed some of his milk-fed innocence but none of his braggadocio, as the title attests. His sound is harder, more anxious, and much more suitable for clubs than the soft, breezy nu-soul of his first outing. This time, he deals with darker matters, such as the press's relentless scrutiny ("Why are you watching me when you should just let me be Craig") and the dangerous pitfalls of fame ("I'm not the man I used to be"). He's not the man he used to be, for fame seems to have shaken the scales from his eyes. This one-time wide-eyed romantic no longer pines for his perfect love, instead casting a jaundiced eye at the women vying for his attention on "What's Your Flava." But his newfound complexity and makes for a much more interesting album than his debut. It's a relief to watch David trade in his clean-cut pop styling for a more urban edge, rife with old-school R&B and hip-hop élan.

After five years and one do-over later, Seal presents a fourth album that finds the singer growing with his audience. The disc's opener, "Get It Together," melds a quiet "live" moment into a horn-and-string disco number, setting the stage for the rest of the disc, which is largely a nod to Detroit- and Philly-R&B. The British-born musician pulls it off. His rasp and emotive, positive vocals are well suited for the retro stylings he attempts. "Waiting for You" will flood the dance floor, and he's unafraid to dig deep for the ballads--Marvin Gaye would approve.

The funk is real, but saddled with a pop safety net, and the upbeat tracks need a helping hand from a good remixer before they are as compelling as his seminal singles "Killer" and "Crazy." Seal never goes all out in any direction and this coolness, combined with Trevor Horn's perfectionist production, plants the album inescapably in the realm of adult contemporary (although this is as good as adult contemporary gets). On "Let Me Roll" Seal salutes the album's influences by proclaiming he's "not too proud to beg." If that were actually true, the songs would have been that much better for it.

The Venerable Compilation Series Remains the Ultimate Reference of Parisian Luxury and Sophistication. Not Only That, it Has Become an Accepted Trendsetting Springboard for Tracks to Be Adopted by DJ'S In-the-know, Advertising Agencies, Music Specialists and Aficianados. With this Edition, Stephane Pompougnac Has Allowed his Eclectic Taste to Dominate as He Presents an Impeccable and Intimate Mix of Exclusive Tracks in the Pure Spirit of Hotel Costes. There is No Other Like this Series and You Can Always Rely on it Having the Best and the Most Interesting Music Available in the World....with Over a Million Satisfied Customers to Its Credit.

Thanks to the support of the gala-salvador dali foundation, cassagrande is very proud to present the third volume of the best "Chill-Art" music collection "Music and Art were never so closed"

After laying down a memorable vocal on Artful Dodger's "Re-Wind," the biggest hit to date of the latest U.K.-spawned dance craze known as two-step, Craig David's debut record carries lofty expectations. Born out of the R&B/hip-hop and U.K. garage styles of artists like Romanthony, MJ Cole, and Timbaland, with dashes of spastic drum & bass-style rhythms and DJ scratches, two-step is waiting for its first major breakthrough. On his debut full-length, Born to Do It, it's immediately obvious that this breakthrough won't be supplied by David, only because his style isn't really proper two-step at all. His smooth tenor and hip-hop-oriented, verse-chorus-verse song structures are much more in line with the urban soul and new jack swing sound of artists like R. Kelly, Sisqo, and D'Angelo. Still, for an artist who just turned 20, this is an incredibly assured record with a sweet, romantic core that only a cold cynic could deride as youthful naiveté.

In addition, while only occasionally hinting at the darker passions of true two-step, the record drips with an advanced rhythmic sense that manifests itself everywhere, from the clever wordplay in the lyrics of songs like "Fill Me In" and "7 Days" to the bells-and-whistles production on the giddy "Time to Party." For those after a true introduction to two-step, there are better choices (start with MJ Cole's Sincere, the Vital 2Step collection, or just jump a plane to London and go club-hopping), but still enjoy this record for its boyish pleasures, teasing sexuality, and irresistible grooves.

2003 debut album from the Transylvanian pop duo. 15 tracks including the audio & video versions of the first three singles, 'Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum)', 'Take Your Shoes Off', & 'Hooray Hooray (It's A Cheeky Holiday)'. Also features photo gallery. Multiply Records.

2003 album for up-and-coming British rock act. Includes the singles 'Growing On Me', 'Get Your Hands Off My Woman' & 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love'.

Sophomore albums are famously tricky affairs. Musicians have their entire lives to pen their debut album, the theory goes, and a relatively short time to follow it up. But what if the debut in question is the biggest selling album in recent memory? And what if the music industry has Hollywood-like expectations for another instant blockbuster? That was the scenario Linkin Park faced when they entered the studio to record Meteora, the follow-up to their multi-platinum debut Hybrid Theory.

That album-which Rolling Stone called "twelve songs of compact fire indivisibly blending alternative metal, hip-hop, and turntable art"--has shipped 14 million units worldwide to date. It was the Number One selling album of 2001. It launched three chart-topping singles including "In The End." And in 2002 it received a Grammy® for Best Hard Rock Performance for "Crawling," as well as nominations for Best Rock Album and Best New Artist. After diligently pursuing their craft since the band's humble origins in Southern California circa the mid-'90s, Linkin Park now had the world's ear.

"We just wanted to make another great album that we're proud of," says Bourdon. "We focused on that, and worked hard to create songs we love. We're our own harshest critics." If you doubt that, consider this: Shinoda and Bennington wrote 40 unique choruses for Meteora's poignant first single, "Somewhere I Belong," before arriving at the best possible version.

The winning results of that painstaking approach are instantly apparent on Meteora. The twelve lean tracks display immense growth from the road-honed band, while still showcasing the rare chemistry that's been in place since Bennington completed the line-up in 1999. Working once again with Hybrid Theory co-producer Don Gilmore, the album came to life in a variety of studios, including the band's beloved tour-bus facility and each member's respective home set-up. This time Linkin Park had the opportunity to experiment with a wider palette sound, and an even more diverse array of styles.

Neil Young has long been one of rock's great romantics, mourning the utopian ideals of the "hippie" '60s and his vision of what America was…or at least should have been. In some ways, Greendale--which could be described as a "rock novel"--adds a mourning for humanity itself to the mix, as Young presents his vision of America 2003 via the story of a fictional family in a small California town. There's drama galore--a cop is killed by a drug dealer; Grandpa has a fatal heart attack while pointing a gun at a TV reporter--but most of these songs also work individually as terrific rock tunes.

It's a more subdued Crazy Horse this time out, with only Neil on lead guitar and little of the distorted rage found on albums like Ragged Glory. But "Grandpa's Interview" has a gorgeous riff that recalls Zuma's "Don't Cry No Tears"; "Be the Rain" is a genuine Neil Young anthem about love, peace, saving the planet, and doing the right thing. A few pieces sound a tad meandering at first, which could lead one to conclude that Greendale is only a good Neil Young album. Repeated listening, however, should confirm that Greendale is a great Neil Young album.