In Brief

And what’s this urban-pop singer-songwriter got on her U.S. debut (in stores Tuesday)? A sexy blend of ‘70s and ‘80s funk-rock-soul, spiked with modern dance rhythms. Flexible power in her high-pitched, sometimes overwrought vocals. A music-biz pedigree, being the 28-year-old daughter of veteran producer-arranger Don Costa, with a global history including some European hits. A sassy, well-developed R&B; style, from the slamming scorned-woman reprisal “Hope It Felt Good” to the anatomy-of-a-dying-love ballad “Nothing.” Some not-always-memorable hooks. Ultimately, her “Something” has down-to-earth appeal.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.