Album Review: Robyn - Body Talk (4.5/5)

Robyn caps a rather exciting year with her third release, Body Talk, a full-length album that includes five tracks from each of her Body Talk EP releases (Part 1 and Part 2) released earlier this year plus five new songs (A Part 3 EP was released separately that includes only the five new tracks from the album).

The album generally represents the best of those two EPs, plus five new songs, all of which pretty upbeat dance pop tracks that deserve their inclusion alongside the others. "Indestructible" is particularly good, it's electronic version surpassing the acoustic one included on Part 2. "I let the bad ones in and the good ones go," sings Robyn, her refusal to give up on love sounds even more emphatic over the insistent dance pop beat. I love the strings in the middle section, which sound much brighter in this version.

"All I want is a DeLorean," declares Robyn on "Time Machine," a typically bracing dance pop track with a deep bass beat. "Call Your Girlfriend" pairs that deep bass beat with retro synthesizer blasts. She's advising some guy about how to break up with her and let her down easy--because he's fallen for Robyn! "Stars 4 Ever" closes the album on a sweet note of uplift.

Since only five tracks from the first two Body Talk EPs were included, some tracks were omitted. I most miss "Cry When You Get Older," which was one of my favorites from Part 1. But the most essential tracks are here, including the single version of "Dancing on My Own," "Hang with Me," "In My Eyes" and "Fembot," making Body Talk one the year's most essential pop albums.

Best: Indestructible, Dancing on My Own, Hang with Me, Call Your Girlfriend, In My Eyes, Fembot

Album Review: Robyn - Body Talk Pt2 (4.5/5)

Listening to Robyn's Body Talk Part 2 should dispel any doubt about her wisdom of releasing three EPs rather than an album this year. Part 2 is just as good as part 1--actually it's better. On Part 1, under the glossy electro-pop arrangements was a thread of bitterness, from the litany of complaints on "Don't Fucking Tell Me What to Do" to the jealousy of "Dancing on My Own."

Part 2 is brighter and faster, with more club-oriented arrangements. The charged "In My Eyes" takes a let's-take-the-plunge approach to love, "Include Me Out" amps up the synthesizers and beats. "Hang with Me," a piano ballad on Part 1 that served as a warning not to get too close, sounds more like an invitation on its dance pop incarnation on Part 2.

Love may have hurt on Part 1's "Cry When You Get Older," but on Part 2, "Love Kills," although it does so thrillingly over a bracing clubby beat. That old Robyn cynicism shines through here again: "protect yourself, 'cause you'll wreck yourself in this cold, hard world don't you know that love kills." The song references Stockholm Syndrome, the psychological phenomenon where captives become attached to their captors. But it may as well reflect the growing global attachment to all things Swedish: Ikea, Stieg Larrson, Max Martin productions, and of course, dear Robyn.

"We Dance to the Beat" processes Robyn's voice until she sounds like a old school Cylon over another clubby mix of synth effects and beats. "Somebody alert the authorities, I've got criminal intent" declares Robyn on "Criminal Intent," apparently declaring her desire to engage in lewd and indecent acts. The kooky courtroom-inspired romp finds Robyn dosing her dance pop with a bit of hip-hop, a flavor she carries on to "U Should Know Better," which features guest rapper Snoop Dogg and a lot of attitude ("even the Vatican knows better than to fuck with me").

Another acoustic track closes Part 2, "Indestructible," a strings-drenched love song that refuses to give up on love. She may play the cynic, but Robyn is a romantic at heart. If she follows the same pattern, we should expect in electronic form for Part 3. Speaking of which, I wonder it will be like. Perhaps the darkest of the trilogy? We'll find out come November.

Best: Hang with Me, In My Eyes, Include Me Out, U Should Know Better, Love Kills

Fall Album Preview

The season with the biggest album releases of the year is upon us, an this year's fourth quarter has, as usual, quite a bit to offer. Rather than just cover September, I take a look at key releases for the rest of the year. Given the flexibility of release dates, these are subject to change, and it's quite likely that releases currently pegged for October or later could get pushed back--possibly to 2011 (or, yikes, maybe even never--it happens; ask Nicole Scherzinger).

The Fall 10
First up, here are the 10 essential releases this fall:

Coldplay - LP5 (December). It doesn't have a name yet, and it seems like it could easily get pushed to 2011, but if there's a chance we'll get a Coldplay album by 12/31/10, then it needs to be on my essential list. Coldplay's blog has said it is near completion, but now there are rumors it won't come out this year. Brian Eno is reportedly producing again.

Brandon Flowers - Flamingo (Sept. 6). The Killers lead single goes solo and already has a hit on his hands with the album's first single, "Crossfire," and its action-packed video starring Flowers and Charlize Theron. Flowers worked with rock producers Daniel Lanois and Brendan O'Brien, but also ensured consistency with the album's third producer, Stuart Price, who helmed the Killers' last album Day & Age (Price must be exhausted this year, after also producing the Kylie Minogue and Scissor Sisters albums). Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis sings with Flowers on "Hard Enough."

Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown (Oct. 19). Prior to 2008, Kings of Leon were a somewhat well-known although hardly mainstream rock band. Only By the Night changed all that, turning the group into a sensation as well as chart-toppers with its major hits "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody," the latter of which was awarded the Grammy for Record of the Year earlier this year. Following up such unexpected success is probably daunting, so the band looks to be playing it safe by employing the same production team on this fifth album as on their last.

Maroon 5 - Hands All Over (Sept. 20). Although they've brought Robert John "Mutt" Lange (i.e. the former Mr. Shania Twain) to produce their third album, Hands All Over, indicators point to business as usual for the L.A.-fivesome. A band's press release called the new set "a killer hybrid of rock, pop, funk and R&B"--in other words, just like what they've done before. And first single "Misery" is a welcome sibling to their previous major hits like "This Love" and "Makes Me Wonder."

Ne-Yo - Libra Scale (Oct. 5). For his fourth album, Ne-Yo talks like it will be his most ambitious yet. Despite the fact that its first singles sound like his previous work ("Beautiful Monster" is a lot like "Closer," and "Champagne Life" is similar to "Miss Independent"), Libra Scale is a concept album. High concept actually. The title refers to the astrological sign, Libra, which is represented by a scale. With that in mind, Ne-Yo has said the album explores the themes of morality and balance between money, love, power and fame while telling the story of three garbage men who are offered everything they could ever want for protecting their city, but they can never fall in love. Alrighty. "Beautiful Monster" was a UK #1 but a misfire in the US.

Radiohead - TBD (no date). There's really little details about this, other than that the band has been recording this year, and gave an interview to BBC in June saying they hoped to get a new album out by the end of the year. Coming off of 2007's In Rainbows, Radiohead is well-positioned to deliver something fantastic.

Robyn - Body Talk Part II (Sept. 6) & Body Talk Part III (November). Swedish pop singer Robyn dazzled with Body Talk Part I earlier this summer, a sensational 8-track EP that delivered an intriguing blend of electric and acoustic pop. At the time, Robyn revealed it was the first of three EPs to be released this year. So anticipation is high parts II and III, due in early September and November respectively. Already out is Part II's single, "Hang with Me," which appeared in an acoustic version on Part I but gets its proper electro sheen for Part II.

Taylor Swift - Speak Now (Oct. 25). Top-selling digital artist of all time. Winner of the 2010 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. These are some pretty big achievements for the 20 year-old country/crossover star to live up to. Swift's second album, Fearless, was the top-selling album of 2009 in the US, scoring major country and pop hits with its singles "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me." For her third album, Speak Now, Swift will surely try again to conquer both country and pop charts. She's off to a good start with the album's first single, "Mine," which hit #3 on the Hot 100 and is already a hit at country and pop radio.

Take That - TBD (November). Take That 2.0 has been a massive success, with two albums under its belt and a number of hit singles, including "Patience," "Rule the World," and "Greatest Day." For their third comeback album, Take That welcomes back original member Robbie Williams for the group's first release as a fivesome since 1995. Little details about the album exist yet, other than that the first single will be "The Flood."

Kanye West - Dark Twisted Fantasy (Nov. 16). At one point, it was stated that this album would be called Good Ass Job, to coincide with the education-themed titles of West's first three albums. Apparently that was a red herring, and instead we'll be getting the ominously titled Dark Twisted Fantasy. The rapper took a detour to electro and singing on his fourth album, 808s and Heartbreak, but the assumption is that he'll turn back to hip-hop for this fifth release. First single "Power" is already out, but hasn't become a major hit.

Bonus:

Robbie Williams - In and Out of Consciousness: Robbie's Greatest Hits 1990 - 2010 (Oct. 12). Greatest hits collections aren't really albums, but I wanted to include this anyway in my highlights. Williams already had a greatest hits set in 2004, but this more comprehensive two-disc collection looks to be completely comprehensive, including songs missing from his last release (namely "Freedom," "Somethin' Stupid," "It's Only Us," and "Something Beautiful") along with hits he's had since then ("Tripping," "Lovelight," and "Bodies," among others). Perhaps most exciting is the collaboration with fellow Take That member and one time rival Gary Barlow, "Shame," which will be released before the reunited Take That work as a taste of what is to come.


Other releases
Those marked with an asterisk are the ones I'm most interested, apart from the ones above.

Sept 7

*Interpol - Interpol. Late last year I fell in love with this band's first album, Turn Off the Lights. Although I haven't much listened to their second and third albums, I've heard they aren't as good. Nevertheless, I'm interested in this eponymous disc, their fourth, and last with their original bassist.

Sara Bareilles - Kaleidescope Heart. The singer, who scored a major hit in 2008 with "Love Song," returns with her second album featuring quirky first single "King of Anything."

Sept 13/14

Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns. Linkin Park returns with their fourth album, produced by the same guys who did their last one, Minutes to Midnight. First single "The Catalyst" is already a big hit at rock radio.

Weezer - Hurley. No joke: the cover of the album is a shot of Jorge Garcia, the actor who portrayed Hugo Reyes (a.k.a. "Hurley") on the popular, just concluded ABC drama Lost. According to the band, the only reason they named the album Hurley is because Garcia is on the cover. So I guess this isn't a Lost-themed concept album? I guess we'll find out.

*The Script - Science and Faith. The Irish pop/rock band scored big in the US this year with their singles "Breakeven" and "The Man Who Can't Be Moved," but Americans probably don't realize those songs are 2 years old and the band is moving on to their second album this fall.

Of Montreal - False Priest. The Athens, Georgia-based group (no, they're not Canadian) release their 10th album.

Royksopp - Senior. The Norwegian duo is releasing an instrumental album, which they've said is the darker, atmospheric counterpart to their last album, Junior.

Blonde Redhead - Penny Sparkle. I was impressed by the group's last album, 23, but I don't know much about this upcoming release, the group's eighth album.

Phil Collins - Going Back. For his first album in 8 years, Phil Collins does a set of '60s motown and soul covers.

Sept 20/21

Seal - Seal VI: Commitment. Mr. Heidi Klum puts out his sixth album of new material, following his last album of covers. First single "Secret" is already out.

Manic Street Preachers - Postcards from a Young Man. The British rock band releases their 10th album, which the band has said is targeted to mainstream audiences.

Diddy - Last Train to Paris. The once powerful rapper releases his fifth album.

Shontelle - No Gravity. The Barbadian singer, who scored a hit earlier this summer with "Impossible," releases her first album.

Selena Gomez & the Scene - A Year without Rain. The Disney darling puts out her second album featuring hit single "Round and Round."

Paula Cole - Ithaca. Although she's best known for singing the theme to Dawson's Creek, there was once a time when Paula Cole was a big star (her second album, This Fire, was a Grammy nominee for Album of the Year and contained two major hits). This is her fifth album.

Sept 27/28

*Mark Ronson & the Business Intl - Record Collection. Producer Ronson's last album, Version, scored some big hits, particularly with British singers Amy Winehouse ("Valerie") and Lily Allen ("Oh My God"). This new album features a more eclectic list of collaborators, from Q-Tip to the Duran Duran to the London Gay Men's Chorus. First single "Bang Bang Bang" wasn't a smash, but it grew on me.

*Estelle - All of Me. This one isn't fully confirmed, but I hope it happens. Her second album, Shine, was a real treat, especially its big hit "American Boy." Estelle misfired with the first advanced single from this, "Freak," but second single "Fall in Love" aims for the same kind of bubbly joy "American Boy" Delivered.

KT Tunstall - Tiger Suit. The British pop singer returns with her third album, featuring different first singles in the UK ("(Still a) Weirdo") and the US ("Fade Like a Shadow").

T.I. - King Uncaged. T.I.'s last album scored some huge hits, including #1 collaboration with Rihanna "Live Your Life." This is his 7th album.

Athlete - The Singles 01:10. The British rock band puts out their greatest hits. Apart from their 2005 album Tourist and its big hit "Wires," I don't really know their catalog.

Oct 5

David Archuleta - The Other Side of Down. The former American Idol runner-up releases his second album.

Ciara - Basic Instinct. Fourth album from her with production from The-Dream and Tricky Stewart.

Antony & the Johnsons - Swanlights. The Mercury Prize-winning group puts out a fourth album.

Oct 11

Lee Ryan - Confessions. The former member of Blue is set to release his second album, although response to early release single, the double A-side "I Am Who I Am" and "Secret Love" was so tepid that I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't come to fruition.

Oct 25/26

Good Charlotte - Cardiology. Yes it's true that I know somebody who knows somebody who knows Good Charlotte (quite well in fact, since it's the Maddens' mother). That little tidbit aside, I'm really not a big fan, but they have put out some fun songs. This is their fifth album.

Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. "Day N Nite" was a hit, but can Kid Cudi do it again? This is his second, reportedly darker, album.

Roll Deep - Winner Stays On. On the back of recent #1 hits "Good Times" and "Green Light," the British hip-hop collective releases its fourth album.

Joe McElderry - Last year's winner of The X Factor, the first since Steve Brookstein not to have landed the Christmas #1, releases his debut.

Oct 29

*Kelly Rowland - Kelly Rowland. Ms. Kelly, her second album, wasn't a big hit. But it did produce some great singles. I actually really liked all them--the go-go flavored "Like This," the Travie McCoy collaboration "Daylight," and the Freemasons remix of "Work." After having a global smash with David Guetta last summer, "When Love Takes Over," it's no surprise this album will feature more dance music, including the recent single "Commander," another Guetta collaboration. Yet the other early releases, "Rose Colored Glasses" and "Grown Woman," have a more R&B feel.

Nov. 2

Jay Sean - Freeze Time. "Down" and "Do You Remember," hits from Jay Sean's last album, All or Nothing, made him a star in the US, although the singles stopped coming sooner than they should have. First single from this fourth album, "2012," is already out, but I'm not feeling it.

Nov 8

Tinchy Stryder - Third Strike. British hip-hop artist returns with his third album. "In My System" was the recent first single.

Nov 15/16

Nelly - Nelly 5.0. Nelly's sixth album is due for release in November. But given how many times his last album was pushed back, I'll wager this is tentative.

Kid Rock - Born Free. Kid rock's eighth album features a string of collaborators from both the worlds of rock (Sheryl Crow, Uncle Kracker), country (Taylor Swift, Zac Brown, Martina McBride), and rap (Eminem, Jay-Z, T.I. and Lil Wayne). Sounds like an interesting mix.

Nov 22

Alesha Dixon - The Entertainer. The first single is called "Drummer Boy," and Gary Barlow is going to write for it. Dixon is apparently a reality TV star now, so she may not have much time for this.

Nov 29

Susan Boyle - The Gift. For that bit of market that Taylor Swift isn't able to corner this Christmas season, there's Susan Boyle, ready with her second album. Go SuBo!

Unspecified

While there isn't a specific release date yet for these, it seems pretty safe to assume they will be out this fall.

Natasha Bedingfield - Strip Me. The British singer's third album is apparently done, but no release date yet. "Touch" was released as a single in the US over the summer, but didn't become a hit.

*Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Straight to the Heart. After some delay, Sophie Ellis-Bextor is set to release her fourth album sometime in October or November. It will include recent hits "Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer)" and "Bittersweet," as well as the new single with Armin Van Buuren, "Not Giving Up on Love."

Flo Rida - The Only One. His third album, reportedly a double. First single "Club Can't Handle Me" was a recent UK #1 and a current US hit.

Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra. This is the fifth album for the band, their first since 2003's Results May Vary. While some tracks have been released, I haven't seen a release date for the album yet.

McFly - Fifth album. The first single, "Party Girl," is already at British radio, so it's a pretty safe bet this will be released. While no specific date is set, it's rumored for November, and the band says it will reveal the name soon.

Rumors
These appear on less solid footing to get a release this fall, but it is possible.

Adele - Second album. Late last year it was rumored that Adele would follow-up her successful 2008 debut by the end of the year, but at present, there's no solid information about it. I expect to see it in early 2011.

Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 1. This reportedly sample-heavy set had been scheduled for release in September...until band member Adam Yauch came down with cancer.

Cheryl Cole - Second album. Ms. Cole has been hard at work on her second album, including collaboration with Ryan Tedder, RedOne and Starsmith. Although this was once pegged for an October release, Cole contracted Malaria over the summer, and it's unclear whether her illness and recovery time could create a delay in getting this done and out.

Evanescence - Third album. Once scheduled for a late summer release, this has been delayed for creative reasons and may also be affected by label problems.

Fleet Foxes - Second album. The band has been working on this for some time, as they apparently once said it would be out in 2009. Rumored title is Deepwater Horizon.

Michael Jackson - First posthumous album. Sony has a contract with the Jackson estate to put out seven posthumous releases, based on his extensive recordings vault. This first one is tentatively due in November.

Avril Lavigne - Fourth album. Here's another one that's been worked on for some time. Lavigne's last album was 3 years ago and since then she's been recording on her home studio.

Jennifer Lopez - Love? Here's one we may never see. Originally planned for a release early this year, the album got pushed back after neither of its first singles ("Fresh Out of the Oven" and "Louboutins") found a mainstream audience, although both were dance #1s. Subsequently, Lopez and her label parted ways. Although she has a new label, work on the album continues, and I wouldn't be surprised if the delay leads to a new direction for her next release.

My Chemical Romance - Fourth album. First album since the departure of Bob Bryar. The band announced earlier this summer that the album was finished, but I haven't seen a title or release date yet.

Plan B - The Ballad of Belmarsh. Supposedly this will continue the story of The Defamation of Strickland Banks but be more hip-hop. Plan B's record label took a pass though, so he intends to release it himself. No date is set.

Pussycat Dolls - Third album. Their lineup has changed, and I can't be troubled to figure out how exactly, but it seems to have something to do with Nicole Scherzinger possibly leaving at one point (she's apparently not though).

Britney Spears - Seventh album. It's in the works, but I don't know anything more.

The Streets - Computers and Blues. Mike Skinner is said he's tired of "The Streets" and that this will be the final album under the monicker. Two years ago he said he expected to release this 2 years later (i.e. sometime this year).

Shayne Ward - Third album. This has apparently been a struggle, leading to the departure of Ward's manager, X Factor judge Louis Walsh. Current word is that it will be out in December.

Westlife - Eighth album. Reportedly in the works, but not much is known yet.

Album Review: Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 1 (4/5)

After setting the dance pop world on fire with Robyn, the Swedish singer returns with the first in a planned three-part series, Body Talk. Part 1 consists of eight songs, including the first single "Dancing on My Own," a charged dance pop hit-in-waiting along the lines of "With Every Heartbeat," her recent UK #1 hit.

"Don't Fucking Tell Me What to Do" sets the stage with a pretty minimalist arrangement of beats, synth tones and spoken lines like "my drinking's killing me, my smoking's killing me, my PMS is killing me...." etc. Robyn transforms herself into an android on "Fembot," inspired by the villainous robots from Bionic Woman and Austin Powers fame.

"Cry When You Get Older" cranks up the synths and the '80s beats. It's a definite highlight, and would make a good choice as a single. As you'd expect, "Dancehall Queen" tosses in a bit of Caribbean flavor, but not in an unwelcome way. "None of Dem" pumps up the bass for a late-night dancefloor workout.

Turning off the synthesizers and drum machines for a minute, Robyn delivers an earnest, string-laden love ballad with "Hang with Me." It's a nice melody, although her mild vocal chops are more of a handicap here than on her usual uptempo stuff. "Jag Vet en Dejlig Rosa," a traditional Swedish song whose title means "I know of a lovely rose," closes the album on a somber, tender note.

There's an feeling of removal with these songs--a rather manufactured quality, akin to Sweden's other major export (i.e. Ikea furniture). I suppose the shorter length gives Robyn fewer opportunities to show her quirky side. Yet these songs adhere pretty close to the winning sound found on Robyn, so while they won't set the world on fire, they deliver some good moments and will please her fans.

Best: Dancing on My Own, Cry When You Get Older, Fembot

June New Album Releases

It's a real dance pop month in June, as we see the release of the third album from the Scissor Sisters, which I'm most excited about, plus Christina Aguilera's fourth album and Robyn's fifth. Here's a rundown of the biggest new releases.

Scissor Sisters - Night Work (June 28). It's been four long years since Scissor Sisters released their second album, Ta-Dah. Since then they've kept a pretty low profile, with the most notable thing happening to them being the change of their drummer, as Paddy Boom left the band to be replaced by Randy "Real" Schrager. First single "Fire with Fire" is already starting to get airplay. The album is produced by Stuart Price, the famous British dance music producer who helmed Madonna's Confessions on a Dancefloor and the recent Killers album, Day and Age.

Christina Aguilera - Bionic (June 7/8). Pop megastar Christina Aguilera likes long spans between her albums. Her last major release, a 2008 greatest hits album, produced a minor hit, "Keeps Gettin' Better," but she hasn't put out an album in 4 years. Bionic is the follow-up to her 2006 double-disc concept album that saw Aguilera mine classic soul and '40s pop. For Bionic, she turns to the modern, teaming up with Polow da Don and Tricky Stewart, in addition to longtime collaborator Linda Perry. First single "Not Myself Tonight" has a flashy GaGa-esque video, but is already show signs of cooling on the chart, which is a bit premature.

Robyn - Bodytalk Pt. 1 (June 14/15). Having dramatically revived her international pop career with Robyn, an album promoted and released in different countries over the course of 2005 through 2008, the Swedish dance pop singer follows that up with Bodytalk Pt. 1, a collection of just nine tracks, that Robyn has said is the first of three such sets due to be released over the course of the year. First single is "Dancing on My Own." Robyn scored big internationally in 1997/98 with hits like "Do You Know (What It Takes)" and "Show Me Love," but had few hits outside of Scandinavia after that until "With Every Heartbeat" hit #1 in Britain late in the summer of 2007.

Oasis - Time Flies...1994 - 2009 (June 14/15). Oasis, who called it quits last year, is set to release a 2-disc comprehensive greatest hits collection spanning the band's career from its first single, "Supersonic," to its last, "Falling Down." From what I've seen it has everything, including their eight UK #1s, "Whatever," their first top 5 hit that has been unavailable from a digital store, and, on the US version, "Champagne Supernova," which despite being their second-biggest American hit, was not released as a single in Britain.

Glee Cast - Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals (June 8). This will mark the third month in a row with a Glee release. This is the EP that accompanies the first season finale, including a new version of "Don't Stop Believin," "To Sir, With Love" and "Over the Rainbow." Glee's been picked up for two more seasons. So expect lots of releases to continue coming next fall.



Eminem - Recovery (June 22). American Rapper Eminem had promised to follow-up Relapse with a sequel, but instead takes a new direction with Recovery, featuring recent #1 hit "Not Afraid."

Miley Cyrus - Can't Be Tamed (June 22). The Disney pop star returns with her third studio album, preceded by its title-track single.

3Oh!3 - Streets of Gold (June 29). Third album from the American pop/rock band features single "My First Kiss" with Ke$ha.

The Chemical Brothers - Further (June 7). The British electronic duo releases its seventh album.

Sia - We Are Born (June 7). Sia's fouth album follows her 2008 breakthrough, Some People Have Real Problems.

Drake - Thank Me Later (June 15). Canadian rapper releases his full-length debut album featuring hit singles "Over" and "Find Your Love."

Best of 2000s: Robyn - Robyn (4.5/5)

While finding an audience can't be a snap for any hit album, it's difficult to imagine any album having as hard a time as Robyn. Released in 2005, the set was a success in Scandinavia, but the English-speaking world, which had made a hit of her "Show Me Love" in 1998, largely ignored it. Then new recording "With Every Heartbeat" came along and topped the UK singles chart in the summer of 2007, renewing interest in the album. Suddenly Robyn was a hit, scoring three other UK top 40 hits. The Swedish singer manages to imbue more than an average amount of attitude into her unique brand of electro-pop, such as on "Handle Me" and "Be Mine," in which she declares herself untouchable to her would-be male suitors. Sadly, this wasn't a hit stateside.

Best: With Every Heartbeat, Be Mine, Handle Me, Who's that Girl, Crash and Burn Girl

Album Review: Robyn - Robyn (4.5 / 5)

Good comeback stories may be a dime a dozen in the pop music world, but they are always interesting. Take Robyn, a young Swedish pop singer who charmed the world in 1997 with her brand of Swedish pop on the cusp of the Swedish-produced pop invasion that would be BSB and Britney. "Show Me Love" and "Do You Know (What It Takes)" were top 10 hits in the US, all but assuring a follow-up chance. But record label RCA took a pass, and after two subsequent albums, Robyn parted ways with corporate labels.

After starting up her own label, Konichiwa Records, Robyn released Robyn in 2005. It was very successful in Sweden, but not anywhere else. It did catch the ear of one notable US pop columnist, Fred Bronson, who named "Be Mine" one of his favorite singles of the year. Two years later now the album has been given new life after Robyn recorded a new song "With Every Heartbeat," which she released in the UK and was a smash #1 hit, her first #1 single in any country. Its success prompted a re-release of Robyn with some new tracks, which has already been released in the UK.

Despite it being two years old, listening to Robyn feels like listening to the future of pop music. She's at the top of her game on the album's upbeat electronic pop tracks, which comprise the bulk of the album. Her girlish voice is a striking contrast to her sometimes raunchy vocals and street pretensions. "Konichiwa Bitches," during which Robyn raps, should be just silly, but it's actually pretty fun. Bass-heavy "Cobrastyle," one of the new tracks, is good too.

The next six songs though comprise the core of the album, and all of them are fantastic pop recordings. "Handle Me," slated as the next single, marries cello over bass and electronic bleeps and serves as a kiss off to an egotistical ex. "Bum Like You" is a sweet guitar-driven love song about how much she loves her guy, despite him being broke and not particularly good looking.

"Be Mine" is smashingly good. Intense strings keep the rhythm over the beats and keyboards. "With Every Heartbeat" is one those deceptively simple songs that really gets under your skin after a few listens. It's an earnest love song put to a electronic dance rhythm. (To hear a different and equally compelling take on this song, listen to the slower piano-backed version Robyn sang recently on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge with Jo Wiley. It's stunning.) Rhythmic "Who's that Girl" and "Crash and Burn Girl" finish off this fine run of class-act pop songs.

Robyn wisely kept the slower songs at the back of the album, which, while not bad, aren't as interesting as her upbeat pop. Best of the bunch is slinky "Should Have Known." Then there's perhaps the album's only misstep, "Robotboy," a metaphorical ballad that's just too lean to stand up. The UK re-release added a bass line, which helps, but it still doesn't cut it.

It's a minor misstep though in an overall very strong pop album that shows a lot of creativity, diversity, humor, and drive. With any luck, "With Every Heartbeat" will be an international success, putting Robyn back on the pile of pop acts with worldwide appeal.

Best: With Every Heartbeat, Be Mine, Bum Like You, Handle Me, Who's That Girl, Crash and Burn Girl, Cobrastyle, Konichiwa Bitches, Should Have Known