‘Animal,’ Ke$ha, Sony Music

Ke$ha’s electro-party pop sound in her debut album is a product of her collaborations with notable producer-songwriters including Max Martin and Lucasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald. Best examples of this three-heads-are-better-than-one thrust can be heard in ravers like “Tik Tok,” the beat crazy “Ki$$ N Tell” and the mid-tempo “Hung-over.”

The lyrics of electronic dance number “Take It Off” – with Ke$ha singing, “When the dark of the night comes around, that’s the time the animal comes alive… I’ll regret it in the mornin’ but tonight I don’t give a...” – roughly translates to: “I’m young and I don't care. I’m gonna party… hard!”

Ke$ha takes her bratty antics up a notch in “Party At A Rich Dude’s House,” in which she boasts of crashing a party and throwing up in the closet. She sings about ditching a dirty old man in “Dinosaur.”

Still, underneath all the apparent bravado, the party-hearty attitude and shallow subject matter lies musical talent at the cusp of pop stardom.Check out “Blah Blah Blah” (featuring 3 Oh!3), “Your Love Is My Drug” and “VIP” and almost immediately you'd realize that Ke$ha could be more than just a flash in the pan.

Indeed, if she works hard as much as she parties, then this animal ain't gonna be caged with the image.

Ke$ha is sure to conquer more and that's no bull.

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‘Freestyle 18 Greatest Hits,' Freestyle, Viva Records

Freestyle made their mark in the ‘90s as one of the premiere pop/R&B bands via their first big single “Before I Let You Go.” Many hits followed after that, all of which are encapsulated here in their latest offering.

Aside from the hits, though, this CD also contains the not-so-big but notable originals like “Bakit Iniwan Na,” “I Wanna Get Close,” and the exceptional “So Slow." It also has the group's most famous covers including Michael Jackson’s “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” Gary Valenciano’s “Paano” and Ogie Alcasid's “Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang.”

Conversely, those who enjoy the band in a live setting will not be disappointed in “18.” This CD includes the staples in their live sets: “Half Crazy,” “Still,” “One Hello,” “Ebony And Ivory,” and “I Don’t Want To Lose You,” to name a few.

It’s a grand collection – one that a die-hard Freestyle fan shouldn't be caught without; or a beginner’s kit for those yet to discover the group.

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‘I Dreamed A Dream,’ Susan Boyle, Sony Music

Boyle first caught people’s attention with her stately version of “I Dreamed A Dream” on “Britain’s Got Talent.”

Nowadays, with the success of her debut album named after that Broadway tune, it is clear that she is turning those dreams into reality.

“I Dreamed A Dream” starts off with her exquisite take on the Rolling Stones ballad “Wild Horses.” Boyle’s interpretation is ripe with feelings and seemingly from the heart – a description that could very well apply to the rest of the tracks.

From standard fare, like “Cry Me A River,” to pop – her version of Madonna’s “You’ll See,” which surprisingly lent itself well to her laid-back adaptation – and her moving rendition of the classics “How Great Thou Art” and “Amazing Grace,” Boyle’s voice proves evocative.

In some parts though, the CD proves to be dragging but only because of the musical arrangement. Check out her version of the Monkees’ “Daydream Believer” and the Skeeter Davis original, “End Of The World,” and feel a yawn coming on.

Thankfully, Boyle makes up for these misses via her uplifting performance in the gospel-flavored “Up To The Mountain.”

Boyle, still unbelieving of the dream that she’s living right now, comments on her liner notes, “Ambition, fate, call it what you will, but who was I born to be?”

This CD proves she's born to be a star.

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