King Britt/Sylk130 Happiness 12" (Ovum/Six Degrees) Soul dhamma, Philly-style, nuthin' but Britt butta. Flawless. 9 (SC)

Seamus Blake Sun Sol (Fresh Sound New Talent/Fusion III) The thinking man's reedman with Avishai Cohen and Marc Miralta--today's jazz today! 9 (LD)

Etta James Matriarch of the Blues (Private Music) All hail the queen. 8 (JC)

Shirley Bassey This Is My Life: The Greatest Hits (EMI) From "I (Who Have Nothing)" to "The Greatest Performance of My Life," everything you need from the sassy, classy Bond-theme belter. 7 (RB)

Christopher Lawrence United States of Trance (Moonshine/Koch) If you like trance, this is for you--linear, predictable, mind-numbing and trance-inducing. Coming soon to an episode of Charmed... 6 (KE)

Endless With Everything Against Us (Da Core) Forgettable jock hardcore. The Twisted Sister cover alone will make you retch. 4 (JC)

Spandau Ballet Gold: The Best of Spandau Ballet (EMI) No medals for this mediocre '80s blue-eyed soul. Duran all the way. 3 (LC)

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