Blake Lewis

C-

Audio Day Dream

(Arista/19)

A TRUE MTV 'IDOL': As the runner-up to Jordin Sparks on the last season of American Idol, Blake Lewis showed promise as a shameless (some would say aimless) ham of all urban-music trades. From beatboxing and scat singing to plucky hit reinterpretations and alter-ego parading, his confident eclecticism endeared him to many, including the judges. The challenge after season six was to bottle up Mr. Lewis' dervish sonic wanderlust and present it as a visionary teen-pop manifesto.

HOKEY FOCUS POCUS: What Mr. Lewis attempts – with assists from OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder, rapper Lupe Fiasco, electronica pioneer BT and others – is to fuse his muses into a new genre. What comes out is a schizophrenic mess; he can't decide if he's the second coming of Justin Timberlake, Chris Martin, Thomas Dolby or Morris Day. The over-lush "How Many Words" sounds like the Smiths might have, had James Blunt fronted it; "Surrender" is just a buzzy redux of Keane via Adam Levine; "What'Cha Got 2 Lose?" is a sorry take on Cameo synth-funk (though the similar but far more inventive "She's Makin' Me Lose It" is the disc's best track); "Without You" is as vocally listless a ballad as you'll hear in 2007.

BOTTOM LINE: Like the disc's intentional acronym, A.D.D., Mr. Lewis can't concentrate on one idea enough to do justice to any.

Mike Daniel

Wyclef Jean

A

Carnival Vol. II ... Memoirs of an Immigrant

(Columbia)

RETURN OF "THE ECLEFTIC:" East Coast, West Coast, Dirty South, Midwest – considering Wyclef Jean's dual citizenship and homes in Miami, New Jersey and Haiti, he transcends those physical boundaries and doesn't allow them to influence his music. Carnival Vol. II reflects Mr. Jean's view of the world's "panic mode," materialism, marital discord, immigration and post-9/11 society with a who's who list in the world of music that expands today's all-too narrow reach of rap.

NO "MASQUERADE:" How many hip-hoppers have the skills to successfully combine global music influences with the likes of Norah Jones ("Any Other Day"), Paul Simon ("Fast Car"), Melissa Jiménez ("Selena") and Akon with Lil' Wayne ("Sweetest Girl [Dollar Bill]")? "The first thing I'd do is go back in time, take the Twin Towers and put 'em back in the skyline," he muses on the acoustic-flavored "Heaven's in New York." He pleads with Mary J. Blige for another chance to rebuild their broken home in the R&B driven "What About the Baby." T.I.'s syrupy Southern flow drops cautionary street tales as Mr. Jean tells those driven by the hard-knock life to pump their brakes, or else ("Slow Down.").

BOTTOM LINE: Mr. Jean's relevant and relentlessly catchy album will please his Fugee-era followers and is an essential for those hungry for variety in hip-hop.

Lorrie Irby Jackson

Pitbull

B-

The Boatlift

(TVT)

UNEXPLORED POTENTIAL: Armando Perez, the Miami man who goes under the nom du rap Pitbull, has called his third album The Boatlift , a reference to how his Cuban parents got to the United States and a reflection of pride in his heritage. It's a shame that the album doesn't even try to explore the potential of its title.

MORE BARK THAN BITE: Instead, it demonstrates Pitbull's already-established angle on the Southern rap subgenre of crunk, with its penchant for tough-voiced celebrations of (and complaints about) fame, fortune and conspicuous consumption. With a wide variety of guests – including Trina, Twista and crunk king Lil Jon – Pitbull brings the party with the toking tribute "Sticky Icky," the literalist "The Anthem" and the pushily seductive "Secret Admirer." For all his bragging, he's just playing the game within narrow rules.

BOTTOM LINE: The Boatlift treads water.

Jon M. Gilbertson

Gilberto Santa Rosa

B+

Contraste

(Sony BMG Norte)

HE SURE CAN SING A BALLAD: Midway through the second CD of Puerto Rican Gilberto Santa Rosa's two-disc set, he smoothly, romantically croons "Empate," an old-school bolero adorned by strings and soft-brush percussion. His melodic, muscular voice against lush yet rhythmic instrumentation has sensuous allure. Known predominantly as a respected salsa singer, Mr. Santa Rosa made Contraste as a way to further showcase his balladeer talents. The first disc contains salsa numbers, while disc two is comprised of ballads.

MINIMAL REPETITION: The good thing is he doesn't re-create the salsa CD as a set of ballads. Only three dance-floor numbers get reconfigured. As a salsero, Mr. Santa Rosa comes from the golden age of the genre even though he's only 45 years old. Check out "Pensando En Ti" and "Conteo Regresivo" to hear organic syncopation, inspired vocals and a vintage spirit sadly missing from today's pre-fabricated salsa.

BOTTOM LINE: Contraste offers a better-rounded Gilberto Santa Rosa. He ably slows down the beat, giving listeners a reason to go from the club to the bedroom.

Mario Tarradell