Ceremonials<\/em><\/p>\n (Universal)<\/p>\n 4\/5<\/p>\n Ceremonials,<\/em> the second album from English rock and soul artist Florence Welsh, makes use of a variety of instruments to create a sound that is unconventional yet welcoming.<\/p>\n It has an interesting, light, scientific side in songs like \u201cNever Let Me Go\u201d and \u201cSpectrum,\u201d and another side that is dark, deep, and meaningful: first single \u201cShake it Out\u201d has themes of spirit possession, while \u201cSeven Devils\u201d pulls listeners into a story of death and revenge.<\/p>\n Florence\u2019s first album, Lungs,<\/em> showcased some of these themes, but her maturity\u2014or maybe her success and confidence\u2014has allowed them to take over Ceremonials <\/em>in the best possible way.<\/p>\n Everything has come together here to put together a disc that is full of passion, strength, talent, and beauty. Ceremonials <\/em>is an ideal combination of everything that should be used to create music.<\/p>\n -Chesley Ryder<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Class Actress<\/strong><\/p>\n Rapprocher<\/em><\/p>\n (Carpark)<\/p>\n 2\/5<\/p>\n The second album from Brooklyn-based trio Class Actress is a synth-pop disc with mid-to-late-\u201880s pop stylings.<\/p>\n Class Actress are heavily influenced by Madonna and Depeche Mode, which becomes disarmingly evident on this album. Unfortunately, those influences add up to a disc that just isn\u2019t very effective.<\/p>\n Much like the artists who inspire Class Actress, the band has created an album that has a couple of good singles, but lacks concrete direction, which it needs.<\/p>\n \u201cKeep You\u201d is like getting strip-searched by a wolf-hide-wearing fantasy disco woman; it\u2019s a sexy dance tune. But the rest of the album just drops off: it goes from wolf-hide woman to a waiter giving you mildly suggestive advances. It\u2019s kind of depressing: you\u2019re not really sure if she just wants a better tip.<\/p>\n \u201cHangin\u2019 On\u201d is also pretty swag, but where is my wolf woman? Where, Class Actress, is my wolf woman?<\/p>\n -Adam Price<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Justin Bieber<\/strong><\/p>\n Under the Mistletoe<\/em><\/p>\n (Island)<\/p>\n 5\/5<\/p>\n Forget Christmas: this year I\u2019m celebrating Biebermas!<\/p>\n Is that sacrilegious? Probably, but who cares? Not the 13-year-old girls rushing out to buy this album so they can memorize every word in hopes that one day at one of his concerts Justin will see them out in the crowd and notice how perfectly they sing along and then he pulls them up on stage and is all like, \u201cGirl, you sing like an angel, let\u2019s get married,\u201d and I\u2019m all like, \u201cOkay!\u201d Wait\u2026 what?<\/p>\n So, the clock\u2019s ticking and I\u2019ve failed to mention anything about the actual music on Under the Mistletoe,<\/em> but here\u2019s the thing: this really isn\u2019t about the music. It\u2019s about the true meaning of Christmas, which is making cold hard cash. Which is what Justin Bieber does best.<\/p>\n So this one\u2019s a success. Happy holidays, everyone! It\u2019s never too early to start buying!<\/p>\n -Clorisa Simpson<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/Cover19.jpg\" "\\"Cover19\\"")
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