All the musicians featured in this week’s Let it Rock have been on the music scene for quite a while. They’re not newcomers in the least bit, which means their fans are sure to have some strong opinions about their newest albums. (Duh, don’t music lovers always have strong opinions about their favorites?) It’s also the chance for the artists to get some new fans that might have never heard them. You know, those youngsters.

But the most important thing is….Kelly Clarkson is back!! OMFG! Wahooo!

And also her American Idol co-star Taylor Hicks. But I didn’t review his new album this week because, this week, Kelly is the only American Idol who matters.

Kelly Clarkson- All I Ever Wanted

I was a pretty big fan of Kelly Clarkson from the start. I loved her on American Idol and was thrilled that she separated herself from the show and became a complete star in her own right. I was pretty disappointed when I heard how awful her album was last year and didn’t really fall in love with the first single “My Life Would Suck Without You” from her new album, All I Ever Wanted. I just wasn’t feeling it and wasn’t too psyched for the album as a whole. But then I listened to the rest of it and realized I couldn’t stop listening. It is amazingly awesome! The album is the perfect mix of slow “Because of You” type ballads and fun “Since U Been Gone” pop songs. While she’s still distinctly Kelly, I heard traces of Leona Lewis in “Already Gone” and even Carrie Underwood in “Ready” and “All I Ever Wanted,” showing that Americans truly know what they want in an idol: a huge vocal range and lots of fun. Katy Perry and American Idol judge Kara Dioguardi teamed up to write “I Do Not Hook Up,” which isn’t my favorite song on the album, but I can definitely see the younger kids singing along. “I Want You” brings a bit of a Duffy’s bouncy touch to the album and shows Kelly’s wide range of versatility. Kelly is most definitely back on her game and I’m pretty sure this album is going to be huge.

Chris Cornell- Scream

I’ve heard the name Chris Cornell being thrown around quite a bit over the years, but have never taken the time to listen to him. So while I can’t compare his new album, Scream, to his previous works, I can say I’m completely in love with it. But in looking at other reviews, I see that his older fans aren’t thrilled with this new album, which made me wonder how I would feel about the old Chris. When I learned he used to be the frontman for Soundgarden (seriously, I don’t know where I’ve been that I didn’t know this), I saw how different Scream sounds from Chris’s Soundgarden days. I enjoy the album because each song blends into the next perfectly and Cornell’s voice is still the same as it’s always been. Scream is the ideal album to listen to while you’re doing absolutely anything. The lyrics aren’t anything to write home about and I probably wouldn’t just sit and listen to the album, but I think having it on in the background while I worked, actually made me more productive. The album was also produced by Timbaland, which makes it exponentially cooler in my book. My favorite tracks on the new album are “Never Far Away” and the title track “Scream.” So I think the album is a go, but check back with me in a few weeks after I start listening to Chris Cornell’s other stuff and find I prefer that. In any event, Scream helped Cornell get at least one new fan: me.

New Found Glory- Not Without a Fight

While I used to be a punk fan back in my junior high and high school days, I think those times have mostly passed. So it took me a lot to get into New Found Glory’s new album, Not Without a Fight. They definitely sound more grown up than many of the other punk groups, which makes sense since they are in fact older. I think my problem with New Found Glory is that I find myself having to listen to their albums over and over before I can tell one song from another. On the same token, I like that they never succumb to the pop-like, cheesy lyrics some punk bands are into. In a way, you could say New Found Glory absolutely refuses to “sell out,” which I truly respect. I enjoy “I’ll Never Love Again” because it sets itself apart from the other songs with a bit of “yelling” that really fits in. “Don’t Let Her Pull You Down” is another standout for me with its lyrics, “It’s time that I rain on your parade/Watch as all your hopes explode/To landmines/You ask for help but people turn away.” You’re sure to like “Tangled Up,” once you hear that it features vocals from Paramore’s Haley Williams, but the problem is her part is so subtle, you can barely hear her. While I’ll probably never be a huge New Found Glory fan, I definitely understand why their fans are so loyal and why with their sixth studio album, they’re still going strong.

If you pay attention to music news at all, then I’m pretty sure you’ve got one thing on your mind: U2. Of course, U2’s new album is what everyone and their brother is talking about this week and for good reason.

But don’t let the boys from back in the day completely overshadow the rest of the fabulous music being released this week. If you miss out on Neko Case’s new album, you’re likely going to regret it. And give newcomer Molly Jenson a listen to as well. While new releases from the classic groups are always super exciting, there’s a lot of fabulous new music out there.

U2- No Line on the Horizon

It’s U2’s 11th album and because 11 is my lucky number, I had to review it. Well OK, and because it’s U2 and they haven’t had an album in 5 years. But judging from the tracks on No Line on the Horizon, it was worth the wait; and most long-time U2 fans should be pretty happy with how it turned out. I admit I’m not the hugest U2 fan; I’ve always enjoyed their music, but haven’t been waiting too anxiously to hear their new stuff. So I’m actually kind of surprised that I have been enjoying it as much as I have. I love that Bono’s voice is always so familiar even when he’s singing in different styles, like he seems to do on this album. In one of my favorite songs, “Breathe,” the band sounds a bit more rock ‘n’ roll-y than usual and the lyrics are amazing: “We are people borne of sound/The songs are in our eyes…Sing your heart out, sing my heart out/I’ve found grace inside a sound.” Chances are, you’ll know what he’s talking about and will find grace inside this album. I’m also enjoying the somewhat quieter “White as Snow” and the fun pop-ish “Stand Up Comedy.” As Bono and the boys sing in “Unknown Caller,” “Shout for joy if you get the chance.” Most of us will be shouting for joy that U2 is finally back. And better than ever!

Neko Case- Middle Cyclone

I’ve heard so, so much about Neko Case but it took me a long while to pay her a listen (in fact, I’m ashamed to admit that for a while, I just assumed Neko was a man). But now I’m incredibly happy I jumpd on the Neko Case bandwagon. Her newest album, Middle Cyclone, is enough to make me want to listen to all the rest. One of my favorite tracks on the album is the somewhat short “The Next Time You Say Forever” because it’s fun to hear such a seemingly sweet singer sing lyrics like: “The next time you say forever/I will punch you in your face/Just because you don’t believe it/Doesn’t mean I didn’t mean it.” Other standouts on the album include “Magpie to the Morning” and “I’m an Animal,” but honestly, the more I listen to the album, the more I fall in love with each song. At first I thought I had a bad copy of the album as my last song just sounded like crickets. 30 minutes of crickets chirping, in fact. But after I did some research, I discovered this was exactly how she meant the album to end. So maybe Neko is a little bit random, but I can handle that. Her voice is incredibly beautiful and her lyrics are powerful enough that she can end her album with crickets if she desires. I’m off to listen to Neko’s previous albums in hopes that I enjoy them half as much as Middle Cyclone.

Molly Jenson- Maybe Tomorrow

Molly Jenson is a quiet, effortless singer. You know the kind. Her voice is incredibly easy to listen to. Maybe Tomorrow was my first time listening to Molly and I can see why Greg Laswell was so eager to work with her. I find the album’s first single to be a little bit boring and generic; but I’m a big fan of the title track. It really showcases her voice, which actually reminds me a bit of Tristan Prettyman, who also sings about similar topics of love and heartbreak. The last song on the album, “Wait For You Here” is filled with a quiet emotion: “I won’t blame you if you can’t find your way/ I will wait for you here/If you don’t get here till the end of the day/Still I’ll wait for you here.” There are some religious undertones in Molly’s music, but it’s not classified as Christian music and it’s definitely meant to be listened to by anyone. I hope Maybe Tomorrow helps bring Molly Jenson into the mainstream, but I’m not positive as to how she’s going to break out. She might have to wait until her next album. Maybe tomorrow.

[Photos courtesy of AuntSmack4U on Flickr, and Amazon.com]

Since their debut on the scene in 1994, reviews of Weezer’s subsequent albums have paled in comparison. Fans, myself included, have stood by the band as Pinkerton, The Green Album, Maladroit and Make Believe saw occasional commercial success with pop-like singles but nothing lasting.

But we held out. We found and embraced the good stuff (Pinkerton’s been in my heavy rotation since high school) where snooty reviewers and the general public saw weak pet projects. And now, for Weezer and music fans alike, the long wait may be over.

A few days ago, the band released their 6th disc, (a third self-titled album dubbed The Red Album), and early reviews of the album are positive. I’m crossing my fingers and hoping Weezer may finally get the respect they deserve.

One telling lyric says it best, “Timbaland knows the way to reach the top of the charts/Maybe if I work with him I can perfect the art.” It didn’t take production mastermind Timbaland, just a return to the riffs, attitude and fun that made Weezer famous. In the same vein, the video for Pork And Beans celebrates YouTube superstars with a veritable galaxy of accidental celebrities. Perfect, for the band’s return to critical and hopefully commercial success.

Before diving in to the new disc, take some time to embrace how far these fellas have come. I put together a playlist of some of my favorite Weezer tracks and you can listen to it online. I promise you’ll be a believer in 40 minutes or less.

Is anyone else out there a long-time Weezer fan? Or do you have experience following a band religiously despite sour albums, or bad press (I’m talking to you Guns N Roses fans)? And is anyone else excited to to purchase the Weezer album and the new one from Journey today…not that I am…I’m just wondering if you are…oh gosh nevermind.

“I would rather set my hair on fire than read this book again.”

“Saying this is the best book I’ve ever read doesn’t do it justice.”

Got an opinion? Like to read books? Then head over to Goodreads, the best site out there that you may not know about.

Goodreads is the ultimate winner: a user-motivated review site that’s also a social network. If you love to read (or have to for class, as the case may be), rate the books you go through and post reviews.

If you want to protect everyone out there from the heinous piece of trash your English prof is calling “literature,” call it out on Goodreads and tell other people to stay the hell away from it. If you think everyone on Earth should read your favorite book, find it on the site and write a review that will move even the soundest skeptic to sob with longing.

You can search the site for specific books, see what others thought of them, and get book recommendations from friends. If you’re a writer, you can also post excerpts from your writing and read snippets of others’ work.

If that’s not enough for you, the site also allows you to create a profile, form or join groups based on a common hobby or favorite type of book, and craft lists of books you’ve already read and would like to read in the future.

Starting an account is easy and free, so do yourself a favor and sign up for one now.

Remember what your kindergarten teacher told you: “A book is a present you can open again and again.”