Mandy Moore
Album: Amanda Leigh (Storefront)
In stores: Today
Why we care: I was going to ignore the new Mandy Moore album, but my colleague Steph Hayes is a big fan of the minor-league Britney. So I asked her why bother? “She’s funny, sweet and doesn’t dress like a $3 prostitute. She’s gorgeous, but has a real body with arms that aren’t the size of Red Vines.” Oh Steph, you had me at “prostitute.”
Why we like it: A few years ago, Moore was stuck in Class A Fluffville. But the 25-year-old, whose voice is stronger, sweeter without polish, dropped the pop and married space-case y'alt boy Ryan Adams. Mandy has since switched sounds a few times, now opting for a deceptively jaunty, woozy Elton-John-in-the-’70s vibe. The keyboards are glammy, the harmonies soar -- and she credits Todd Rundgren for being a groovy guiding light. 
Reminds us of: Mandy and the Jets
Download this: I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week 
Grade: B