Artist: Puscifer

Album: “V is for Vagina”

Release: Oct. 30, 2007

Label: Puscifer Entertainment

Availability: CD, iTunes

Puscifer is the newest project of Tool and A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan. Created as a solo forum for him to present his self-described “misfit ideas,” the sound on the project’s first full-length album is an unabashed expression of his ethos.

Keenan’s most important belief underscoring this record is his statement that people don’t listen to music anymore – it just serves as a soundtrack to something else. Taking this to heart, the record is very unobtrusive and easily listened to. The samples and quiet, eerie sounds of the earliest industrial bands spar with the simple rhythms and easy-paced tempos of lounge music. Keenan’s vocals and a few buzzing guitars flesh it out. The songs are simply structured – with no verses or instrumental interludes, this makes for good background music.

But while Puscifer’s music isn’t heavy, it is dark. Keenan’s musings touch on guns, sex, control and temptation – and he gets into stranger territory, too. All the depth of Keenan’s earlier projects is here if you want it. If you don’t, well, you’ll probably enjoy this anyway.

&#8212 Bill Cleary

Artist: Avenged Sevenfold

Album: “Avenged Sevenfold”

Release: Oct. 30, 2007

Label: Warner Bros. Records

Availability: CD, iTunes, Ruckus

Avenged Sevenfold is out to seize another day with its new self-titled and self-promoted album. Continuing from the last album, “City of Evil,” the band strays from the scream styles that were also rather limited in “City.”

The genre here is mostly nu-metal with the sounds of acoustic guitar, piano and some strings in various song placements. Frontman M. Shadows has said the band has listened to everything from Toby Keith to T.I. to see what they can incorporate. The previously released singles “Critical Acclaim” and “Almost Easy” keep that dexy feeling in high spirit. “A Little Piece of Heaven” brings in some Eastern European sounds while the final song, “Dear God,” brings a cache country mix to the album and closes it with a pleasing and savvy ending with a guitar duel that can be reminiscent of “Freebird” and even “Hotel California.”

The album is not as long as previous ones, coming in at 53 minutes with 10 songs. Most tracks are also not as long as in previous albums. Avenged Sevenfold brings forth some new ideas with its music here and lets each song have a slightly different undertone.

&#8212 Anthony Capps

Artist: Britney Spears

Album: “Blackout”

Release: Oct. 30, 2007

Label: Jive Records

Availability: CD, iTunes, Ruckus

“Blackout,” Britney Spears’ first album in four years, has been released prompting the question: Can she make a comeback? She’s had a lot of bad publicity in the past few years – she shaved her head out of boredom, was photographed getting out of a vehicle without underwear and lost custody of her children to the ever-popular Kevin Federline. Her comeback performance at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards was an unrehearsed catastrophe. With all the negative attention, can she defy the odds and put out a decent album? The answer is yes.

While Spears is in no way responsible for the infectious beat behind her current single “Gimme More,” it is an undeniably catchy song. In fact, Spears is hardly responsible for the contagiousness that “Blackout” has to offer, as she half-sings through the album, giving about as much effort as she did for her VMA performance. The beats undoubtedly carry this album.

Sure, “Blackout” is no masterpiece, but it’s doubtful Spears intended it to be one. Rather, it is a danceable, club-ready album. Not everyone will like it, but for the doubters out there, I advise you to put your dispositions behind you and get ready to move.

&#8212 Patrick Crowley