CD reviews: The-Dream; Marianne Faithfull

The-Dream, "Love vs. Money" (Def Jam)

The self-proclaimed "radio killa" and "R&B gorilla" writer/producer behind Rihanna's "Umbrella" and Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" takes to his second CD with sex on his mind and a bizarre sense of melody and rhythm at his fingertips. There are bolts of dissonance in his beats and multilayered operas and grouchiness in his funny, often loving lyrics. Take "Fancy" and its lengthy stretch of jazzy, soul chords, or "Sweat It Out" and its daffy look at sartorial sensuality. The whole thing's a cluttered, goofy mess of a collage. That's a great thing. For someone as smoothly professional as The-Dream, in a genre (hip-hop soul) so in need of drama, making distinctively jazzy mash-up vocal R&B that manages to sound commercial and weird is no small feat. Getting divas Mariah Carey ("My Love") and Kanye West ("Walkin' on the Moon") to help him in that quest is even better. The best moment is during "Kelly's 12 Play," during which The-Dream out-odds R. Kelly while giving him a run for his money in the rhythm 'n' bliss department.

A.D. AMOROSI, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

Marianne Faithfull, "Easy Come, Easy Go" (Decca)

The queen of torch songs for the damaged soul reteams with producer Hal Willner for another beautifully haunting tour of a landscape littered with the detritus of shredded hearts. Willner creates an otherworldly setting blending sighing wah-wah guitar with sweetly sad clarinets, a gently plucked upright bass providing the only hint that there's a pulse still beating below the devastated surface. The album is subtitled "12 Songs for Music Lovers," and they stretch across much of the 20th century, from the bordello blues of Bessie Smith's title tune forward to Neko Case's "Hold On, Hold On" and Morrissey's "Dear God Please Help Me." Rufus Wainwright turns up to help out with Espers' "Children of Stone," while Antony Hegarty is Faithfull's partner for what has to be the most melancholy version ever of Smokey Robinson's "Ooh Baby Baby." This set is intriguingly bookended with songs from two of country's greatest songwriters, opening with Dolly Parton's "Down From Dover," a tale of romantic betrayal, and ending with Merle Haggard's death-row classic "Sing Me Back Home." Keith Richards joins in on the latter, an appropriate guest spot for the woman whose gloriously ragged voice sounds like the battle-scarred Stones guitarist looks.