New Singles: Rihanna Scores, Bieber Falls
The record labels are pushing out stuff fast and furious for the holidays.  Here’s other high-profile music hitting stores.

One ‘Hell’ of a Good Story
If you’ve never worked in a store, though, then read “Retail Hell” by Freeman Hall and get ready to laugh through your new education.

Making Great Use of Her ‘Lungs’
When I listened to Florence and the Machine’s debut, “Lungs,” I was quite excited by what I heard throughout much of the album. 

Matthew Shepard’s Powerful Story
Author Judy Shepard tells the story of her son, his life and his death, and the trial of the men who beat Matt and left him for dead because he was gay.

And ‘Now’ for Something Different...
Both releases offer dance reworkings of tracks that have seen chart success, with “Club Hits” focusing more squarely on U.S. popular artists and songs, while the “Dance Imports” entry spends more time on tracks that had bigger overseas success.

Mariah Carey’s Latest ‘Imperfect,’ but Solid
One would think she’s lost it all, but the new album, “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel,” dispels that relatively quickly.

Can’t Go Wrong With This ‘Pursuit’
In the new book “Dogged Pursuit” by Robert Rodi, you’ll read about one man’s leap into a growing sport, and what it taught him about himself and his dog.

Houston’s New ‘Look’ Holds Its Own
All this, of course, is nonsense for someone like myself, who only has to concern himself with the 11 tracks that make up “I Look to You,” her first studio album in years. And unfortunately, the news is not good.

Griffin’s Closet a Bit Too Cluttered
Read the new book “Merv Griffin: A Life in the Closet” by Darwin Porter, and you’ll get an eyeful. Just remember – you’ve been warned.

Guetta Shows Dance Fans Some ‘Love’
David Guetta, on his third outing with “One Love,” takes the ultimate step, and does quite well putting it all together.

‘Beauty’ Easily Found in this Read
Do you ever wish someone had a magic wand and would – poof! – make you look like a model? In the new book “B as in Beauty” by Alberto Ferreras, a young woman wants exactly that, but she has other lessons to learn first.

Cascada has Mastered the ‘Dancefloor’
The prolific Cascada, made up of singer Natalie Horler and producers Manian and Yanou, is back again, this time with “Evacuate the Dancefloor,” the group's third LP released on the Robbins Entertainment label. This is a much more eclectic set of songs; this is an album that elevates the group to a new level.

Great New Summer Books to Enjoy
This summer, don’t you think it’s a good idea to take a break, even if it’s just in your mind?

This Book ‘Scream’s for Your Time
You can click your heels together all you want, but can you ever really go home again?

Singling Out Great New Songs
Late summer is traditionally a slower time for music, but there’s some new singles, released recently, that are worth your attention.