Billboard single reviews: Linkin Park, Clarkson

SINGLE: WHAT I'VE DONE

NEW YORK (Billboard) - If "What I've Done" is any indication, Linkin Park's new album "Minutes to Midnight" will be another hit-filled juggernaut in the vein of previous sets "Hybrid Theory" and "Meteora." The genius of this track is that it packs a wallop even as it backs off from the heavily produced style of Linkin Park's catalog -- minimalism is the key. Piano and programmed drums trade off as the song's focal point, nimbly skipping about. Brad Delson lets his guitar flare only when necessary at the chorus and bridge, while Chester Bennington holds screams in check.

ARTIST: KELLY CLARKSON

SINGLE: NEVER AGAIN

Pop's ruling queen Kelly Clarkson marks her anticipated return with rough-and-ready anthem "Never Again," the first single from upcoming third opus "My December." As with 2004-2005 staple "Since U Been Gone," America's sweetheart is mightily pissed off: "I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green/I hope when you're in bed with her you think of me." Lip-curling guitars and percussion lurch and lunge alongside Clarkson's uptempo rant, with multiple vocal layers and background echoes adding to the emotional torrent.

ARTIST: THE BRAVERY

SINGLE: TIME WON'T LET ME GO

The Bravery's first single from forthcoming sophomore album "The Sun and the Moon" finds the New York-based quintet ironing out dance-rock creases and embracing a simpler downtempo sound. Frontman Sam Endicott wistfully sings of life's regrets and missed opportunities as his throaty vocals soar and crack between synth-infused guitar riffs. While demonstrating maturity, the song lacks the same gusto and innovation prevalent on 2005's self-titled debut, which earned the Bravery comparisons to Island labelmates the Killers. Nonetheless, with indie-pop flavor and a high-school-anthem vibe "Time" will find a home at modern rock radio.

ARTIST: ALANIS MORISSETTE

SINGLE: MY HUMPS

Alanis Morissette's reworking of the ubiquitous Black Eyed Peas hit is an Internet sensation thanks to a hysterical video she shot on the fly. Decked out in hottie attire, she shakes her junk with a barely concealed smile as she vamps with a pack of Blues Brothers-esque playas. The music for "My Humps" is completely reconstructed, so you don't know what you're in for until you catch the lyric. Morissette's piercing voice gives drivel like "What chu gonna do with all that breast inside that shirt?" a faux depth you never thought possible. We wondered what the Recording Academy was thinking when the Black Eyed Peas won a Grammy Award for this song, so Alanis, thank u for doling out a little justice.

ARTIST: RIHANNA

SINGLE: UMBRELLA

Rihanna's move to the center with 2004 smash "S.O.S." was a shrewd move in advancing her authority as a mainstream hitmaker. With R&B/new wave groove "Umbrella," she is again poised to soak the pop and urban charts. With a chorus that recalls Ashlee Simpson's "L.O.V.E.," a synthy chord that snakes over high-hat drums and lyric of teenage adoration, Rihanna dares listeners to keep the hook out of their heads. This first single from upcoming third album "Good Girl Gone Bad" is just the beginning of summertime domination from the 19-year-old Cover Girl, whose "Umbrella" will be pervasive along beaches and a prime companion to convertible road trips. An accompanying mix featuring a disruptive rap from Jay-Z does nothing but demonstrate how dated his ubiquitous presence has become; trust in the original.

ARTIST: SHAWN MULLINS

SINGLE: FIND LOVE

Having one signature hit is a blessing and a curse: "You made it! Now work without end to repeat." Shawn Mullins, who catapulted "Lullaby (Rockaby)" to The Billboard Hot 100 top 10 in 1999, found modest success last year with "Beautiful Wreck," spawning promise for upcoming album "9th World Pickin' Parlor." "Find Love" is a more likely bid for his mainstream second shot, which skillfully nods to the Chris Isaak or Roy Orbison songbooks, showcasing savory acoustic guitars and a steam engine midtempo beat.

Reuters/Billboard