Jessica Simpson Public Affair CD

With 2006's A PUBLIC AFFAIR, Jessica Simpson's first major studio release since her divorce from Nick Lachey, the singer/actress parlays her newfound single-superstar status into an energetic dance-oriented album. Clearly feeling a sense of liberation, the Texas-born performer evokes the carefree spirit of Madonna's "Holiday" on the funky, club-ready title track, while "B.O.Y." makes the most of a brief Cars sample to create a slinky synth-pop number. In addition to a lively cover of Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)," A PUBLIC AFFAIR includes the similarly 1980s-inspired "If You Were Mine," and even many of the disc's quieter moments (see "The Lover in Me") feature a beat-driven groove backing Simpson's emotive vocals. Opting for a sophisticated, night-on-the-town aesthetic over a more blatantly sexual look, Simpson stays true to her amiable model-next-door image, resulting in a highly entertaining set that has more in common with Kylie Minogue than Britney Spears.

There are basically two ways to deal with a divorce in pop music: dig deep into your soul and pour it all out on the page (à la Blood on the Tracks), or treat it as sheer liberation (à la Back in the High Life). Perhaps it's only appropriate that the dissolution of the Jessica Simpson/Nick Lachey marriage -- one of the biggest tabloid stories of the 2000s, or at least 2006 -- produced two wildly different records that nevertheless follow these blueprints to a tee. First, Nick delivered the mopey What's Left of Me, whose title pretty much gives away the game; he paints himself as the man wronged, unaware that he's coming across a bit like a simpering cuckold but clearly aware that he's placing all the blame on Jessica's shoulders, and even if she doesn't explicitly embrace that burden on her post-divorce platter, A Public Affair -- whose title also nods at the hysterical gossip surrounding their separation -- its devil-may-care vibe suggests that everything that's been said about her is indeed true. At the very least, she's put her marriage far, far behind her -- according to the liner notes, some sister-bonding with Ashlee, where they cried and listened to Patty Griffin, did the trick (if only they were watching Kathy Griffin instead!) -- and is out to have nothing but a good time. And that's what A Public Affair is: a party record, pure and simple. A full eight songs are finished by the time Jessica switches the tempo down a notch or two, and even then it's only for a few songs; of the 13 songs here, t

Additional Tracks

Recording information: Battery Studios, New York, NY; Bliss Recordings, Hollywood, CA; Conway Studios, Hollywood, CA; Flyte Tyme Studios, Santa Monica, CA; Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Homesite 13 Studios, Novato, CA; Mayfair Recording Studios, London, England; Skyline Studios, New York, NY; Sony Music Studios, New York, NY; The Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, FL; The Pool House, Long Island, NY; The Village Recorders, Los Angeles, CA; Westlake Studios, Hollywood, CA.

Photographer: Brett Ratner.

Arranger: Lester Mendez.

Personnel: Jessica Simpson (vocals); Greg Kurstin (guitar, keyboards, programming); Justin King , David Levita, David E. Williams (guitar); David Andrew Mann, David Mann (tenor saxophone); Barry Danielian (trumpet); Ozzie Melendez (trombone); Lester Mendez (piano, Moog synthesizer); Louis Biancaniello (keyboards, programming); Corey Rooney (keyboards, drum programming); Dan Shea, Magnus Beite, Espen Lind, Jimmy Jam, Jimmy Wright (keyboards); Jerry Brown , Gary Novak, Vince Cherico (drums); Rafael Padilla (percussion); Sharlotte Gibson, Ravaughn Brown, Makeba Riddick, Chris August, Cacee Cobb, Dorian Holly, Tony Tolbert, Nikki Harris, Sherree Ford Brown (background vocals); Lyle Workman, Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar); Abe Laboriel, Jr. (drums); Siedah Garrett, Tamyra Gray (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Matt Marrin; Sam Watters; Dave Pensado; Ian Cross; Joe Zook; Louis Biancaniello; Phil Tan; Serban GQ (p.116) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[O]nly the sternest of hearts could not jig a little to A PUBLIC AFFAIRS's title track: so shiny, so brassy and so smart to sample Madonna..."