Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 28 CD

The idea behind the popular NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC! series is to boil down the hottest tracks of any given season into one highly pleasurable disc. Top 40 addicts looking to recharge their batteries need look no further than this latest installment, which, as of early summer 2008, was VOL. 28. Comprising mainstream dance-pop (Leona Lewis's "Spirit"), contemporary R&B (Chris Brown's "With You"), easygoing California folk-pop (Colbie Caillat's "Realize"), indie rock (Metro Station's "Shake It"), and modern country (Taylor Swift's "Our Song"), among other styles and artists, this compilation is a fun, convenient sampler of the state of pop in 2008. ÿ
One of the more diverse and stylistically balanced Now compilations of the last few years, the 28th volume, released roughly three months after the 27th, features major and marginal hits that technically date back as far as 2005 (Flyleaf's "All Around Me," which obviously took some time to take off) and in some cases reflect the upper reaches of the Billboard Hot 100 the day the disc was released: Lil Wayne's "Lollipop," Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love," Natasha Bedingfield's "Pocketful of Sunshine," and Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown's "No Air" were still riding high, while Metro Station's horrid new wave retreat "Shake It" and Colbie Caillat's wispy "Realize" were still in the ascent. And while it went to the top of the dance chart, Britney Spears' "Break the Ice" is the token oddball pick, given that it didn't break the Top 60 of the Hot 100. ~ Andy Kellman