Jordin Sparks - 'Battlefield'

With looser curls and a little more attitude, Jordin Sparks shows fans she is all grown up. The 19-year-old “American Idol” winner keeps in the spirit of the show with “Battlefield,” (Jive) a poppish release that displays clear progress in her vocal prowess.   Discussing love, heartbreak, motivation and more, Sparks crams many emotions into this  collection of ballads, midtempo hits and party tracks.   The maturing vocalist is at her best on “Watch You Go” and “Don’t Let It Go to Your Head.”  “Emergency (911)” finds Sparks demanding her boyfriend’s presence over an intense beat. “S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)” delivers hurried musical boldness amid an attack of synthesizers and other overemphasized sounds. It’s harder to hear Sparks’ voice, but the song will be great for radio.   Sparks delivers more sultriness and sass on this sophomore project but doesn’t stray far enough to lose die-hard fans. Instead, she takes just enough steps forward to capture new ones.

– DeAnne M. Bradley

Tracks to download  “Don’t Let It Go To Your Head,” “S.O.S. (Let The Music Play),” “Watch You Go”

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.