Unfortunately, my cup's turning out to be half empty rather than half full on Dawn Richard. Two very good singles, both on my list; but even on those two, the comic exuberance that was jumping and twirling and twisting — spinning — shouting — all through Danity Kane is only occasionally let out on work-release, no more than several seconds at a time, heavily supervised. As for the rest, Dawn, like Western Europe, has bought into the austerity scam. Compare to E.via, who, when she goes artsy, manages to be as unpredictable and eccentric as ever, playing around in moods, skits, and interludes. And for Danity-style opéra bouffe, I'd send you to 4minute's "Volume Up" rather than to Dawn. Too bad, since Dawn's got an awesome voice. Wish a Shinsadong Tiger would take her by the hand and say, "Look, the world's got an excess of hard-style r&b toughies and their grimly 'sexual' dancing. Let's reintroduce you to the jugglers, lovers, and thieves."

Maybe the album, due in two weeks, will turn me around.