Tell me what we're gonna do now - everybody's gonna dance tonight

As promised earlier, I'm here to give my initial impressions of the albums I bought today.

Memory Almost Full by Paul McCartney: This is my first solo Paul album, and the only Paul I own other than Beatles discs. Therefore, I can really only judge Paul based on his Beatles output. Compared to his sunnier outlook in most of his Beatles songs, Paul is definitely in a darker mood on Memory Almost Full. There are really only a few pure pop songs on here, and the rest are mostly heavy rockers. You won't find me complaining about that!

Some of the songs are really, really catchy, as one can expect. I also love the vocals on this album. Paul can still sing like a champ, even in his mid-sixties. This isn't necessarily the best album to put on if you want a good time, based on the lyrical content. Death, suicide, and illegitimate children are a few of the topics the Cute Beatle sings about on this one. But if you ignore the lyrics, you'll find enough tuneful melodies and rock riffs to keep you on your toes.

My favorite songs so far: "Dance Tonight" and "Ever Present Past," the first two singles; "You Tell Me," "Gratitude," "That Was Me," and, most especially the last three songs ("House Of Wax," "The End Of The End," "Nod Your Head.") House Of Wax, in particular, is an intense and emotional rocker, offering some of Paul's finest and heaviest vocals ever.

Introducing Joss Stone by Joss Stone: I think this is Joss Stone's best album to date. Her voice is as good as ever, and perhaps a little improved with a few years of experience after her debut album. The songs here are, mostly, fresh and upbeat. There were songs like that on her previous two albums, but there were also too many slow, boring ballads that didn't fully take advantage of her powerful voice.

Not ever song on Introducing is a killer, but the majority of the tracks have a youthful energy that is quite infectious. Some of them utilize strings and brass along with guitars, drums and bass, but a couple tracks feature a heavy drumbeat that allows Joss' vocals to breathe and play around the sparse musical backing. That is a definite change from her previous work. The modern hip-hop influences are there for sure, but not as annoying as one would think. These modern touches just add to the freshness of the songs. There are two guest rap vocals by Common and Lauryn Hill. Of the two, Common delivers the better guest spot, except for the curious lyric "I see my mom in you." Say what?

My favorite songs so far: "Headturner," "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now," "Put Your Hands On Me," "Arms Of My Baby," "Baby Baby Baby," "What Were We Thinking." I think "Headturner" should be one of the singles for sure. It's very catchy and will get your toes tapping.