Kelly Clarkson

MIAMI -- Kelly Clarkson talks fast, "fasterthana- speedingbullet" fast. This turns out to be a good thing. Today's Queen of Pop, who performs at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Va., tomorrow, is giving you 15 minutes of her time, hardly long enough to get beyond the butter-'em-up pleasantries and into the hard questions like: "Why did you stop American Idol from using your songs this season?" But Clarkson, personable, polite and poised on her cell phone, multi-tasks well, exhibiting all the youthful, agreeable traits that made her the first and still biggest American Idol.

For some people, the concert news of the day has already run, and no one's gonna top it. They'll read these names below and say, Are any of these guys VAN HALEN ??? Do they wear shiny leather pants and vaguely Middle Eastern scarves and a pinstripe vest and also a belt buckle bigger than Mitt Romney's head? Are they responsible for “RUNNING WITH THE DEVIIIIIIL!!”? Ok, no. For everyone else, here's the other concert news of the day: To raise money for the experimental music festival High Zero, Matmos's Drew Daniel, Dan Deacon and Schwarz will play DJ sets at the H&H Building's 5th Dimension April 27. Leprechaun Catering and  John Berndt's Multiphonic Choir will also perform.

Nearly four years ago, Kelly Clarkson declared herself "Miss Independent" in a hit from Thankful, the 2003 debut released after she became American Idol's inaugural winner. In that time, it seems as if the singer and budding songwriter has absorbed the defiant sentiment of that song. After feuding publicly with RCA President Clive Davis, firing her management and canceling a much-publicized summer tour - all within the past month - the native Texan is distancing herself musically from her shiny pop persona.

Jason Aldean has made a name for himself with down-and-dirty songs like "Hicktown" and "Big Green Tractor" that hark back to old-fashioned country and western. The first single off his last album, a defiant barnstormer called "My Kinda Party," follows that same formula. But the second single, "Don't You Wanna Stay," a duet with "American Idol" star Kelly Clarkson, shows off his softer side. He said it's something he plans to do more, starting with his next single. He'll perform that song and several others that are more up-tempo at his show Saturday at Jiffy Lube Live.

LOS ANGELES -- From what mix of elements does a millennial pop star spring? Consider two imaginary home movies from the adolescence of Kelly Clarkson, blockbuster hit-maker and television Idol. In the first, Clarkson is in her house in Burleson, Texas. There's been a scene at the dinner table. She retreats to her bedroom, crawls onto her bed, puts on headphones and listens to a singer whose voice she describes as "your mother telling you a story." It's Reba McEntire. "Any time there were hard times at my house, for some reason Reba's voice always made me feel peaceful," remembered Clarkson, who recently fulfilled a dream by collaborating with the country music doyenne.

The Irish rock band U2 cemented its position atop the music universe last night as the band swept the 48th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, winning five awards, including album of the year and song of the year. "This is really a big, big night for our band," said lead singer Bono, in a leather jacket and white cowboy hat. "There's always the possibility with rock music that it might just amount to a little more than entertainment, on occasion, and you might be able to communicate some honest feelings."

Kelly Clarkson Promoting her third album, My December, original American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson will bring her emotionally charged vocals to DAR Constitution Hall on Wednesday. Indiana-born pop-rock pianist/vocalist Jon McLaughlin will open for the show. Constitution Hall is at 18th and D streets Northwest, Washington. Tickets are $41.50. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Call 410-547-7328 or go to ticketmaster.com.

The Strokes / Nation One of the biggest acts in rock right now, the Strokes, play the Nation, Half and K streets S.E., Washington, Tuesday at 8. Tickets are $26 and are available through Ticketmaster by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 410-481-SEAT. Trapt / 9:30 Club Come feel the noise as the Winterfresh SnoCone Tour -- featuring Trapt, Smile Empty Soul, Finger Eleven and Strata -- stops at the 9:30 Club, 815 V. St. N.W., Washington, tonight at 7. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit the Web sites www.930.

Considering that the Simple Simon judges on American Idol are so fond of saying "You made it your own," it's startling how anonymous the debut CD feels from season-one winner Kelly Clarkson. Thankful's first single, the R&B-styled stomper "Miss Independent," sounds like the fat removed from Christina Aguilera's meatier "Fighter" - which could well be the case, since Aguilera co-wrote both tunes. In vocal tone and musical flavor, "The Trouble With Love Is" is a Mariah Carey castoff. The bombastic banality "You Thought Wrong" wastes the talents of Clarkson and her guest partner, Idol finalist Tamyra Gray.

Kelly Clarkson Breakaway (RCA) ** Kelly Clarkson, the first American Idol winner, has abundant natural talent, and her second album shows she's learned how to use it outside of the TV spotlight. Breakaway is lighter on the dance tunes than last year's Thankful while still mixing up '80s-style pop-rock, R&B-flavored numbers and sweeping ballads. This time, the Texas-born chanteuse digs deeper emotionally, and the songs - some co-written by her, others co-written by such fellow pop singers as Avril Lavigne and Chantal Kreviazuk - generally fit better with her upbeat, down-to-earth personality.

Kelly Clarkson [RCA Records] ** 1/2 (2 1/2 STARS) Take a good look at Kelly Clarkson's expression on the cheap-looking cover of her fourth CD, All I Ever Wanted, in stores today. Noticeably airbrushed against a Crayola-bright backdrop, the pop superstar looks bored and distant. Clarkson's look seems to say, "OK. Here's the big pop record you wanted. Happy now?" That flippant attitude, unusual for one of the most charming acts of the American Idol machine, permeates the music. Everything about the bombastic, paint-by-number production is so obvious, so lazy, that the CD feels like a rote exercise in pop pandering.

CONCERT Beach House: Baltimore's own Beach House is moving up in indie-pop world, recently garnering national attention and graduating to larger venues (like this week's show at Sonar). Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand boast an ethereal and slightly sleepy sound, so expect an extremely mellow affair. Show starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday. More: sonarbaltimore.com CIRCUS 'KOOZA': Bringing in clowns, acrobats and a 1,600-pound Wheel of Death, Cirque Du Soleil arrives this week to transform a Camden Yards parking lot into an avant-garde circus.

Kelly Clarkson Promoting her third album, My December, original American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson will bring her emotionally charged vocals to DAR Constitution Hall on Wednesday. Indiana-born pop-rock pianist/vocalist Jon McLaughlin will open for the show. Constitution Hall is at 18th and D streets Northwest, Washington. Tickets are $41.50. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Call 410-547-7328 or go to ticketmaster.com.

Nearly four years ago, Kelly Clarkson declared herself "Miss Independent" in a hit from Thankful, the 2003 debut released after she became American Idol's inaugural winner. In that time, it seems as if the singer and budding songwriter has absorbed the defiant sentiment of that song. After feuding publicly with RCA President Clive Davis, firing her management and canceling a much-publicized summer tour - all within the past month - the native Texan is distancing herself musically from her shiny pop persona.

Just announced "The Family Values Tour" -- featuring Korn, Evanescence, Atreyu, Flyleaf, Hellyeah, Trivium, Neurosonic and Droid, Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Va., on July 28. 410-547-SEAT or ticketmaster.com. Kelly Clarkson -- Verizon Center in Washington on Aug. 19. 410-547-SEAT or ticketmaster.com. Counting Crows -- Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen on Aug. 14. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. 410-547-SEAT or ticketmaster.com. The Saw Doctors -- Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis on Aug. 20. 410-268-4545 or ramsheadtavern.

LOS ANGELES -- From what mix of elements does a millennial pop star spring? Consider two imaginary home movies from the adolescence of Kelly Clarkson, blockbuster hit-maker and television Idol. In the first, Clarkson is in her house in Burleson, Texas. There's been a scene at the dinner table. She retreats to her bedroom, crawls onto her bed, puts on headphones and listens to a singer whose voice she describes as "your mother telling you a story." It's Reba McEntire. "Any time there were hard times at my house, for some reason Reba's voice always made me feel peaceful," remembered Clarkson, who recently fulfilled a dream by collaborating with the country music doyenne.

TOP FIVES TOP 40 SINGLES CONTEMPORARY HIT RADIO (TOP 40) 1. Evanescence, "Bring Me to Life" 2. Kelly Clarkson, "Miss Independent" 3. Justin Timberlake, "Rock Your Body" 4. Sean Paul, "Get Busy" 5. R. Kelly, "Ignition" URBAN 1. Monica, "So Gone" 2. 50 Cent, "In Da Club" 3. Fabolous featuring Lil' Mo, "Can't Let You Go" 4. Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey, "I Know What You Want" 5. Bonecrusher, "Never Scared" ROCK 1. Audioslave, "Like A Stone"...

Kelly Clarkson [RCA Records] ** 1/2 (2 1/2 STARS) Take a good look at Kelly Clarkson's expression on the cheap-looking cover of her fourth CD, All I Ever Wanted, in stores today. Noticeably airbrushed against a Crayola-bright backdrop, the pop superstar looks bored and distant. Clarkson's look seems to say, "OK. Here's the big pop record you wanted. Happy now?" That flippant attitude, unusual for one of the most charming acts of the American Idol machine, permeates the music. Everything about the bombastic, paint-by-number production is so obvious, so lazy, that the CD feels like a rote exercise in pop pandering.

MIAMI -- Kelly Clarkson talks fast, "fasterthana- speedingbullet" fast. This turns out to be a good thing. Today's Queen of Pop, who performs at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Va., tomorrow, is giving you 15 minutes of her time, hardly long enough to get beyond the butter-'em-up pleasantries and into the hard questions like: "Why did you stop American Idol from using your songs this season?" But Clarkson, personable, polite and poised on her cell phone, multi-tasks well, exhibiting all the youthful, agreeable traits that made her the first and still biggest American Idol.

The Irish rock band U2 cemented its position atop the music universe last night as the band swept the 48th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, winning five awards, including album of the year and song of the year. "This is really a big, big night for our band," said lead singer Bono, in a leather jacket and white cowboy hat. "There's always the possibility with rock music that it might just amount to a little more than entertainment, on occasion, and you might be able to communicate some honest feelings."