Macy Gray's 'Sellout' a real beauty

Singer Macy Gray attends the Macy Gray concert benefiting Origins Global Earth Initiatives at Webster Hall in Manhattan. (April 19, 2010) Credit: Getty Images
MACY GRAY
"The Sellout"
THE GRADE A-
BOTTOM LINE Building her own brand of popular music
Instead of chasing pop hits to reignite her career, Macy Gray decided to fill “The Sellout” (Concord) with music that she liked. She probably won’t be alone in appreciating this collection of upbeat, uptempo, soul-tinged pop numbers.
The first single “Beauty in the World” is a straight-up pop anthem, a foot-stomping, hand-clapping sing-along about blue skies and sweet music. “Kissed It” is a stadium-rocker, while “That Man” twists an Amy Winehouse retro-soul vibe around some clever lyrics. It’s all so well-crafted that Gray should be converting “The Sellout” into sold-out shows in no time.
"The Sellout" is streaming in its entirety here