Credit: Ben Breier

While there were fewer movie-goers over the summer, CD sales remained steady, boosted by some strong releases from artists.

There were many hits and misses over the summer, but I chose a few to help you decide the right music for every mood to take into the fall with you.

Coldplay — X&Y

(★★★★ , Capitol)

Coldplay’s label scored big with original fans and picked up some doubters when they released X&Y. The band maintains its ballad-like song intros that calm the listener, but spontaneously bursts into vocals and beats that make a person’s heart melt. Coldplay writes lyrics that fit life’s situations and code them enough that you need to listen to hear them. Suggested days to listen to this CD are: rainy, mellow, brokenhearted, and for R&R.

Staind — Chapter V

(★★★, Elektra)

The guitarist, Mushok, pulls you in, and the vocals keep you there. Chapter V, unlike past Staind CDs, appeals to listeners of every genre. Each song contains a different feeling and emotion, heard through sensitive ballads such as “Everthing Changes” and head thrashing angry songs like “Paper Jesus.” Chapter V is more accessible than past Staind albums and worth the time taken to listen to it.

Marques Houston — Naked

(★ , Universal)

Sex, sex, sex. I am pretty sure that is all that can be interpreted from this CD. Naked can easily be compared to Usher’s Confessions, minus all the positive hype. The lyrics are graphic and unnecessary, but Houston tries to hide them with beautiful R&B vocals and beats. It is evident that the singer has real talent, but Naked is a terrible showcase of it.

Fall Out Boy — From Under the Cork Tree

(★★★★ , Island)

The upbeat sounds of Fall Out Boy kept listeners tapping their feet all summer. The lyrics and song titles are amusing and loaded with hidden meaning. From Under the Cork Tree can be listened to repeatedly without becoming stale. From a musical standpoint, the band is lacking, but that is overlooked due to Fall Out Boy’s clever use of background music and strong vocals. Definitely the best rock album of the summer.

Natasha Bedingfield — Unwritten

(★ ★★★ , Sony)

Daniel Bedingfield should be proud of his sister’s breakout CD. Natasha’s voice is Fiona Apple meets Nelly Furtado. Her beats are heartfelt and fun for everyone. She uses lyrics to show who she really is, and provides great emotion and strength of character throughout them. The instrumentals are truly beautiful and give a pop/blues feel. Songs to pay close attention to are “I Bruise Easily” and “Wild Horses.”

Foo Fighters — In Your Honor

(★ ★★★, RCA)

Listening to this CD makes one wonder why Dave Grohl sat behind the drums for Nirvana, wasting away his voice. This double-disc features 20 songs, ranging from soft grunge sounds to the traditional Foo Fighters rasp. Their single “Best of You” gives a good idea of the mix of the two CDs.

Black Eyed Peas — Monkey Business

(★ ★, A&M)

Ever since the strong vocal addition of Fergie, the Black Eyed Peas have been nothing but successful. The hooks are catchy, the beats are dance worthy and the lyrics are positive and meaningful. Monkey Business proves that not everything has to do with sex, drugs and violence. It is a good CD for in the club or in the car. Songs that make you move are: “Bebot,” “Dum Diddly” and “Disco Club.”

Contact ALL correspondent Tiffany Strong at [email protected].