Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato pulls ahead of the Disney pack on album two, a collection she says she wanted to be John Mayer-esque but which is still (thankfully) plenty steeped in the Jonas-y punk-pop of her debut. Frankly, the Mayer material (like "World of Chances," which he co-wrote) is the least compelling. But this young singer has the dexterity to make anything sound good, particularly the sweet, youthful ballad "Catch Me" and intense pop-rockers like "Stop the World." Since she seems to be using her albums to explore her influences, may we recommend Kelly Clarkson or the Veronicas next time?