By Jeremy Blacklow

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. --

Every couple of years, the near perfect pop music album comes along.

It’s been a while since we’ve had one – arguably, for this fan at least, the last few came in 2006 with Justin Timberlake’s “FutureSex/LoveSounds,” Nelly Furtado’s “Loose” and Fergie’s “The Dutchess.” Before that, I’d place Pink’s “Missundaztood” (2001), Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love” (2003) and Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway” (2004) in the same category.

And now, Kelly has reclaimed the torch and is running with it with her fourth studio album, “All I Ever Wanted.”

Following 2007’s passion project, “My December,” Kelly has returned to what she gives best – sugar-coated (quite literally, this time around; note key art for first single) guilty-pleasure Top 40 music for the masses with soaring vocals straight from a Texas every woman with whom just about all of America can connect.

And lead off single “My Life Would Suck Without You,” was just the warm up. Second single “I Do Not Hook Up,” co-penned by new “Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi, is quite possibly the strongest song Kelly has ever done since “Since U Been Gone.” Good girls across the world will make this their new girl power anthem of the day.

And then, the treats keep coming, track after track, as the album transitions into soft but sweet ballad “Cry” before the decibels bounce back several licks on track four with the radio-friendly, “Don’t Let Me Stop You.”

There are additional huge pop hits in “Long Shot,” which reminds me of an ‘80s Pat Benatar hit, and “I Want You,” whose title refrain is as catchy in its final syllable’s repetition as Rihanna’s “Umbrella … ella … ella…”

The ballad “Already Gone” is near perfect for Kelly. If this one isn’t released as a single, it would be a crime by the music industry.

And in “Whyyawannabringmedown” she channels her inner Wilson sister from Heart, “Barracuda”-style.

I expect her record company, RCA, will be stretching this confectionary of hits along until early 2011. With 14 tracks and the album listenable from start to finish, they’d be remiss not to.

And frankly, I’ll be enjoying every moment of it.

Seven years since her debut with us, Kelly remains down to earth and completely unaffected by Hollywood; probably because she’s mostly stayed away from its traps. She hasn’t changed from the Texas girl we all fell in love with; she’s only matured.

It’s a quality as refreshing as a trip to the local candy store.

Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
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