Although her music at first resembles tweeny pop, songwriter Melissa R. Kaplan ends up creating something much darker and heavier under the moniker Universal Hall Pass. Artfully combining only the best elements of Morcheeba, Tori Amos, and Basement Jaxx with the sexy swagger of Nikka Costa, these tunes, without a doubt, blow away anything Britney and Christina put out, and it's what sassy teenage girls should be listening to. But more adult listeners will pick up on the Eastern influences (Chinese and Indian), the eerily poetic R&B set to electronic drums and keys, and the more substantial Sneaker Pimps-ish vibe. One of the most eclectic solo albums put out in a long, long time…

A. Koledin