Lacey blog

Katy Perry woos critics with "Teenage Dream" album

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Singer Katy Perry wooed U.S. critics with her second major-label album release on Tuesday, packed with flirty, giggly pop songs, strong dance beats and plenty of "gurl-talk".

The 25-year-old singer, who was once tagged as a one-hit wonder for the song that launched her to fame -- 2008's "I Kissed a Girl " -- released 12 new songs on "Teenage Dream" that includes the summer hit single "California Gurls."

The album, whose packaging is meant to smell like cotton candy with an image of Perry lying naked on a pink cloud, features lyrics about sex, love, youth and relationships. It isdue out in Europe and the rest of the world next week and has been heavily promoted as a fun summer record.

Rolling Stone magazine gave the album three stars out of five, declaring it "miles ahead of Perry's breakthrough disc, 'One of the Boys,' with her clever songwriting boosted by top-dollar pros" including several top European music producers.

The album released by Capitol Records, owned by the EMI Group, is full of breezy disco beats that "is the kind of pool-party-pop gem that Gwen Stefani used to crank out on the regular," the magazine said.

Perry's affinity with being provocative and cheeky has tough competition from Lady Gaga and nothing on the new album "may match the sheer pop majesty of Madonna's most memorable hits," according to USA Today, but "the ambitious brunette serves up percolating confections laced with saucy humor and disarming earnestness."

Perry, a California-born former singer-songwriter who started out by recording a failed gospel album in Nashville, Tennessee, is engaged to loudmouth British comedian and actor Russell Brand.

Critics noted her new album is similar to her hit debut pop album that also featured the hit ""Hot n Cold"" and since then she has matched Brand in promoting a similar over-the-top persona and raunchy, fun image.

The video for "California Gurls" features rapper Snoop Dogg and a scantily clad Perry -- who was raised by Christian pastor parents -- in lilac and bright blue wigs making her way through a fantasy candy land licking ice creams.

Music magazine Spin said Perry "delivers the gurl-gone-wild stuff with requisite sass" but was more impressive on quieter tunes that recalled her singer-songwriter days.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Jill Serjeant)

Houshmandzadeh agrees to terms with Ravens

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh has agreed to terms with the Baltimore Ravens.

The 10-year veteran was cut by Seattle last week. He signed with the Seahawks as a free agent before the 2009 season and had a team-high 79 catches for 911 yards and three touchdowns.

Kennard McGuire, Houshmandzadeh's agent, says Monday that the receiver "is excited about playing for such an amazing organization."

Houshmandzadeh spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.

In bolstering their receiving corps, the Ravens traded for Anquan Boldin in the offseason and signed free agent Donte' Stallworth. But Stallworth broke his left foot in the third exhibition game.

U.S. crush Iran in basketball as Angola shock Germany

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – World championship favorites the U.S. made it four wins out of four with an 88-51 victory over Iran on Wednesday while Angola booked a place in the last 16 with a stunning 92-88 overtime defeat of Germany.

Serbia also reached the knockout rounds with a match to spare after a 94-79 victory over Australia and holders Spain avoided an early exit, overcoming a poor start to demolish Lebanon 91-57.

The eagerly-awaited Group B clash between the U.S. and Iran was played in sporting fashion, with pockets of rival fans watching in a half-empty Abdi Ikpeci Arena.

Iran held their own in the first half and trailed by 14 points at the interval but the gulf in class was all too obvious after the break, with all 12 players on the U.S. roster getting on the scoresheet.

"We held our opponents for a long period and it was only in the last seven minutes we ran out of steam," Iran's Serbian coach Veselin Matic said.

"This is our first world championship and all this entertainment was good for us, it helped motivate my players to be at their best."

The teams applauded the fans and embraced each other after the match and Matic's U.S. counterpart Mike Krzyzewski praised Iran, whose center Hamad Ehadadi finished as the game's top scorer with 19 points and five rebounds.

"The Iran team played really hard and had a really good game plan," he said.

Center Tyson Chandler added: "It was a very good game and we had a lot of respect for each other."

Center Kevin Love led the United States with 13 points, forward Kevin Durant added 12, guard Derrick Rose chipped in with 11 and Danny Granger scored 10 in a balanced team effort.

GERMANY OUT

Germany's earlier win over Serbia turned out to be a flash in the pan as they lost to Group A rivals Angola, defeat sending them out of the 24-team event.

The African champions led throughout and although Germany somehow forced five additional minutes, they were undone by superb long-range shooting in overtime.

Olimpo Cipriano poured in 30 points and fellow forward Joaquim Gomez added 16 to go with 14 rebounds as Angola sank an impressive 18 three-pointers from 40 attempts.

Serbia welcomed captain Nenad Krstic back from suspension and playmaker Milos Teodosic and they were instrumental in the win over Australia that sealed a berth in the last 16.

Teodosic hit one three-pointer after another to keep Serbia ahead when the Australians closed in, finishing with a game-high 19 points while Krstic had 14 and 10 rebounds.

"We committed too many turnovers but dominated the offensive boards and Thursday's final Group A match against Argentina should be a feast," Serbia's trophy-laden coach Dusan Ivkovic said.

Still reeling from two defeats in their opening three Group D games, Spain trailed Lebanon 22-21 after the first quarter but eventually ran out comfortable winners on the back of 25 points and eight rebounds from center Marc Gasol.

Lithuania stormed back from a 24-11 first-quarter deficit to beat France 69-55 in Group D.

In Group C, hosts Turkey rallied to maintain their perfect record with a 79-77 triumph over Puerto Rico and in Group B Slovenia beat Brazil 80-77.

(Reporting by Zoran Milosavljevic in Belgrade, additional reporting by Alexandra Hudson in Istanbul, editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)