Artist:  Justin Bieber
Title:  My World 2.0
Label:  Island

Unlike his teen-pop counterparts, Bieber actually is a multi-talented pop/soul singer who (gasp) plays his own instruments

In case you missed it: 15-year-old Justin Bieber is everywhere these days.

Not only is he consistently one of Twitter's most-tweeted-about celebrities, but he's made the morning show and late-night rounds several times over. And proving he's more than just a swoon-worthy new face for the teen girl set, he upped his street cred with a buzzworthy Grammy performance and joined Rhianna and a slew of NFL stars at the Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam.

So what exactly elevates his artistry past his peers including the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus and the like? Well, the fact that he's a self-taught musician on drums, guitar, piano and trumpet and that his songs are ear-candy catchy without being cheesy. Imagine that.

While songs like "Baby," a track featuring Ludacris, "Stuck in the Moment," "U Smile" and "Runaway Love" definitely cover the whole spectrum of puppy love crushdom, his dynamic pipes, not to mention a slew of can't-get-'em-out-of-your-head hooks make Bieber's music a pleasure that's not quite so guilty.

Now with his full-length debut My World 2.0, the sequel to last November's R&B tinged EP My World, Bieber is positioning himself as the next Michael Jackson or Justin Timberlake, minus all the suggestive lyrics.

With fizzy Euro-flavored synths and breezy arrangements, not to mention a slew of intriguing guest stars, My World 2.0 is a pop music delight from beginning to end.

And if you happen to be a parent of a 'tween or teen, hearing these songs over and over and over won't even be quite as annoying . Sure, there aren't any new revelations about love lost or love found, but they're not nearly as insipid or racy as they could be, either. So there's another reason you can feel good about loving' Justin Bieber, even if you wouldn't admit it to anyone.


**This review first published on March 29, 2010.