Housewives of Japan

Chicago 16 finally gave Chicago a big hit after a four-year drought, thanks in large part to new producer David Foster, who steered the jazz-rock veterans toward a streamlined, crisply produced pop direction on that 1982 effort. Given that success, it's no surprise that the septet teamed with Foster again for its next album, 1984's Chicago 17 (apparently Roman numerals were left behind along with their progressive jazz-rock).

Mariah Carey claims Rainbow, her first album since divorcing Tommy Mottola, "chronicles my emotional roller coaster ride of the past year," but less subjective listeners could be forgiven for viewing it as simply another Mariah Carey album. After all, all the elements are in place – the crossover dance hits, the ballads, the cameos, the hip producers, the weird cover choice from the early '80s. But dig a little deeper, and her words ring true. Rainbow is the first Carey album where she's written personal lyrics, and allusions to her separation from Mottola are evident throughout the album, even if it doesn't really amount to the "story" she mentions in the liner notes.

The promise of the first Piper album's classic track "Who's Your Boyfriend" is realized with the title song from Piper's second and last disc before Billy Squier found fame and fortune on his own, Can't Wait. Co-written by Squier and Boston magazine contributor/liner note essayist for Frank Sinatra, James Isaacs, everything is turned up a notch, starting with this sublime pop sensation, the song "Can't Wait." Billy Squier sounds more comfortable singing lead…