Common Sense Reviewer

  • Stephanie Bruzzese
  • Stephanie Bruzzese
  • California

About Me

I'm a freelance writer and editor from the SF Bay Area; an aunt to my 10-year-old niece, Jordyn, and two nephews, Tristan (8 years) and Mateo (9 months); and godmother to 2-year-old Veronika!

What My Kids Love Now

My nephew is all about Bakugan, while my niece loves anything HSM.

House Rules

When the Kids Are Asleep…

My Biggest Challenge Is:

Titles You’ve Reviewed

  • Music: "Fireflies" (CD single)

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    Upbeat song about insomnia is odd but inoffensive.

    Heavy on the electro, light on the pop, this synth-infused tune has a lighthearted hook that belies the seriousness of Young's insomnia -- and the singer's child-like vocals add to the misleadingly ...

  • Music: "Russian Roulette" (CD single)

    I rate this titleiffyand give it2.0

    Controversial single about suicide is dark, depressing.

    Unfortunately, the music in this track is as depressing as the content. The tune kicks off with a promisingly cool beat that's soon overshadowed by a lackluster tempo that drags the song down. While ...

  • Music: "Starstrukk" (CD single)

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    Crunk kings do more girl-bashing with help from Katy Perry.

    Biting lyrics aside, STARSTRUKK's got a lot going for it musically. A cool, electro-infused beat serves as the song's backdrop, and the catchy talk-sing delivery of the 3OH!3 guys is juxtaposed ...

  • Music: Kiss & Tell

    I rate this titleonand give it2.0

    Disney star releases clean, if uninspired, debut album.

    With a bevy of young female pop singers vying for attention, you've gotta have a pretty exceptional voice to stand out -- and Selena Gomez doesn't. Though she manages to stay on pitch, her vocals ...

  • Music: "Forever" (CD single)

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    Four big-name rappers cut explicit tune about fame.

    Each of these rappers brings a very distinct style to the table, so the combination of the four in a single track makes for an exceptionally cool listen. Of course, with egos this large, every artist ...

  • Music: Fearless Platinum Edition

    I rate this titleonand give it4.0

    Six great new songs, more content added to reissued CD/DVD.

    Taylor Swift deserves very big props for writing almost all of her own songs, something that most of her contemporaries don't do. While her tunes, including these six new ones, aren't necessarily ...

  • Music: Glee: The Music, Vol. 1

    I rate this titleonand give it4.0

    TV show is edgy, but the soundtrack is OK for tweens.

    Several of the songs that have been tackled by the Glee cast are such heavy-hitting classics that their titles are instantly recognizable: "Don't Stop Believin'," ...

  • Music: "Papers" (CD single)

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    R&B crooner chronicles his painful divorce.

    No matter what he's singing about, Usher's vocals are top notch. That said, this song's subject matter is grim, with exceptionally deep lyrics that go beyond the usual break-up scenario. The end ...

  • Music: "Favorite Girl" (CD single)

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    More clean girl-craziness from young tween singer.

    With three singles in a row that are about romance, the topic is growing a bit tired for Justin Bieber. Fortunately, he’s switched up the melodies so that these songs don’t all sound the same. ...

  • Music: "I Can Transform Ya" (CD single)

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    Materialistic lyrics mar R&B song's contagious sound.

    A killer synth-guitar hook (compliments of producer Swizz Beatz) dominates "I Can Transform Ya," serving as the backdrop for performances by both Brown and his guest artist, the rapper

  • Music: "Love Me" (CD single)

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    Teen singer's innocent song about puppy love.

    Taking center singing stage at fifteen years old is a tall order that Bieber fulfills fairly well, with his maturing voice remaining solid on this track. He makes an admirable attempt to separate the ...

  • Music: "Bad Romance" (CD single)

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    GaGa goes nuts for a dysfunctional guy.

    Reminiscent of Madonna’s singular talent for reinventing herself, Lady GaGa has a way of tweaking her singles so that each has its own appeal. In Bad Romance, ...

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