Ugly Betty fans, do you like music?

One great thing about summer is that you can expand your horizons. You can read the complete works of Shakespeare. Or you can listen to music.

Which is what I’m doing. However, being the TV-obsessed person that I am, I’m forced to remain somehow in that genre. So here’s a new one for you.

Star of Ugly Betty, Vanessa Williams has a new CD out. Now, here’s what makes me chuckle. A good handful of the Ugly Betty viewers probably forgot (or didn’t know) that Williams actually used to be a singer before she started to act. But anyway, she’s returning to her singing roots in her newest album.

I grew up listening to Williams’ just because my family did. And this CD returns to her usual singing. Slow, romantic. You feel like you’re in the sweet parts of a romantic comedy when you listen to it.

I don’t know why I expected it to be different. Maybe because so many years have gone by that I assumed maybe she had changed–or that some of her quirky Ugly Betty-ness might rub off on her music. Or, maybe just that it might be able to used in the show somehow. You know, like how Kate Voegele’s music is in One Tree Hill or how Mandy Moore’s new album was used in an episode of How I Met Your Mother.

And maybe they will, I don’t know. I don’t watch enough Ugly Betty to know. But either way, the CD’s worth a listen, whether it ends up on-air or not, and it’s nice to see Williams back in the studio.

So let me know what you think if you listen. She’s got MySpace and an official site, if you’re interested in more.

I’ll try to do these music reviews sporadically throughout the summer–then I’ll see whether it’s worth doing once fall series kick in. Next up, I think I’ll write about one of Kate Voegele’s two albums. Or maybe I’m look into someone else. If you have a suggestion, please let me know. Actors that sing. Singers featured in a show. Let me know.

Give me more Judge Trudy

RAISING THE BAR: 2.02 “Rules of Engagement”

Raising the Bar introduced a new judge this week, played by the ever-talented John Michael Higgins. I’m personally a big fan of his—always enjoying movies like Best In Show and A Mighty Wind. Yet, something bothered me about his character. I get that places would have quirky judges, or maybe just have judges that are so strict that they have their own set of rules. Clearly, this judge did. But to pull a gun on someone in the middle of the courtroom (then of course, asking for someone to strike it from the record) and to be soooo outright with his pickiness…that all seemed to be a little too much like Ally McBeal than Raising the Bar.

And what about Trudy Kessler? Last week, she was terribly underutilized, and this week, we saw even less of her. Her curt demeanor seems to have weakened, and all we saw was her lamenting about no longer being with Charlie. Could it be that along with Jerry’s long locks, we’ve lost the one harsh individual in the land of lies and trials?

Considering how much she bugged me, I really miss her. I think that Higgins’ character can be a great additional recurring character to the show, but I want to see more of her. I can’t possibly imagine that her relationship and fight with Charlie at the end of last season would have done this much to change her. She’d still be harsh in the courtroom. Where did it go?

I hope by putting this as the second episode, it’s not setting a standard for the rest of the season (or series). There’s a lot of promise—and rage—in Kessler, and I want to see it come out again.

Otherwise, though, I liked the episode. I found it a little strange that after the sparks in the season opener, we’ve suddenly got such stress between Jerry and Michelle. (By the way, if you don’t follow them on Twitter, you really should. They’re fun to read along while watching the show—they comment as they go. Well, at least Jerry is. Michelle needs some work.) But how did this build so fast? Especially since they were hitting it off in the first five minutes?

And I’m a little disappointed. I think the twist with the cop was fantastic—I’m completely intrigued with whether he’s telling the truth or not, and I’m already rooting for Jerry’s client. Still a wee bit unsure as to how the murder charge fits in, but maybe I just missed that. But it’s really surprising how quickly I was ready to forgive Michelle for her last trick in court (last season). I was starting to like her again, and now? Completely hating her. Bah.

But isn’t Bobby adorable? Just that one encounter with her just makes you realize how great it would be to have Bobby and Jerry together. Crap, I’ve turned into a ‘shipper.

Anyway, by the end of the episode, I was 100% enthralled and waiting to see what happens in court. Just as the credits started to roll. Damn. So it looks like I’m going to be back for the next episode. Here’s hoping it lives up to expectations!