Pop Showdown: Jessie J vs. Kiesza vs. Jessie Ware

British pop star Jessie J’s previous record, Who You Are, was a try-hard train wreck, and, sadly, her new one is another slapdash effort full of whiny R&B-style runs that sound as though she’s singing through a burning case of, well, the runs. By overemphasizing her technical abilities on the mic, Jessie J wields her soul-destroying upper register to the detriment of emotion or nuance. Her team-up with the equally unintelligible Ariana Grande on “Bang Bang” is, shockingly, the best thing about Sweet Talker (Republic/Universal Music Canada).