Foxx CD defies the reviews

JAMIE Foxx’s “Unpredictable” album got mostly lukewarm reviews, but it is setting a blistering sales pace. The CD, which leads the nation’s pop sales chart for the second consecutive week, has sold more than 900,000 copies since its release late last month.

Nielsen SoundScan reported Wednesday that the Foxx collection held on to the top spot by selling 131,000 copies last week. Mary J. Blige’s “The Breakthrough” finished No. 2 with sales of 118,000, while Eminem’s greatest-hits package, “Curtain Call,” ranked No. 3 with sales of 109,000 copies.

The Strokes’ third album, “First Impressions of Earth,” was the only new release to enter the Top 50. The CD sold 88,000 copies to finish at No. 4

There has been much interest in the New York rock group’s new album because the excitement over the band’s first album, 2001’s “Is This It,” was widely credited with helping open a door for a new generation of young, passionate rock outfits, including the White Stripes and Franz Ferdinand.

The Strokes’ second album, 2003’s “Room on Fire,” was generally viewed as a disappointment, critically and commercially. Sales fell from 1 million for the debut to just under 600,000 for “Room.” Reviews this time, however, generally suggest a revitalization within the band.

Total album sales were down from the previous week, but 7% higher than the same week a year ago.