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"I always keep a stimulant handy in case I see a snake - which I also keep handy" - W. C. Fields
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Having enjoyed her debut album, "Thankful", I was at a loss to understand why Kelly Clarkson wasn't a success in the UK. After all, she had a sound not dissimilar to early Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, who were both big stars. Even more than this, she won the first series of "American Idol" which, given how well acts like Girls Aloud have done, should have been a guarantee of decent sales. She even had a song on the "Love Actually" soundtrack, which didn't seem to improve sales the way it often does.
Sadly, thanks to the lack of interest, I have had to wait for nearly eight months for this album. It was originally released in the US in December 2004, but a UK release was never confirmed. For months I would scour Clarkson's website and Amazon waiting for it to become available and unwilling to pay £16.99 for an import version, not having heard any of the sons in advance, as there were no UK singles releases at that point, either.
Finally, in June, there was progress. A release date for early July, which would later be put back a week twice, was confirmed and a single, "Since U Been Gone" hit the music channels. It looked like my waiting was over and early signs were good. But after so long, I really hoped the album wasn't going to be a huge let down.
Album opener and title track "Breakaway" starts out sounding worryingly like The Corrs. Of course, this is only a worry if you don't like The Corrs. It's not the kind of sound I expected, but it's
a nice enough mid-tempo pop track, which passes you by rather than leaving an impression.
The first single from the album and the song that told me everything was likely to be alright is "Since U Been Gone". It has more of a heavy pop sound, with a driving bass heavy guitar and the overall sound is a little like Pink's later work, although with more of a pop influence that her music.
Having checked out Kelly Clarkson's website and message boards trying to find a UK release date for the album, I found a lot of fans raving about "Behind These Hazel Eyes". I can understand why, as it's another decent pop-rock tune, along the lines of bands like Heart and Vixen from the 1980s, with a great mid-tempo stadium rock feel and that's enough to make it my favourite on the album and, hopefully, an odds on bet for the next single.
In a complete change of pace, "Because of You" is the album's first ballad. Much like on her debut album, "Thankful", this is a big overblown pop ballad, with very little to distinguish it from the likes of Christine Aguilera.
It's back to the heavier pop for "Gone". It's an up tempo, almost rock-pop number which sounds a little like the heavier end of Christina Aguilera's "Stripped" album, although towards the end, it does remind me of Any Studt and Pink a little bit.
There's a much more laid back feel to "Addicted", with it starting out as a piano led pop ballad. It's something that Delta Goodrem might come out with, although perhaps a little darker in tone and louder in the vocals than her usual sound.
"Where is Your Heart" has the same kind of feel earlier on, being mostly piano and strings. Again, there's not a lot to separate Clarkson from anyone else, and this track sounds even more like Delta Goodrem, in particular the song "Butterfly". The synth intro to "Walk Away" reminds me of Cameo's "Word Up" and it's a funky mid-tempo pop number. The chorus sounds a bit like Pink's "Feel Good Time" in structure and sound, although the verses tend more towards the more straight pop sound of Christina Aguilera, although it's got enough attitude that Girls Aloud might fancy it, too.
Unfortunately, things aren't quite as good for "You Found Me". It has a very non-descript pop beginning before expanding out into a heavy pop tune that sounds suspiciously like Any Studt. This is not a good thing.
There's more of a synth-pop feel to "I Hate Myself for Losing You". Until the chorus, that is, when it becomes a heavy pop number that almost touches on the Pink and Avril Lavigne end of the pop spectrum. Unfortunately, it's not quite consistent enough to be a good song.
"Hear Me" starts out sounding like another piano led pop ballad, although the vocals sound more like Mariah Carey rather than Delta Goodrem. However, further in, it expends into something a lot bigger and more rounded and a little more like Christina Aguilera at points.
The last of the regular tracks on the album is a live version of "Beautiful Disaster", from the "Thankful" album. It's been turned into a piano led pop ballad this time, rather than the guitar led version from the last album and sounds a lot like Delta Goodrem again. It's actually a better song in this incarnation.
Somewhat disappointingly, the two bonus tracks on my version of the album are songs from the "Thankful" album that haven't been changed in any way. I suspect they're included largely to try and increase sales of the debut album. "Miss Independent" is still a track that sounds like something Christina Aguilera rejected for her "Stripped" album and "Low" is still a decent heavy pop song, despite sounding a bit like Bryan Adams' "Heaven" in the chorus.
If this album doesn't break Kelly Clarkson in the UK, I don't see what more she can do. She's edged away from the big overblown pop ballads that won her "American Idol" a little, although there are still a few in attendance. There is again a wide variety of influences from the pop end of the music world, but all from acts who have been successful in the UK charts and with their sounds added to Kelly Clarkson's hugely impressive vocals, this should be a hit.
Simply put, this album is a must for anyone who likes modern pop music, particularly the kind of heavy pop sound that acts like Girls Aloud and Christina Aguilera have been performing. Kelly Clarkson may never match them in terms of sales, but musically and vocally she is easily their equal. This is basic pop music, wonderfully performed, with the odd heavy edge there. If Girls Aloud's "What Will the Neighbours Say" was the pop album of 2004, this is to be its successor.
Being a new album, it's yet to appear too cheaply in places like eBay and the Amazon Marketplace, at £3.20 and £6.75 respectively, but for 52 minutes of the highest quality pop music, no fan should begrudge paying £8.75 from CD Wow, or £8.99 from Amazon or Play.com.
If you're going to like this, or know someone who would, buy it now. Please! Hopefully it will sell well enough to make Kelly Clarkson a star in the UK as well as in the US and I won't have to wait seven months after the American release for my copy of her third album!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Advantages: Brilliant range of tracks, superb vocal talents, widely available on the internet. Disadvantages: Some songs a little too similar sounding to other artists.
blonde_girl774 02.11.2005 (02.11.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson
Advantages: Brilliant range of tracks, superb vocal talents, widely available on the internet. Disadvantages: Some songs a little too similar sounding to other artists.
blonde_girl774 02.11.2005 (02.11.2005)
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Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson
Dec 5th, 2005
exceptional by (2%):
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