Kelly Clarkson has spent the past 3 years riding on a wave of success with her ‘Breakaway’ album phenomenon. Even when gearing up to release Breakaway, she was constantly quoted as saying this was a step away from what her record company wanted from her, and that she had a lot of creative control. Fast forward to 2007 and similar things have been said by Clarkson about third release, My December – only this time the extent of which her creative desires have reached has resulted in fired management, cancelled tours and ultimately nervous fans.
Upon buying ‘My December’, it became apparent that even from the front cover, she has moved on from the Breakaway days, and the artistic cover photograph more than screams ‘I have stories to tell’.
Here is my track by track break down on ‘My December’.
TRACK 1: Never Again “I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green” – ouch! This is the opening line of the album and the opening line of the first single release from this record. Many have said that it lacks the hook of the likes of ‘Since U Been Gone’, but in all honesty – this song carries itself very well without such memorable repetitions. It’s a very rock tinged track and will appease both rock and pop fans alike, as it sits nicely in the middle of the two genres. Overall, a good single choice,
but I think it’s a tad bit screechy in places – even though she is amazing when performing this song live. 8/10
TRACK 2: One Minute Flash back to the Breakaway album for a second, and you would probably hear something like this. This is the most “pop” track on the album, and even thought it is infused with guitars, it offers a modernised sound due to its vocal FX and “new wave” vibe. A possible single choice I would think, and would hope! 8/10
TRACK 3: Hole This track seems to have quite an odd drum beat to it for me, I mean I applaud originality, but it takes a few listens to get used to. The chorus is a typical Kelly Clarkson style hook, with a repeated guitar riff carrying it through, and overall – not a bad track. 6/10
TRACK 4: Sober Single number 2 from this album, and rightly so. ‘Never Again’ didn’t seem to be very radio friendly in both the US and the UK, but this one is much more so. Imagine U2 collaborating with Sarah Mclachlan and this is the lovechild song that would result. A repetitive, haunting build up with the repeated line “three months, and I’m still sober”. The drums take around 2 minutes to kick in, but when they do they do so with great effect. A very vocally challenging song that few artists could pull off, but Kelly does it fantastically both on the album and in live performances. 10/10
TRACK 5: Don’t Waste Your Time Now, here I sense a sort of Indie/rock vibe – quite like a Manic Street Preachers song. A good song, but the chorus is a tad bit boring, with the same chord repeated for the best part of it. Kelly’s voice pulls it through though, and makes it more listenable. 6/10
TRACK 6: Judas The title enticed me to listen to this first on the album when I got it. It has become a firm favourite of mine from the album, and as you would expect is a tale of betrayal. I love the chorus and it has a brilliant hook – and I could definitely see this as a single. 9/10
TRACK 7: Haunted Add a few more strings in here and you have an Evanescence song. This is a great track, but to me the chorus could be a bit more textured to have a better effect, like a more sustained guitar. Still a good listen, and from other reviews seems to be a firm favourite amongst most people. 7/10
TRACK 8: Be Still For only the second time in 8 tracks, the first being ‘Sober’, the tempo is lowered and Kelly shows the versatility of her vocals by taking a break from the ‘rock’ voice. A much quieter and slower ballad is offered here, but overall comes across as a bit boring. It doesn’t really go anywhere and the lyrics seem to be lacking originality. Definitely not a highlight for me. 4/10
TRACK 9: Maybe The electric guitars are put down here, and the acoustic is picked up. This just shows how eclectic the album is, offering a range of styles. The song is an easy-to-listen-to song, and again, Kelly’s voice more than carries it through. A definite pickup from ‘Maybe’. 6/10
TRACK 10: How I Feel Yet again, a change in style here – in the form of a little up tempo pop number. Quite a soulful track and the chorus presents more guitar riffs to great effect. I don’t know if this has the potential as a single, but it’s still a very good track and highly recommended. 7/10
TRACK 11: Yeah Probably the most abstract song on the album – pop rock and soul have something of a connection, but this presents a big band/blues style. Not that this is a bad thing of course, in fact quite the contrary. A nice catchy chorus makes this listenable, and Kelly gets the chance to show off her voice as well. 7/10
TRACK 12: Can I Have A Kiss I don’t like this one very much – it’s quite boring. The lyrics are slushy and a bit out of place on an album filled with such raw emotion and angst. The chorus seems to be quite boring instrument-wise, which doesn’t help. Maybe if it was spiced up a bit then it would be better and more listenable. 4/10
TRACK 13: Irvine This is chilling – the only word I can think of to describe it. It is a very touching, moving track, and obviously a very personal track. It rounds the album off nicely and is definitely a highlight. I don’t think it could ever be a single, it sounds as if its more of a diary entry than anything else – but the simpleness of it shows that less is more sometimes, and with such a loud collection of tracks, this is a nice wind down. 8/10
Overall, the best thing I can think of to say is DON’T LISTEN TO THE MEDIA. They were far too busy jumping on the ‘this isn’t gonna work’ bandwagon that the music has becomes somewhat second priority. I recommend that you buy the album, or at least listen to clips on iTunes, and see for yourself that there is a real success story here, and something that deserves to be hailed. It proves why Kelly Clarkson is a worldwide superstar, and demands attention.
Daniel :-D
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Clarkson's third full-length represents her biggest push for career and artistic control. ... more
Her crack studio band provides rock punch, and there is a plethora of studio tricks that give the album an extra layer of sonic muscle, enhancing its angsty vibe....
Jun 28th, 2007
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