Paris Hilton - Paris

Everybody knows the name Paris Hilton. Fact. Who hasn't seen Paris posing sultrily out from the pages of a glossy magazine or laughed at/admired her outrageous fashion choices? Who has failed to giggle at her antics on 'The Simple Life' or be amused by her ditzy answers to media probing? If you answered these questions in the negative (you lucky people who actually have your own lives and no time for celebrity gossip!) who, then, hasn't heard of ...
...unmistakeable "is she being serious?" Paris Hilton stamp on it, but that, actually, only adds to its unique, fun appeal in my eyes.

This album is basically girly pop with varying twists of R&B, rock and disco, depending on the track in question. The album appears to be influenced by Britney's most recent music which embraces the motto that the more famous you are the less you have to actually sing (well, why put in the effort ... more

Everybody knows the name Paris Hilton. Fact. Who hasn't seen Paris posing sultrily out from the pages of a glossy magazine or laughed at/admired her outrageous fashion choices? Who has failed to giggle at her antics on 'The Simple Life' or be amused by her ditzy answers to media probing? If you answered these questions in the negative (you lucky people who actually have your own lives and no time for celebrity gossip!) who, then, hasn't heard of the glamorous blonde's family business, the impressively successful chain of Hilton hotels?

Yes, Ms Hilton, these days, is hard to avoid. The sultry heiress has many strings to her bow, but what you may not know is that she has recently released her own album and - are you ready for this? - it is actually quite good! Yes, I said quite good. Let's not carried away, this album probably has limited appeal and has that unmistakeable "is she being serious?" Paris Hilton stamp on it, but that, actually, only adds to its unique, fun appeal in my eyes.

This album is basically girly pop with varying twists of R&B, rock and disco, depending on the track in question. The album appears to be influenced by Britney's most recent music which embraces the motto that the more famous you are the less you have to actually sing (well, why put in the effort when you have people to do that for you?) It is, overall, similarly to Brit's 'In The Zone' sound, reliant on subdued, breathy vocals, computerised sound effects and over-empowering backing music.

I couldn't help but feel that this album is less a work of art than a celebration of what it is to be Paris, with each track, from 'Fightin' Over Me' to 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy', reiterating this self-affirmation. Paris, clearly her own number one fan, obviously adores her looks, her life and pretty much everything about herself and is eager to convey this in pretty much every track… but hey, it makes a nice change from popstars lamenting on the misery and trials of being rich and famous (yes, Robbie Williams, it really does!)

While I enjoyed the album and its feel-good girliness I did feel at first that Paris wasn't necessarily a vital component in the making of the album. Paris's vocals are quite weak and I felt that they could, perhaps, have been supplied by any artist, which made me wonder whether Paris was just there to help increase sales because of her celebrity status. However, I was impressed to discover that Paris not only helped to write several of the songs on the album but she is also an executive producer of the album, which is also released under the management of Paris Hilton Entertainment. When you consider that Paris does also pull off all the tracks very nicely with her vocals, I suppose that my initial assumptions were just a little unfair on the pouting popstrel.

Another thing that I ignored in my initial assumptions is that, although putting Paris's name to an album may get it noticed by the public and critics alike, it is hardly likely to shift copies off the shelves. Paris, despite (or perhaps even due to) her fame and status, does not get much respect or love from the public and people tend not to take the It Girl very seriously. Paris herself has admitted that when her songs have come on in clubs people have loved them and asked who was singing but she has refused to tell them as she knows that this will (negatively) influence their reaction. I think that this is very true; if you listen to many pop/club tracks the singers are often not very talented but the songs sell anyway, yet there has been a lot of pressure on Paris to astound everyone with her vocals and critics have been dying to get their hands on this album, often having already made up their minds to hate it.

Bearing this in mind, even if Paris has gained her record deal based on her fame, I actually think her celebrity is more of a drawback than a selling point. I think that people should treat this album as they would any album; don't judge it based on your feelings towards Paris the It Girl or multi-millionairess, judge it based on the music itself. Who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised? True, Paris does not supply the strongest vocals in the whole world but she does have a nice voice and her tracks are upbeat, fun and very catchy. It is definitely worth a listen, so let me take you through some of its downfalls and plus points in more detail…

I love the fact that the first track on the album, TURN IT UP, starts with Paris' catchphrase, 'That's hot'! This basically sets the tone of the album; it is unmistakeably an album by Paris, being Paris, doing what Paris does. The song begins with a siren and R&B style beats which are soon joined by Paris' sultry vocals. The music and vocals sound amazingly like Britney and wouldn't be out of place on her 'In The Zone' album. It is a great sultry, R&B/dance track with strong beats and a catchy chorus. 8/10

FIGHTIN' OVER ME is the second track on the album and one of the best. It is, again, very Paris, with the self-aggrandizing blonde singing, as the title suggests, about boys fighting over her; 'Every time I turn around the boys are fighting over me, every time I step out the house they want to fight over me, maybe coz I'm hot to death and I'm so, so, so sexy, all the boys, all the silly boys, they want to fight over me'! I love these lyrics and the fact that Paris is so completely missing the modesty gene! I just think that the lyrics are so unique and hilarious in a world where self-confidence is viewed as the most fatal and detested of flaws. This is quite a gentle R&B track with breathy, virtually spoken lyrics and a rap by, presumably, Fat Joe. It is quite catchy and a fun, laid back track. 8/10

Paris' debut single, STARS ARE BLIND, is the third track on the album and still one of my favourites (and the reason for me buying the album). This is a laid back, poppy, summery track with an extremely catchy chorus. It has a bit of a reggae, upbeat feel to it that is captured perfectly in the video of Paris prancing around on a beach with a gorgeous guy. It is a great feel-good summer track about being in love. I love it. 10/10

I WANT YOU is my favourite track on the album and is a brilliant pop/dance track. The song samples the music from the song 'Grease' off the Grease soundtrack (which is one of my least favourite songs ever, strangely enough) and Paris has done a great job with it. This is an extremely catchy song and I love the lyrics, which again scream 'Paris'; 'I'm the kind of girl who likes to tell you want I want in life, I'll get right up in your face, won't you like that anyway?' This one will get stuck in your head and make you want to dance, I guarantee it. 10/10

It is strange that, considering Paris has been so reluctant to discuss her friendship with Nicole in the past, insisting that her ex-pal knows what she has done and there was nothing else to say, she has chosen to broach the subject in such a candid way on the song JEALOUSY, which is clearly written about her 'Simple Life' co-star with lyrics such as ' I thought you were my best friend, I thought we'd be together till the end, you're not the girl I once knew, tell me where she is coz she's not you', 'there's no love between these walls', 'I was always happy when I was watching you become star but you were only happy when the world was opening up my scars' and 'Jealousy, jealousy, jealousy it's such an evil thing to watch someone else, jealousy, jealousy, jealousy, nobody wins when you're full of envy.' Perhaps Paris thought that it would be 'artistic' to discuss her feelings via the medium of song,? Or perhaps, I can sense all you cynics thinking, this is just a novel way to get her album off the shelves and her singles on the radio? Whatever the reason, the lyrics are very interesting to us celebrity gossipmongers and it is nice to hear some honesty and genuine emotion from the usually guarded Paris. The track begins with a slow, instrumental piece that sounds as though it is about to launch in to a ballad, then a beat kicks in and the track changes key as the vocals begin. The verses are gentle and breathy and launch in to a music-led, strong chorus. It is a sultry, classy pop track and definitely one of the strongest and most catchy tracks on the album; I have a feeling this one may be released as a single. 10/10

I love HEARTBEAT, it is a very girly, gentle ballad with emotive vocals and a pretty, soft backing track of gentle beats and what sounds like keyboards It is a very gentle ballad with delicate, girly vocals and no rousing chorus (a la Westlife) so I predict that it may well be one of those tracks that is skimmed over and not given much recognition but it is undoubtedly one of my personal favourites. I think that Paris's vocals are soft and pretty and reflect the meaning of the loved-up lyrics really well. I think that it is always nice to have a little ballad on an album and this one breaks the album up well. 9/10

NOTHING IN THIS WORLD sounds a bit like an Ashlee Simpson track to start with, with an Ashlee-esque strong rock/pop baseline and guitars. However, the track soon launches in to a very poppy, girly chorus that sounds as though it could be the theme music to an American teen TV show (you know the type)! It is an upbeat, fun track and Paris' clear self-belief is, as always, quite astounding; 'you're with somebody else but you can't deny it's me in your eye… nothing in this world can stop us tonight, I can do what she can do so much better'. A song dedicated to ex-best mate Mary Kate Olsen whose boyfriend she borrowed for a while, perhaps? 7/10

Paris sounds quite similar to Lindsay Lohan in the track SCREWED. Her girlish rocky vocals are very similar and the track sounds like one that Lindsay would do. This is an upbeat girly rock/pop track that the likes of Ashlee, Lindsay and Hilary would be proud of and is a very catchy, fast-paced track. The lyrics are very standard - 'Since I'm already screwed here's a message to you, my heart's wide open, I'm just not getting through to the lover in you but I'm still hoping' - but it is a nice enough, likeable track. 7/10

NOT LEAVING WITHOUT YOU is a strange track that sounds a bit country. It is very different from the other tracks on the album and I'm never sure what to make of it. It just seems to drift along nicely and ever really goes anywhere, musically or lyrically. 5/10

TURN YOU ON is a bit of a subdued and intriguing pop/R&B/dance track. The lyrics are, again, quite amusing and unique - 'Boys and girls are looking at me, I can't blame them 'cause I'm sexy'. It is less poppy and upbeat than the other tracks on the album with a more sultry sound and is one of my favourite tracks on the album. 9/10

There is not a lot I can say about DO YA THINK I'M SEXY as I have only ever listened to it once the whole way through, when I first got the album, and I haven't been able to bring myself to do it again. This is basically just a weak remake of Rod Stewart's 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy', which, in my opinion, is an awful track to begin with. Paris's vocals are weak, the track seems to go on forever and it seems to me that this is just another excuse for Paris to use the word 'sexy' on her album (like she needs another one!) Yes, yes Paris, I know you think you're sexy, now please don't make me have to listen to this track again! 1/10

TRACKS-
1. TURN IT UP
2. FIGHTIN' OVER ME (featuring Fat Joe and Jadakiss)
3. STARS ARE BLIND
4. I WANT YOU
5. JEALOUSY
6. HEARTBEAT
7. NOTHING IN THIS WORLD
8. SCREWED
9. NOT LEAVING WITHOUT YOU
10. TURN YOU ON
11. DO YA THINK I'M SEXY

UK SINGLES FEATURED ON ALBUM-
Stars Are Blind

TRACKS WRITTEN BY PARIS- (5 out of 11)
Turn It Up
Fightin' Over Me
Jealousy
Not Leaving Without You
Turn You On

BEST TRACK- I Want You or Jealousy

WORST TRACK- Do Ya Think I'm Sexy

ALBUM UNIQUE SELLING POINT- The track is quite experimental for a pop album with lots of different sounds, including pop, rock, R&B and dance. Paris pulls off each genre really well and the album is very girly and fun. The 'extremely Paris' lyrics are another fun selling point.

ALBUM SUMMARISED IN ONE WORD- Catchy.

SOUNDS MOST SIMILAR TO- Paris has the subdued, breathy vocals as heard on 'In The Zone' Britney; the rockier pop tracks that are similar to Ashlee Simpson's style and an innovative dance/pop style that, in some tracks, reminds me of our very own home-grown poppets, Girls Aloud.

ARTIST POTENTIAL- People have been amused by the disappointing sales of this album compared to those of chart rival Christina Aguilera. However, 'Paris' did get to number six in the billboard charts and Paris has only released one single so far and has not had much chance to win over her fans yet; a few more singles may just do the job. Paris is a girl who likes to get what she wants and if she has her heart set on pop stardom then I don't think she will give up without a fight!

SCORE OUT OF 10 FOR…
VOCALS- 7
LYRICS- 8
MUSIC/BACKING TRACKS- 9
VARIATION IN TRACKS- 9
OVERALL ALBUM- 8

RECOMMENDED-Yes 

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