4Play

June 27, 2007

Mandy Moore – Wild Hope - Firm Music
Given the world she arrived in - in which her contemporaries were the likes of Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears - it would seem that Mandy Moore would be stereotyped as nothing more than a poplet for the remainder of her career. A few smart moves and almost 10 years later, Moore has both established herself as a rising actress and as a singer-songwriter that’s grudgingly but surely gaining respect. Her co-writers may have a bit to do with that (although, again, it’s her choices that are the smart ones) - she’s collaborating now with the likes of Chantal Kreviazuk and The Weepies - but Moore is also showcasing more honest lyrics and a penchant for much more complex music than her first single, “Candy,” would have ever indicated. Highlights include the Joni-Mitchell-esque “Most of Me,” the title track, and the introspective first single “Extraordinary.”



Bon Jovi – Lost Highway - Mercury
120 million albums later and a couple of decades in, Jon Bon Jovi and crew are still moving forward, this time by edging Nashville influences into their typical pop-rock formula. Thankfully, this isn’t a corny tribute; instead, it’s a series of songs that capture the essence of what this sort of music means to the band. The dozen new original songs include a few rockers, but most have a quieter, careful feel as opposed to the band’s previous raucous, arena-friendly work, the best evidences of this being the romantic “(You Want To) Make a Memory,” the Music City paean “I Love This Town,” the pretty “Seat Next to You,” and “Stranger,” Bon Jovi’s surprisingly effective duet with LeAnn Rimes. It’s interesting that they would take this countrified turn at this point in their career, but it works, as it reveals an interesting new layer in what’s often thought of as a fairly bland band.





Kelly Clarkson – My December - RCA
Also battling a previous reputation, but in a different fashion, is American Idol champ Kelly Clarkson, whose third album has been the point of much controversy due to her label’s reluctance to release it (Fiona Apple, anyone?). Much has been made of the “lack” of obvious radio singles, but the fact is that Clarkson is working to overcome her own pre-made status by working hard to write her own songs and structure her feelings into music, which is, expectedly, a work in progress. A mix of emotional ballads and heavier power-pop, the tracks do display some repetitiveness at times, but it is to be admired that Clarkson feels strongly enough about songs like the vulnerable “Sober,” the quirkily-arranged “Never Again,” the progressive “Can I Have A Kiss,” and the Alanis-like “Judas” to stick to her guns in spite of label pressure. She’s Miss Independent, indeed, and her fans will appreciate her honesty.


Lifehouse – Who We Are - Geffen
Known mostly for their 2001 hit “Hanging by a Moment,” which was one of the most-played songs of that year, Lifehouse has barely hung on to the public ear since then, cranking out two other albums but only snagging one additional radio hit, “You and Me.” It might’ve discouraged the band to not seem to be living up to their early glory, but something that industry-driven can’t knock a determined band out of the game; nope, a band like Lifehouse just regroups and comes back with this different but quite good effort. Once again featuring the band’s trademark upbeat outlook, the songs otherwise run the gamut of emotions, kicking off with the peppy “Disarray” and continuing on through the powerful “Broken,” the interesting “Storm,” which features Jason Wade’s striking a capella vocals for nearly the first minute, the melancholy “Make Me Over,” and the pensive “Mesmerized.”