dimanche 30 Déc 2007, 10h39m
After the list of great albums, here the list of this year's albums that didn't impress me that much. These are not all plain bad albums, some just did not live up to my expectations, others failed to distinguish themselves enough from the masses (or their predecessors).
First of all I'm gonna mention all the albums I already reviewed: La Radiolina, Sky and Drastic Fantastic.
As I Am
It's a sad transitioning that's been happening: instead of showcasing Alicia Keys' beautiful voice, this latest album focuses much more on dirty beats and rough edges.
The Best Damn Thing
This has been the first album in a long time that I listened straight through immediately after purchasing. I was greeted by a big soup of same-sounding bullshit, mixed with some tunes pretending to be something they aren't. There are about two tracks worth listening to: Innocence and When You're Gone.
Blackout
OK, I don't know why I bought this in the first place. Maybe I wanted to subconsciously impress all of my twelve year old friends (or the ones who had been twelve when the last Britney Spears album came out). Whatever the reason: I assure I never before bought any of her records. It's not entirely clear how on earth I could have expected this not to suck…
Change
The Sugababes had two wonderful records put out before they started making the same album every time… Anything experimental that One Touch and Angels With Dirty Faces might have had is completely missing. What remains is their most pop-ish album to date.
Como Ama Una Mujer
I love spanish songs. That language is just beautiful and learning it is still in my agenda. But J.Lo's voice more than ruins it.
Dylanesque
OK, my main gripe with this album is not really a warranted one: he picked mostly Dylan songs that I don't know which makes the album not as fun to as it could have been.
Introducing… Joss Stone
Joss Stone's voice is really beautiful and I like listening to her songs. But instead of being a really original record, Introducing… Joss Stone just seems like a failed attempt at imitating Amy Winehouse. I much rather have her sing more Janis Joplin songs instead of writing more of those "truly me" songs.
Not Too Late
Norah Jones' latest effort feels exactly like Feels Like home, her previous record. It's full of beautiful songs that are easy to listen to. And that's actually my main gripe with it: it's too smooth. It does not have the rough edges and sometimes unfinished feel that her debut, Come Away With Me, had.
Pictures
I must admit I listen to Katie Melua mainly for her mellow, smooth voice, for the sheer kitsch of her songs. There's actually plenty of that on her new record so what am I complaining about? So while I actually have no problem listening to this record, I cannot seriously recommend it to anyone without exposing my perverted side that just wants to listen to the most beautiful voices, disregarding any notion of taste.
Real Girl
Unlike Siobhan Donaghy, Mutya Buena really has not tried to create something distinctly her own after leaving the Sugababes. I'd strongly recommend listening to the duet with George Michael, This Is Not Real Love (Featuring George Michael). Other than that I cannot really recommend anything.
Reproductions
I love Charlotte Martin. A lot. Too much to let her do covers. Her style is just to original and the original versions of these songs are just too tightened for me to ever really shine in combination.
The Signal
Guano Apes was a great band, mostly because they were original and funny, sometimes even silly. Sandra Nasic's solo record lacks this loose handling of wit in the lyrics. The greatest shortcoming of this album is trying to be too serious.
Songs Of Mass Destruction
Annie Lennox's records just lack something when compared to Eurythmics'. I expected this and it didn't surprise me. No, my main problem with this record is the song Sing. Featuring a lot (and I mean a LOT) of artists, many of which I count as being of my favourites, I expected the track to be at least ten minutes long and to feature all of those great voices in their own solo part. The only voices I was able to distinguish were Madonna’s (who unfairly gets to sing the complete second verse), Joss Stone's and Céline Dion. I couldn't even make out Shakira's quite distinct voice.
Taking Chances
I don't know what I have against this album. Whenever I listen to a random song off it, I think to myself "Wow, that's actually quite good." I've been accustomed to hearing Céline Dion's great voice do always the same thing (apart from some exceptions like when she tried to go Hip-Hop in Treat Her Like A Lady). Well, on this album, she's trying some new stuff with it which certainly sets the album apart from any of her previous english records (I won't go into trying to figure out why her French records are always so much better than her english ones). Unfortunately this also means this album is more mainstream than any of her previous ones.
X
I bough this, listened to it once and never touched it again. I don't think it's a particularly bad album, it just doesn't contain any more-than-average tracks like her previous three records did. But maybe I need to listen to it a bit more.