God And I Thought My Life Was Depressing! (Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson)

Member Name: GramiWay

Product:	Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson
Date:	09/08/08 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great lyrics and vocal. Some of the best songs of the decade

Disadvantages: A bit of filler towards the end, pointless bonus tracks already on another album

Just like the UK and most of the world America has a thing about finding 'the next big thing' in the music business via a television show and oh wait it has Simon Cowell on board too. JOY!
Although this isn't a review of American Idol - the program in question it is fundamental that I explain that the artist who recorded 'Breakaway' actually won the first season of the show way back in 2002.
Since then Kelly Clarkson has gone on to score a handful of huge hits around the globe being the most dominant winner of the show on a worldwide scale. 'Breakaway' itself is predicted to have sold about 12 million copies worldwide and is definately a huge change in direction from the more RNB/soulful sound adopted on Clarkson's debut album 'Thankful'. The songs here are deep and meaningful with brilliant lyrics and a consistantly stunning vocal but whilst some artists would take these strengths and create an album full of regurgitated, lifeless ballads and filler Clarkson lets out her emotions in a bombardment of angst and turmoil that in my opinion helps to create some of the best songs of the decade.
With Ben Moody helping out on some of the tracks [previously known for working with Avril Lavigne and Evanescence] and a number of writers that have worked with the likes of Delta Goodrem to name but one it was always certain that this record was going to be a huge pull away from the mainstream.

01 Breakaway
The title track actually co-written by Avril Lavigne this track instantly reminds me of a song that radio would snap up in a heartbeat. It has a real mature and beautiful vibe to it as Clarkson sings about the hopes of running away fro mthe place she has grown up in and finding the rest of the world.
The harmonies and lyrics are just an extra piece of delight rolled into an already perfect track.

02 Since U Been Gone
I remember being OBSESSED with this track when it first came out. It packs quite a punch and is such a 'two fingers up to your ex' track. Clarkson belts out a blinding chorus complete with furious guitar rifts and the type of angst Avril Lavigne would kill for.

03 Behind These Hazel Eyes
Another amazing track and my personal favourite on the entire CD. Laced with brilliant harmonies and a chorus full of emotion the song is not only musically brilliant but full of meaningful lyrics that a lot of people are bound to relate to. It's a very hard and aggressive song
and really is a great insight to the many different sides of this artist.

04 Because Of You
The first real ballad on the CD. I really like this due to its lyrics. You can interpret them as being about a broken family or just a broken relationship but again I think it's a track that everybody will relate to on some level. Clarkson's vocals are at their strongest against the slow and gentle piano that kicks off the song and later as it reaches its peak and creates an emotional whirlwind.

05 Gone
'Gone' reminds me of a more mellow version of 'Since U Been Gone'. It definately has that more radio friendly, mainstream vibe that the opening track did and overall I found it to be rather weak for the first non single on the album.

06 Addicted
Oozing with sexual undertones and a raw and dangerous vocal from Clarkson, 'Addicted' takes the album to perhaps its darkest place. The lyrics here are brilliant and are easily lost in the haunting melody that takes hold. A brilliant track that probably showcases the songwriting strength on this record more so than any other track.

07 Where Is Your Heart
I liked this at first then went off it. It's another ballad but has nowhere near the same amount of power that 'Because Of You' did and is rather limp in comparison. On its own it's a nice sort of break from the turmoil inflicted in the more aggressive tracks but it's definately one of the weaker songs on offer.

08 Walk Away
This track has a much more funky feel to it with Clarkson wrapping her vocals around a raw and sexy beat, her voice sounding bitter amd enticing all at once. Again I'm personally not a huge fan of this one and it feels like the album is running out of steam but I wouldn't call it a bad song.

09 You Found Me
I really liked the lyrics here. Compared to all the heartwrenching lyrics we've endured so far this is a rather positive song that captures Clarkson's vocals and makes her sound like an Avril Lavigne carbon copy. It has a nice enough beat to it and the chorus like the rest of the album is definately one that youcould easily learn the words to and sing along with in no time.

10 I Hate Myself For Losing You
This track is a bit messy due to the fact that it has a great stand out chorus but the verses seem to be all over the place. It's one that I tend to skip.

11 Hear Me
Built in the same vain as 'Addicted'. 'Hear Me' sees Clarkson push her voice to new depths to really bring out the emotion the song is describing. It's a great end to the new tracks on the record.

The last track is a live version of 'Beautiful Disaster'. The song has been stripped back to a stunning acoustic performance as die hard fans may recognise it as a track from Clarkson's first album 'Beautiful Disaster' where it had a more rockier feel to it not a million miles away from the tracks on 'Breakaway'.
If you buy the UK version of the album you're also treated to the two major singles from 'Thankful', the sexy 'Miss Independent' and 'Low' which again is a song that fits into 'Breakaway' so well it's like it was always part of the family.

'Breakaway' is easily the standout album of Clarkson's three records so far and even though at times it does seem that the tracks become more and more boring as the record progresses it is still a breathtakin album crammed full with a host of classic songs that define the year 2005 for me. I definately reccomend checking it out as its possibly the best record released by a reality tv show star on either side of the Atla

Summary: Definately a 21st century pop record to add to your collection