miss understood (M!ssundaztood - P!nk)

Member Name: nicolemorgan

Product:	M!ssundaztood - P!nk
Date:	18/03/03 (1575 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: contemporary sound

Disadvantages: the track 'numb'

While Britney merely sings about loving rock and roll, Pink really shows what it?s like to actually be rock and roll. Her new album, M!ssundaztod, sows off the hardcore edge to Pink?s personality which was previously suppressed in her first effort, ?Can?t take me home.? Gone are the R&B, men bashing lyrics, as to is the pink hair ? in come the guitar driven, angst ridden, screwed up family songs and newly cropped Mohawk.

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The Background
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Real name Alecia Moore, this 23-year old burst onto the music scene back in 1999 with her first single ?There you go.? Her subsequent 2 single releases managed to climb into charts all across the globe while her debut album claimed the prestigious platinum status. In 2000 she teamed up with Mya, Lil? Kim and Christina Aguilera for a re-working of the classic ?Lady Marmalade.? A little touch of magic from ever-present Missy Elliot and Pink scored her first ever number one and countless awards along with it.

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The album
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But while Lil? Kim and Mya went into near obscurity and Christina lost all her clothes, Pink enlisted the help of former 4 non blondes singer, Linda Perry, and set to making her second album with the intention of making her record sound like what she wanted and not what her record company felt was safe marketing.

With the obvious influence of Linda Perry, ?M!ssundaztood? takes the steps towards the same kind of rock/pop ballads that Bon Jovi did, and apparently still do. With th opening eponymous track, Pink confronts those strict R&B followers who feel betrayed by the change in music style and the beard stroking rock journos who are tentative to let the former pop miss into their ?serious? world. With the line ?It?s not that complicated, I?m just misunderstood,? it seems we all have no clue about Pink at all. But by the next track, ?Don?t let me get me,? we get a clearer insight into the
life of Alecia More. The lines, ?Tired of bein? compared, to damn Britney Sears? which caused a commotion even before the album was released, shows how the singer is desperate to be separated from the overabundance of dancing blondes that grace the stage of CD:UK every week.

The track ?Get the party started?, her first single of the album and also Pink?s first solo number one, perfectly bridges the gap from her last album to this one. Although a solid dance song it shows a progression from Pink MK1. The first real introduction of Pink MK2 isn?t really shown until she hits us with the track ?Just like a pill.? The softly sung first lines build up to the full out scream of ?I swear you?re just like a pill, ?stead of making me better, you keep makin? me ill.? With the backing of her new band, this song live I a show stopper, ad despite the fact that the record company were wary of the new direction, this song gave Pink her second solo number one, proving her pop audience have embraced the change.

Pink?s rap debut occurs on the track ?Respect?, and although sounding slightly corny with a hark back to the 80s turntable craze, the vocals blend soundly with the music and she is able to carry it off, although I don?t think Eminem need worry too much!

The track ?Family portrait? is a heart felt ballad where Pink goes through the pain she felt due to her parent?s divorce. The reality of the song makes you almost uncomfortable at times, with the searing vocals and the chorus of children singing in the final verses. This song, along with ?Misery? and ?Dear diary? show a more personal side of Pink that has rarely been seen. ?Misery? is a duet with Aerosmith front-man Steven Tyler which presents a more soulful feel to the album, while ?Dear diary? introduces the quiet part of the album, no more getting the party started.

The track ?Numb? is quite a surprise. A surprise that the eternal widow Courtney Love hasn?t sued Pink for her blatant rip
off of Nirvana?s ?smells like teen spirit.?

The final song ?My Vietnam? begins with the sounds of bombs exploding nd helicopters flying overhead. It was inspired by Pink?s father who was a Vietnam veteran and incorporates many themes into the lyrics. But with a very promising start and build-up to the record, it perhaps isn?t the finale you would have hoped for.

Verdict ? 4/5 A great first step in making Pink more rock than pop but still room for improvement.

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