Underappreciated talent (My December - Kelly Clarkson)

Member Name: Charliewhippet

Product:	My December - Kelly Clarkson
Date:	26/01/09 (65 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great tunes, sung with integrity.

Disadvantages: Nobody else will understand why you're obsessed with his album.

Kelly Clarkson's third studio album, and we are just beginning to glimpse what she is capable of. The trouble is, her record company doesn't seem to know what to do with her. She's gone from being a pure pop "American Idol" winner, to a black leather clad rock chick, to...who knows. The singles that get released seem to be the boyfriend-hating screamathons - great for getting the crowd worked up, but are they really her finest work? Personally, I think Kelly is at her best when she strips away the vocal acrobatics and sings the more pensive tunes that come from the heart.

This album shows another side of Miss Clarkson's talents; rather than being a glossy product of marketing like some of her peers, she is closer to the acoustic guitar and thoughtful lyrics of singer-songwriters like Alanis Morisette.

The first track, "Never Again", feels like a reworking of her huge hit "Since you've been gone." It's as if somebody has decided that Kelly sells more records when she is angry, so this is what she must release. "One minute" and "hole" are more standard rock tunes. Kelly shows a softer side with the heartfelt "Sober" and "Be still." But the stand out tracks, to my mind, are "Yeah" - a slinky rock tune, and the hauntingly sad "Irvine." Not to mention "Chivas" - it's a hidden track at the end of the album, but in my opinion it's a stronger song than many of the tracks she has released as singles.

I saw Kelly in concert when she was in London - she was outstanding. She may not be a one woman circus like some of the pop stars in the charts at the moment - I don't think I've ever seen her in a tabloid paper, and plenty of people in the UK seem to have never heard of her! But I think she is a fantastic singer - nobody sings with more soul than she does. And I think the best is yet to come.

Summary: It's a bit of a slow burner, but these songs will get under your skin