11/21: Jordin Sparks CD review: poppy, frothy, apropos
By: Rodney Ho | November 21, 2007, 12:24AM EST
Before we get started with Jordin, season four’s Jessica Sierra in Tampa got probation and extensive drug testing for hitting a man with a cocktail glass. That seems apt given she had no prior record. According to the Fox affiliate in Tampa, Sierra didn’t offer any apologies.
Here’s Jordin performing “Tattoo” Tuesday on “Good Morning America,” sounding great. (thank you MJ!)
And if you want to sample the songs off Jordin’s new CD, you can listen to all the tracks here at aol..
Reviews have been generally positive across the country, more so than those of the debut CD for Taylor Hicks, season five winner who so far has been the lowest selling winner of the first five.
While Jordin, at age 17, hasn’t quite found herself yet, she not only showcases her warm voice but exudes enough charm and personality to pull of this pop/R&B confection of an album. She used songs from plenty of big-shot producers who helped make the palatable tunes with sweet, PG-rated lyrics, but ultimately, Jordin herself is why the CD works as well as it does in ways that, say, Kat McPhee’s was lacking.
The CD opens strong. Besides Jordin’s charming radio hit “Tattoo,” the next cut “One Step At a Time” is catchy and confident. She proves her soaring vocal skills in an atmospheric duet with Chris Brown “No Air.” “Freeze” gets the toes tapping. Midway through, there are probably a few too many songs with similar cadences, a happy mid-tempo pop beat. Among the better ones: “Now You Tell Me” and “Next To You.”
Jordin takes a modest stab at dance club tunes with “Shy Boy” (featuring electronic vocal manipulations which Britney overuses) and the mildly diverting “Young and In Love.”
Are there any “Since U Been Gone”-type winners here? Not really. But it’s on par with Kelly Clarkson’s first CD “Thankful.”
Problems only really pop up near the end of the CD. Cut #11 “See Your Side” is too simple and repetitive to stick. “God Loves Ugly,” despite the intriguing title and lyrics (“God loves ugly/He doesn’t see the way I see/God takes ugly/And turns it into something beautiful/Apparently, I’m beautiful because you love me”), sounds like 1,000 other generic ballads. And the CD unfortunately ends with “This Is My Now,” the coronation song nobody will care to remember or may have already forgotten.
(23) Comments
Posted by: Destin on November 21, 2007 2:14AM EST
Not that it matters much, but Sierra actually threw the cocktail glass at a guy, not a woman. I agree that her sentence seems appropriate.
Posted by: Deirdre on November 21, 2007 7:48AM EST
Morning!
Did they release This Is My Now as a single? I don't remember. If not, I think they were obligated to put it on this cd. Too bad.
It's a shame that great voices don't translate into great cd sales. I wish Jordin all the best.
Posted by: linnykat on November 21, 2007 9:12AM EST
Morning D....Shaun, did you peek over here too? I'll send you some gingerbread for "first", LOL!
warm gingerbread is such a "fall" kind of thing for me...
Hubby happened to catch the GMA performance yesterday and said it was pretty good... and he works around musicians all the time, so he's got some idea of what works and what doesn't, LOL.
Well, day before a holiday, there will be all kinds of "stuff" to "suddenly" get out, so i'll see you guys later on!
Thanks you guys...I guess people are spread out to the 4 corners with Turkey Day right around the corner. Is anyone going shopping on Friday? We are, just not at 4AM - I just hope people shopping remember to be nice to the people working that early in the morning.
Posted by: Deirdre on November 21, 2007 10:14AM EST
Hubby is in Italy right now. won't be home until tomorrow afternoon. Thanksgiving dinner will be a trifle delayed! We're used to that! His Christmas schedule is a pain in the...neck, as well. He gets home Christmas Eve afternoon then leaves again Christmas afternoon. It's a busy time of year for people in his line of work! But, he feels good knowing he's getting other people home for their holidays.
Posted by: Deirdre on November 21, 2007 10:16AM EST
I wouldn't going shopping on Friday if my life depended on it!!!!! I usually shop next week and the week after...then, with luck and planning...I hope to be finished!
Posted by: Sunny on November 21, 2007 10:43AM EST
She's such a lovely, darling girl. Nice pop tune. She should go far with her charm and voice.
Posted by: Deirdre on November 21, 2007 1:07PM EST
Thank you, shay...and to you, too!
Posted by: linnykat on November 21, 2007 1:47PM EST
thanks shay, to you and yours as well, should you see this :-) and please pass along regards to the AIEx group if you don't mind.... happy thanksgiving and giving thanks to all!! with wishes for safe travel for all who have to be on the road or in the air :-)
a dios!
Posted by: linnykat on November 21, 2007 2:26PM EST
O!, and ...
Hi Sunny, welcome to our little corner of the AI world! feel free to drop in any time! ~¿@ (i'm a little slooooow sometimes, but i get there eventually!)
Posted by: Deirdre on November 21, 2007 4:30PM EST
To you as well, KPH!!!!!
Posted by: linnykat on November 23, 2007 9:03AM EST
Well.... i have to work half day today, i KNOW no one will be around, but hope everyone was adequately *stuffed* yesterday!
have a great weekend :-)
Posted by: Jessica on November 23, 2007 1:25PM EST
i love her CD fron to back and everything in between! This is my now is a very chilling song which many many peploe love, but her CD and check it out!
Posted by: Justin on November 23, 2007 10:45PM EST
OK Katharine McPhee is awesome don't mess! her CD got fine reviews and while agree that her songs are to "poppy", them teenage girls like it so yanno, what can ya do. but "An Ordinary World" is a song similar to what could come from American Idol so that's good for her
Posted by: susan2 on December 2, 2007 1:22AM EST
Where on earth did you get the idea that Taylors Hicks' cd had been the lowest selling until now. I think you had better check the figures. I believe he was #3 barely lower than #2. He sure as heck wasn't the lowest. Get your facts straight.