2008 Woodie Awards
CD Review: Jordin Sparks
Three stars
Jessica Bakeman
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: FUSE
Originally published: 11/29/07 at 6:47 PM EST
Last update: 11/29/07 at 6:45 PM EST
- Page 1 of 1
In her self-titled debut album, Jordin Sparks puts out a good sound, but a disappointing follow-up to her work on "American Idol."
Listeners will undoubtedly expect to hear her belting abilities, and they only show through on a few tracks, including "This Is My Now," her winning song on the show.
The album begins with "Tattoo," which introduces a long line of vocally-unimpressive but otherwise pleasant tracks.
Although listeners might miss the Sparks they thought they knew - the one who belted out every song with passion and humility - "Tattoo" would probably not disappoint an audience who had not traveled the journey of the pop competition with the youngest Idol.
"One Step at a Time" is percussively interesting. It begins with a steady beat kept with high heels clicking - which is obviously appropriate due to the title.
There is a little more vocal risk in this piece, but it is a glimpse listeners won't get again for a while.
The third track, "No Air," is a duet with Chris Brown and the lyrics are shared between the two singers in a conversation-like manner.
This song compares the absence of a love to having no air, being unable to breathe. It is consistently pleasant, with great harmonies.
"Shy Boy" is the worst track on the album.
It has nothing interesting melodically, with persistent and annoying claps throughout the song. The lyrics are shallow, juvenile and repetitive.
Sparks redeems herself with "Now You Tell Me," which discusses the mixed messages and confusion of love. Her vocals are really strong.
"Just For the Record" is the most unique track on the album.
It starts with a mix of whistling and acoustic guitar, which has a little bit of a country twang. It then transitions into Sparks' usual hip-hop style.
Finally, Sparks showcases her pipes with the ninth track, "Permanent Monday."
"American Idol" enthusiasts will be pleased with this track, but probably annoyed that it has taken so long to hear what earned her the top spot in the competition.
"Young and In Love," both lyrically and musically, sounds as if it is trying to be something it is not.
A synthesizer makes strange sounds in the background, mimicking a modern hip-hop style, but they sadly fall short of entertaining.
The lyrics are, once again, juvenile, and Sparks distorts her voice to sound younger.
"See My Side" is another real disappointment. Her vocals are atrocious and the simplicity of the melody is not interesting - it is unsophisticated.
The next track, "God Loves Ugly," is cliché - that's pretty clear from the title. Basically, the song relates that people see flaws, but God doesn't: "God takes ugly/ and turns it into something beautiful."
The album ends with "This Is My Now," which is reminiscent of what we loved on the show.
Sparks' album has an overall pleasant sound, but a few tracks are clearly flops.
Listeners will undoubtedly expect to hear her belting abilities, and they only show through on a few tracks, including "This Is My Now," her winning song on the show.
The album begins with "Tattoo," which introduces a long line of vocally-unimpressive but otherwise pleasant tracks.
Although listeners might miss the Sparks they thought they knew - the one who belted out every song with passion and humility - "Tattoo" would probably not disappoint an audience who had not traveled the journey of the pop competition with the youngest Idol.
"One Step at a Time" is percussively interesting. It begins with a steady beat kept with high heels clicking - which is obviously appropriate due to the title.
There is a little more vocal risk in this piece, but it is a glimpse listeners won't get again for a while.
The third track, "No Air," is a duet with Chris Brown and the lyrics are shared between the two singers in a conversation-like manner.
This song compares the absence of a love to having no air, being unable to breathe. It is consistently pleasant, with great harmonies.
"Shy Boy" is the worst track on the album.
It has nothing interesting melodically, with persistent and annoying claps throughout the song. The lyrics are shallow, juvenile and repetitive.
Sparks redeems herself with "Now You Tell Me," which discusses the mixed messages and confusion of love. Her vocals are really strong.
"Just For the Record" is the most unique track on the album.
It starts with a mix of whistling and acoustic guitar, which has a little bit of a country twang. It then transitions into Sparks' usual hip-hop style.
Finally, Sparks showcases her pipes with the ninth track, "Permanent Monday."
"American Idol" enthusiasts will be pleased with this track, but probably annoyed that it has taken so long to hear what earned her the top spot in the competition.
"Young and In Love," both lyrically and musically, sounds as if it is trying to be something it is not.
A synthesizer makes strange sounds in the background, mimicking a modern hip-hop style, but they sadly fall short of entertaining.
The lyrics are, once again, juvenile, and Sparks distorts her voice to sound younger.
"See My Side" is another real disappointment. Her vocals are atrocious and the simplicity of the melody is not interesting - it is unsophisticated.
The next track, "God Loves Ugly," is cliché - that's pretty clear from the title. Basically, the song relates that people see flaws, but God doesn't: "God takes ugly/ and turns it into something beautiful."
The album ends with "This Is My Now," which is reminiscent of what we loved on the show.
Sparks' album has an overall pleasant sound, but a few tracks are clearly flops.
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