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2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 All I Ever Wanted...But Not All Kelly is Capable Of Oct 29, 2009
Despite it being nearly seven years since the first season of American Idol, most people still tend to associate the program with its first winner, Kelly Clarkson. With her last album, My December, Kelly seemed to be interested in breaking away (no pun intended) from this image, although her attempts were marred by conflicts with the label over her choice of material. As a result, her newest album seems to be, in some respects, a step backwards as one gets a distinct impression that Kelly did not get much say in the songs. What it lacks in depth, it makes up for in commercial appeal, although this does not necessarily imply a stronger album.
Catchy first single, "My Life Would Suck Without You", shows Kelly at her commercial best, although it is reminiscent of some of her earlier hits. This track maintains a slight element of bitterness, as Kelly proclaims, "being with you is so dysfunctional" in the exceptional bridge. It's a rather unconventional love song, talking about how breaking up was a mistake. "I Do Not Hook Up", co-written by Katy Perry, suffers mostly from seeming more like a Katy-sound-alike than a song specifically intended for Kelly. To be fair, Katy had recorded the song first, for her own album. It's a good song overall, with an excellent message, however it lacks anything to make it distinctly "Kelly". In contrast, "Cry" stands out as an early album highlight. Kelly had a hand in writing this one, and it is definitely noticeable. This is the first song to really show off the power of Kelly's voice, and has much more depth to the lyrics. It is also the first track here to really show any passion."Don't Let Me Stop You" is a fan favourite, and with good reason. It is radio-friendly enough that it could easily have been released, with rather witty lyrics in places. Here Kelly sings about telling her man to just leave if he's not that into her. It's a confident song, and another one with an excellent message of letting go of someone who's not as interested in the relationship.
"All I Ever Wanted" is the one track that seems reminiscent of My December, with a darker sound and theme. It is another album highlight, proving once again that, in spite of her talent for commercial pop, Kelly really shines on the deeper, darker material. It's also one of the more emotive deliveries available throughout the album. "Already Gone" has garnered criticism for being similar to Beyonce's "Halo", due to using the same producer and a similar backing track. Kelly herself had criticized the choice of this song as a single due to the similarities. As for the song itself, it's a good ballad with well-written lyrics. "If I Can't Have You" is reminiscent of the kind of track Pink might release, although that is a good thing. It's a catchy dance track, balanced with interesting lyrics. The only slight problem is that Kelly sounds a little muffled amongst the production, however it is not enough to detract from the song as a whole. This is definitely one of the dark horses of the album, as it grows on you more with each listen. The bridge is exceptional. "Save You" brings us back to a beautiful ballad, arguably stronger than "Already Gone". This song shines due to its lower-key production, giving Kelly plenty of room to shine with a powerful and passionate vocal delivery. Ryan Tedder definitely redeems himself with this one.
"Whyyawannabringmedown" is easily the weakest track the album has to offer. It's an aggressive track, and fans of Kelly's more rock-style tracks may enjoy it. However, it seems extremely out of place among the rest of the pop-radio-friendly tracks. It is something of a grower, however, but there is much better on the album. "Long Shot" is the second track that originally belonged to Katy Perry, and arguably much stronger than "Hook Up". Although Kelly's vocals again sound very similar to Katy's, this song sounds much less copy-cat. Unlike "I Do Not Hook Up", I can see Kelly writing a song like this herself. While some may think Kelly has not made this her own at all, it seems like the kind of song that could have fit quite comfortably on either of her previous albums (excluding Thankful). "Impossible" is another hidden gem, and proves once more that Tedder's productions can be varied and engaging. This is another track that Kelly had a hand in penning, and again it shows. It's interesting to note that although Kelly's contributions were more limited compared to on My December, those tracks she was involved with inject a similar style to that album. This is easily an album highlight as well. "Ready" is more of a low-key mid-tempo, and another track which Kelly had a hand in. It is a generally strong track although it suffers a little from a weak chorus. This is one of the songs that tends to be overlooked as filler, although this is definitely filler at its best.
"I Want You" is more of a fun track, and one of the album's biggest growers. This gives some evidence of Kelly's versatility, and may not be the most contemporary sound. However, Kelly pulls it off brilliantly. Upon first listen, it sounds rather immature and forgettable, but it's the kind of track that gets stuck in your head and stays there. "If No One Would Listen" can't help but give the impression of speaking to Kelly's situation with her label, given the impression that she had little say with this album. The song is a cover, and Kelly does an excellent job. It is an emotive performance, and an excellent album closer and highlight. However, with the deluxe edition, two bonus tracks are included as well. "Tip of the My Tongue" comes first, and is an excellent addition. The lyrics are well-written, although the track as a whole is somewhat reminiscent of Pink. This is another song which shows why Kelly is at her best with the darker styled music. Finally, the album ends with the brilliant "The Day We Fell Apart", which is a little more radio-friendly that the track before. Like "My Life Would Suck Without You", it seems to be talking about a rather dysfunctional relationship that Kelly wants to stay in nonetheless. An excellent album closer as well.
Overall Mark: 4/5
This album fares much better when considered on its own, rather than as a follow-up to the brilliant My December. The major problem with this album is the lack of identity. Many of the tracks are reminiscent of other artists: Katy Perry, Beyonce, Pink, and some have even compared one to Miley Cyrus. One cannot help but get the feeling that this album was largely directed by the label, with little input from Kelly. This is especially obvious since many of the tracks Kelly helped write are more similar to the style of My December. In terms of the quality of the songs themselves, most of them are actually quite well-done and Kelly manages to inject enough emotion to make them believeable. However, at times the album becomes inconsistent as it sounds more of a mish-mash of other artists in attempt to be radio-friendly. It's a good effort, and in the end the quality of the songs themselves combined with Kelly's undoubtable talent are enough to make a thoroughly enjoyable album. Those who prefer Kelly's pop songs will enjoy this more than My December, whereas those looking for depth may be a little disappointed.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Kelly keeps getting better and better Oct 20, 2009
I can't believe some people are calling this her weakest album - this is def her best! I loved her others and LOVED My December but this album is just completely awesome! Every track is just so good and different! She gets better with time...awesome awesome awesome!
0 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Kelly's Weakest Cd Oct 11, 2009
It took about 3 or 4 times listening to the entire cd to end up liking half the album. I'm not sure what it is that I don't like about this album but it just didn't do it for me. So many of the songs are completely forgetable and Kelly's voice sounds like a shirl sometimes. I'm a big Kelly fan but this is my least favorite.
2 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Lady of Music Sep 29, 2009
This is another item i purchased for my grandaughter for Christmas.
I like the way that all the information was detailed and displayed. It
is another item that hasn't been opened yet. But i am sure that she is
going to enjoy it. Amazon makes a great place to shop and has great values. I am disabled so it makes it easier for me to shop. I will give
it 5 stars even though i haven't opend it as of yet. I have purchased
many items through Amazon with no problems.
Thankyou fo being there.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Great! Sep 22, 2009
This album is great!! Some of the songs do have language. But GREAT GREAT GREAT! awesome!
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