Sara Bareilles - Basket Case
Sara Bareilles became one of my favorite pop acts the moment I heard “Gravity” on her debut album. Despite the relative blandness of first single, “King of Anything,” especially when compared to the first single from her debut, the mega hit “Love Song,” Bareilles seems to have the chops to avoid the sophomore slump and produce a clever followup.
The fast paced piano heavy tracks on the album are all fine, though many sound repetitive with interchangeable melodies. However, once Bareilles moves away from relying too much on piano pop numbers, the album picks up and the singer shows a maturity and versatility missing on her debut. Bareilles’ strength still lies in her ability to showcase her vulnerability in her ballads, especially “Basket Case” and “Breathe Again.” When Bareilles slows down the tempo, her voice shines through her piano prowess and you hear the emotions.
Standout tracks: “Uncharted,” “Basket Case” “Breathe Again” “Gonna Get Over You”
You can download the album here.
Hurts - Happiness
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Hurts album Happiness is out today in the UK and though I haven’t had the chance to give it a full listen, I’ve been impressed with what I’ve heard thus far. The synth pop duo produce a more intelligent style of pop music, in terms of lyrics and composition, rather than some of the mind-numbing songs released this summer.
You can download it here.
Lissie - When I’m Alone
After hearing Lissie’s EP, I expected her full-length debut to be closer to the folk rock/country spectrum than pop. However, the album has some fantastic hooks and catchy songs, including this one. You can download the album here.
Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream
I finally got around to listening to Katy Perry’s sophomore album, Teenage Dream. It’s pretty much what I would expect from some of the most successful producers with catchy hooks and harmless lyrics. Perry’s already discovered the golden formula for success and isn’t shaking anything up, although I think her voice is stronger and more distinctive (specifically in “CIrcle the Drain” and “Fireworks.” The title track is definitely the stand out of the album, though I’m sure the radio will be playing half of the album in upcoming months. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, you can find it here.
I’m not really sure what to make of the fact that she’s the face of American pop music (until Lady Gaga returns with her next album). I don’t think anyone predicted her career trajectory after “I Kiss A Girl.” It seems a bit like Christina Aguilera tried to make an album like Teenage Dream (excluding the fantastic tracks produced by Sia) and failed miserably.
**For your listening devices.
Please buy the song when it gets released. Or help an old lady across the street.
