Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)It really is. I was worried that on this record, Kelly would be backpedaling from the bold, uncommercial, dark "My December" to make "Breakaway Pt 2"...and the similar to SYBG but improved "My Life Would Suck Without You" had me a tad worried. Nothing wrong with having hits on the radio and mass success, as long as you don't sacrifice artistic integrity and credibility for pandering commerciality, and in the wrong hands, that's what this 4th album by Kelly easily could have been.
Instead, and this is what's remarkable here, she takes the same emotional terrain of "My December", and artistic boldness, but places it in a brighter, catchier, powerpoppier context. The songs are great powerpop tunes because they concentrate on the CRAFT, not the commerciality, and the songs hold up well to repeated listens. There's lots of variety here (powerpop/dancerock/country/punk/retro girlgroup and soul), yet it doesn't sound like a hodgepodge either, with an assorted buffet that don't sound great together. Credit it to the sequencing. Songs here can stand alone as singles, but they go well together as a piece. Not easy to do. Plus, 7 of the tunes were cowritten by Kelly herself...always the best way to be. Now, I am NOT a fan of Ryan Tedder and his band Onerepublic, I hate their record with a passion, and the singles "Apologize" & "Stop & Stare" are two of the worst songs of last year...too commercial, flat and annoying. Luckily, Kelly's collabos with him are great songs...credit it more to Kelly, not Ryan...maybe they had good artistic chemistry or something.
All the tracks here are great, but one that stands out is the punky "Whyyawannabringmedown", with her approximation of Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten snarl that really works.
Bottom line...Kelly Clarkson is not afraid of artistic growth, nor is she afraid of having hits...as long as she doesn't sacrifice the art...as it should be...it's hits on her terms, commerciality and Idol be damned. Also, if it wasn't for "My December", "All I Ever Wanted" would have existed in lame form, as she wouldn't have had the proper context and growth to make it as good as it is.
Not saying it's the best album of 2009 yet, but it IS one of the better pop records of the year, and it could get even better by year's end, and I'm really curious as to what her next artistic step will be. A difficult one??? An easy one??? Only time will tell.
Click Here to see more reviews about:
All I Ever Wanted (Limited Edition CD/DVD)All I Ever Wanted (Limited Edition CD/DVD) by Kelly Clarkson. DVD track listing: 1.Making Of The Video 2.Making Of The Album 3.My Life Would Suck Without You (Music Video) 4.Photo Gallery
Click here for more information about All I Ever Wanted (Limited Edition CD/DVD)
