First Listen: Mandy Moore's Leaves Bubblegum Behind with Wild Hope

In the late 90s, it seemed like pop radio was suddenly overtaken by an army of blond pop tartlets like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera and second tier stars like Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore. Of the four, only Mandy Moore has escaped the tabloid feeding frenzy. While she hasn't had the chart success of Aguilera, her movie career has far outpaced that of Spears ("Crossroads") and Simpson ("Dukes of Hazzrd"). She has made 10 movies since the 2003 release of "Coverage," her last CD, and some people will have a hard time reconciling Mandy Moore the actress with Mandy Moore the surprisingly mature singer. Her newest CD, "Wild Hope," will hit stores on June 19 and it is a truly surprising CD. Filled with bittersweet songs, it may be lost in the shuffle of big name summer releases from Maroon 5 and Rhianna, but "Wild Hope "is worth seeking out.

"Extraordinary," the midtempo opening number blends synthesizer and strings, two odd elements that work . Moore's voice is smooth, clear, delicate and mature on the first track. She is unrecognizable as the artist who warbled "Candy," her 1999 breakout hit.

Coming off such a strong opening, "All Good Things," the second track is somewhat of a disappointment. Her voice floats over a lovely melody, but stilted lyrics and affected pronunciations make this the CD's only misstep.

The CD recovers with "Slumming in Paradise" This is a potential radio hit, fusing rock and poppy influences into a hook filled, catchy cut. The only flaw is a moment of reverb that is unnecessary and detracts from the organic feel of the CD. Other stand out cuts are the alt-country "Most of Me" and "Few Days Down," both of which show Moore's maturation as not only as singer, but a songwriter.

At times, Moore's voice is reminiscent of Faith Hill on a really good day, husky and heartbreaking one minute, soft and ethereal the next. The influence of the songs from "Coverage" is still here, including a Jim Croce-esque guitar line on the CD's title track.

Mandy Moore has evolved into a songwriter with a gift for thoughtful, poignant bittersweet lyrics with a flexible voice that dips and soars over delicate hooks. "Wild Hope" is a welcome departure from the over processed confections that populate radio. Fans waiting for this will be pleased. The only question is will the fans of Mandy Moore the actress forgive her bubblegum pop past to give "Wild Hope" a chance.