Kelly Clarkson's My December Shows Newfound Maturity
"My December" is the album that gossip-mongers claim that Clive Davis doesn't want you to hear, and his opposition to the project shows just how far out of touch the old man has become. Hang it up, Clive. Your time has come and gone, because this CD is Clarkson's strongest, and may serve to save the "Idol" franchise from a lackluster sixth season.
The CD opens with the first single "Never Again." It serves as a great jumping off for fans of Clarkson's pop-rock hits "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Since You Been Gone" with a slightly harder edge. It gently brings listeners into a sound that is different for Clarkson. For those expecting a whole CD of rockers, "One Minute" is a techno-shock, but it's a strong song, even if it doesn't really fit in with the rest of the songs on "My December."
The CD slows down with "Sober," which is made for radio. It is set to be the album's second single, but should have been reserved for the fall, with one of the more uptempo numbers being set for a summer release. "Yeah" is the track that should have had "Sober's" radio release date. Don't be surprised if radio picks this up this bluesy track before it's officially released. With strong horns and vocals that go from subdued to soaring, this is a track that will turn heads.
Other stand out tracks are the mid tempo "Don't Waste Your Time" and "Hole." That latter track is more guitar driven, but is reminiscent of the heavier songs from "Breakaway."
The CD closes with Irvine/Chivas, a double track that shows there is more than power and belting to Clarkson. The vocals on the first track are ethereal and delicate and the songs have a folk country feel. The second track is folk, with a blues influence. These will probably be the love them or hate them tracks on the CD.
Clarkson went out on a limb with this CD and fought to have it presented to the public as she envisioned it. It was worth the effort and the wait. This is the best of Clarkson's young career.
Published by Kari Livingston
Kari Livingston is a freelancer writer living and loving life in the foothills of the Arkansas Ozarks. She specializes in local restaurants, attractions and family events. Her work has appeared on HubPages,... View profile
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6 Comments
Post a CommentI noticed they cut me off above(but I think you can see where I was going). She is and will remain the Queen of the air waves...We LOVE you Kelly! :-)
I agree with everybody above EXCEPT Sarah. This article is EXTREMELY on-the-money, and finally an analysis of the album that Kelly deserves. I like everything she has done from AI on, and I also like the guts she has to fight the music industry's corporate powers that be for the right to do what she is feeling at the time. It took me a while to get use to some of this, but the more you listen to it there is some absolutely genious music/lyrics/sounds, etc on this that I love. Even though it is not the "sappy" stuff that a lot put out to be commercial, it still shows the versatility Kelly has as a performer. Man, if ANYONE tells her she can't do something is she ever going to prove them wrong. I think the theme of her My December comes out in one of my many favorites "How I feel". She's saying that she has the right to just be mad/sad for a while and vent to get over those feelings. Truthfully, she could put out ANY genre and I would buy it, cause she is driven to always prove he
Kelly Clarkson was crowd surfing, head banging, and rocking out to Aerosmith and Toadies long before she hit the stages of American Idol. She was tattooed and pierced long before Since U Been Gone. Sarah_from, if you knew anything about Kelly you'd know that she IS finally being herself! Ask her friends, family, and true fans and you'll find out that Kelly Clarkson isn't "A Moment Like This" she's "Addicted", "Hear Me", and "Never Again". I'm so happy to hear that she's played hardball with RCA and Clive and won. Kelly is an award-winning writer and she deserves the respect that goes with that honor. How many more #1's does she have to write before the powers that be decide they don't need to put her through hell each time she wants to put a song on an album? Massive Kudos to Kelly for fighting for artistic expression in this day and age of radio dominated by puppets yapping about stealing peoples' boyfriends. And also, kudos to Kari Livingston for a great article.
I agree Jessica. I feel Kelly did what most artist do when they are new...come out with cookie cutter music to please the masses. Sure we all loved the "Since you've been gone" Kelly, and the "Breakaway" Kelly, but I love that she is mixing it up her own songs. Sometimes you get tired of hearing the same old love songs, and want a harder look at life. Sarah, maybe you should listen to the cd from start to finish and judge each album seperately. And who are you to say that this is not "her". Personally I think this is totally her! this was an awesome article.
i disagree, its not harder, this crap is wannabe emo-hard rocker chic? she is just so fake, i miss the old kelly, at least her old image was more like her personality.. i just think she is trying way too hard to be "different-harder" .. she's a teenybopper.. she's not a rocker. its laughable.. i hate that its not "her".. she faked this soo bad..
Good article, Kari!
Sophie