Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted
Despite having the same name as a Basshunter song, I had high hopes for Kelly Clarkson’s new song as I am a massive fan of hers - I wish everyone in the world could sing just like her.
Being the first winner of American Idol meant that Kelly was destined for big things in the states, and with over 16 million album sales under her belt so far, I’m sure this one is going to give that number a huge boost.
Opening with her already immensely popular single, My Life Would Suck Without You; it gives you a great impression of things to come from the rest of the album; you have to have been living in a bubble not to have heard this single over the past month or so, and we’ve been playing it endlessly ever since in landed on my desk.
But then comes the ‘unknown’ songs, and I’m really hoping they can live up to their predecessor, and second track I Do Not Hook Up really doesn’t disappoint; especially in the current man-hating state of mind I’m in today. This is just what I need - a power-pop song to twirl around the office to.
So she’s doing well so far, but can we make it three in a row? Of course she can! It’s Kelly Clarkson! Moving on from the upbeat sounds of the previous two songs is the ballad, Cry, which I’m, assuming is about another messy break up. It’s a beautiful song following someone trying to work out how to deal with losing the love of her life. I’m with you on that one Kelly love.
Thankfully Kelly gets back to her rock-pop best with Don’t Let Me Stop You which has me sashaying around in my slippers whilst scrunching up my hair and singing into my giant hairbrush. Yet, that’s all thrown aside with song number 5.
The title track, All I Ever Wanted sounds like the introduction to a overplayed indie anthem from someone like Scouting For Girls, but I can’t quite put my finger on where I’ve heard this riff before. To say she named her album after this one song is a little disappointing, as there are a number of far better songs on the album.
Already Gone is an incredible track that really gets stuck in your head. It shows off one of those amazing backing beats that makes you want to grab a man and slow dance him up before dragging him off for some super hot bedroom antics. Fair enough, thigh might not be exactly what Kelly is wanting to convey here, but oh well.
If I Can’t Have You is bizarrely reflective of my life at the moment, you know, when you meet someone really hot, but then you seem to act like a complete psychopath and ultimately make them think you’re a mental case. Come on, I know we all like men that are way out of our league, I don’t what Kelly is whining about it though; she has no problems finding a bloke. Nice to see her trying to connect with her single audiences like myself.
The final couple of songs sound more like they were written for other artists than for Kelly, beginning with the incredibly long-titled Whyyawannabringmedown, which sounds remarkably like something Avril Lavigne would sing, but it’s nice to see young KC taking a foray into the world of pop punk. However, she gets back to her original best with Long Shot which has a lovely little guitar riff that, okay, sounds a little bit My Chemical Romance-ish, but with her intense voice, it somehow just works.
Ready has the sort of sound that would make it fit right in on Take That’s new Circus album, it makes you want to pull out the Jazz hands and top hats. Hum, moving swiftly on… I Want You also seems to take inspiration from another British artist, this time it’s very Lily Allen / Duffy-esque and it’s bizarre to hear Kelly taking on something that Lulu might have written.
Then I feel like I’m listening to Kanye West’s 808’s & Heartbreak with the bass beats and synths on Tip Of My Tongue, I can see this being a massive chart song as it proves Kelly’s ability to remain current and stay in tune with what the kids these days are listening to. Kelly Rowland better watch her back, Kelly Clarkson suddenly got street.
The closing track, The Day We Fell Apart sums up everything Kelly is about; fair enough it could have been sung by ladies of the moment, Lady Gaga or Katy Perry; but it’s an edgy love song and although it isn’t ‘classic Kelly’ it does show her moving with the times, and proving that she’s still got it.
Overall, the album has it’s fair share of the slow ballads we love from this lady, with the likes of Cry, Save You and If No One Will Listen bringing the romance, whilst still packing the ballsy rock chick attitude with, well, most of the other songs.
I think that’s what makes Kelly so loveable; the fact that if I was a singer, I’d just want to be her.
Rating: 4/5 - Still current, but sounds a little too much like other artists towards the end.
Skip To: If I Can’t Have You - A song we can all identify with.
FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison