Artist: Selena Gomez & the Scene
Album: A Year Without Rain
Out: September 21st, 2010 (NOW!)
Tweens rejoice! Selena Gomez and her band, the Scene are at again!
Let's be honest. We all still listen to the youngster's music. Miley, Demi, JoBros, Justin Bieber, and Selena. I'm guilty, and I know you can admit it too.
Luckily, both Demi and Miley are moving toward a far more mature sound and look, and Biebs has had the help of Usher and Kanye West to make him not look like a total tool.
So here's the deal. Selena Gomez had two awesome songs on her last CD. The infectious Falling Down and the, dare I say, brilliant Naturally. Yeah, I said it. It was brilliant. So when they decided to start recording the follow up, I was happy to hear that they were going to try and focus thier effort toward that kind of a sound.
Selena has a medioce voice, and a barely there delivery. But I knew if she got the right producers behind her, she'd have quite the little tween album on her hands. I believe she's even stated that she wants to move toward a move grown up sound as well, seeing as she is growing up herself. I respect the fact that it doesn't mean she has to take her clothes off. Yeah, I'm looking at you MileyBird.
But the songs on this record sound like Naturally's cousins, not the direct offsprings. Each song is good. Each song has a purpose. But nothing on this disc is getting me off my ass and dancing the way Naturally always does.
The album opens with first single, Round & Round, which carries the dance hall vibe of Naturally over into the new record, with just a little less spark and pizazz. Moving into title A Year Without Rain, second single, that continues to solidify the fact that I don't think this record is going to catch the same sparkle that Naturally, and even Falling Down, possessed.
Rock God is an interesting direction for Selena and her boys to take. Originally a Katy Perry demo for her first album, about the struggle between her religious convictions and her desires to be a rock star, Rock Mafia has taken the gem of a song and produced it into a tween dance anthem, something they have a knack for. I definitely still like it, but do yourself a favor and look up the Katy Perry version. It's less produced as Selena's, but its delivered with far better confidence.
Off The Chain is a mild-tempoed song produced by Pop duo Rock Mafia. A cute little love song for the tween set, but it is sure to get you dancing. A song that takes what made Naturally such a big hit, and expands on the idea. As stupid as the song title sounds like, the lyrics make up for it with a innocent type of maturity.
Here's the deal. Sometimes, no matter how old I get, I like to feel like a kid. I like to dance around in my underwear, and pretend that I don't have any of the grown up responsibilities that I have now a days. Summer's Not Hot is my jam, for this reason. Its ridiculously up-tempo, and it has no hidden meaning, like a lot of Disney songs do. It's literally about how the summer isn't even hot without the presence of your school yard crush. The song is young and somewhat refreshing. Deal!
Do yourself a favor, and just ignore the sixth song ont he disc. Its bad, its just bad. Intuation is not Selena's, nor is it Toby Gad's, best.
When reading some interviews with Miss Gomez before the album was released, she said she was going to experiment with some reggae sounds. Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled at the idea. I thought, "what train wreck of a song is going to come from this?" Well, I am pleasantly surprised. Spotlight is a fun party jam, with innocent lyrics, and simple party vibe perfect for your middle school get together. Again, its nothing special, but its fun and dancey.
Surprisingly grown up mid-tempo ballad Ghost of You comes after a slew of dance hall jams, and really gives your ears a rest from tween pop mediocrity. The lyrics are surprisingly grown up and beautiful and could apply to many situations that I've seen twenty somethings go through. It's a nice addition to the album and one of my favorites.
Sick of You is cute. Real cute. Its the tween version of Kelly Clarkson's legendary hit Since U Been Gone. But, its nothing special. It fits the whole vibe of the disc, but I'm not jumping up and down for it. That's for sure.
The final cut fits perfectly with the band's first effort, and closes the show with a rock-piano based ballad. Live Like There's No Tomorrow gives me hope that the younger generation is truly a more socially liberal generation. The message of love everyone is definitely cheesy, but its her strongest ballad vocals I've ever heard.
Bottom line: Cute. But cute doesn't really sell records in the mainstream.
Must hear song(s): Ghost of You & Off The Chain.
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