CD of the Week: Jordin Sparks

Genre: Pop

Released: November 20, 2007

When Jordin won Season 6 of American Idol, I was a little disappointed; I was really pulling for Melinda Doolittle. "This Is My Now" was a song that tired quickly, and didn't have the catch of previous Idol winning songs, like "A Moment Like This". When Jordin finally put out her first single, "Tattoo", I was again left unimpressed; it was a simple, bland song that meant nothing and did nothing to establish an image for Jordin.

So, I wasn't expecting more than dribble on the self titled debut Jordin Sparks; in terms of celebrities, I didn't expect it to be as bad as Britney Spears, but more of a Lindsay Lohan - not terribly screwed up, but definitely below par. 

The cover certainly seemed to cement my feelings - it's a dreadful cover that shows Jordin looking much older than she is, and not to mention with an absolutely emotionless look on her face (the Australian cover is a DRASTIC improvement). 

However, and fortunately for Jordin, appearances are deceiving. In fact, after a few listens of the album, there's no valid reason that it's sales are so low (by Idol standards): it's certainly a better first effort than Clarkson's, Studdard's, Burrino's and Hicks', and way better than any Clay Aiken or Kelly Pickler CD. Also, when Jordin hits her stride on a few tracks, she absolutely soars and sings some of the greatest pop songs I've heard in a long time! 

At the same time, I'm not really surprised it hasn't done too well; CD reviewers didn't feel that this CD showed the real Jordin Sparks, leading to average reviews. That, coupled with the awful cover can really hurt sales. What's boosted them are the singles, particularly "No Air", and her next slated single, "One Step At A Time", is probably going to give her sales another much needed boost. 

So, onto the review of the actual songs: yes, I agree that they're not what people have seen as Jordin Sparks, as in soulful and trying to please the audience, but that's pretty hard to relay in a song - actually, darn near impossible. Fortunately, I had all but forgotten Sparks by the time her first single and album came out, so I was listening as if I had never heard her before. And I must say, the reviewers aren't giving her enough credit. 

OK, the bad news first: there are tracks on this album that are absolute crud; useless lyrics, an annoying beat, and a completely false Sparks that seems to shy away from the mic. Examples of this terrible mistake in music include the oddly synthetic "Shy Boy" and the Prince inspired "Young and In Love" - wholly not Jordin. Other mistakes include "See My Side", the musical equivalent of a lobotomy, and the weirdly titled "God Loves Ugly" - any song with the word ugly in the title is pretty off-putting. 

Now, having said that, when Jordin is singing a song that better suits her vocally and personally (not perfectly, but closer than those faux-club songs), she is absolutely stunning. In fact, I'd say some of the songs are pop classics, rightfully putting her alongside Rihanna and Beyonce (but not with Mariah or Leona). "No Air" had me hooked the moment I heard the first tell me how I'm s'posed to breathe with no air, and "One Step at a Time" is the Idol winning song that should have been: inspirational and heartfelt. However, Jordin's greatest achievement is the track "Now You Tell Me" - a song about growing up, which is exactly what we want to hear from this young songstress. Also, I would say splurge and get the deluxe edition of this CD (if you use iTunes to purchase music) - the three bonus songs are solid tracks that should have replaced the aforementioned trainwrecks. 

In summation, Jordin Sparks has made a solid debut - albeit with some bumps - but it's definitely not a bland album, which is more than I can say for the majority of AI contestants.

Recommended Tracks: "No Air", "One Step at a Time", "Now You Tell Me", "Permanent Monday", "Worth the Wait"

RATING

Melody: 4/5 Lyrics: 3/5 "Catchiness" factor: 7/10

TOTAL: 7/10