*inidiosync is a regular feature on embarrassing albums I love.
I'm on vacation for the week, so no running and no blogging, but here's something shameful to digest in the meantime...
At 16 I was probably too old still to be falling prey to teen pop, but really, who doesn't love Mandy Moore? Sure, her film career has proven to match the quality of her pop career, but hey, so has Diane Keaton's. And on that note, I'd say that Mandy Moore's eponymous third album is the musical equivalent of How to Deal--it's not breaking away from the genre, but it's surprisingly successful in its modest aims.
On today's mix...
Mandy Moore - Mandy Moore (2001)
Mandy Moore - Mandy Moore (2001)
I'm on vacation for the week, so no running and no blogging, but here's something shameful to digest in the meantime...
At 16 I was probably too old still to be falling prey to teen pop, but really, who doesn't love Mandy Moore? Sure, her film career has proven to match the quality of her pop career, but hey, so has Diane Keaton's. And on that note, I'd say that Mandy Moore's eponymous third album is the musical equivalent of How to Deal--it's not breaking away from the genre, but it's surprisingly successful in its modest aims.With their relatively edgier production and middle-eastern flair, Mandy Moore's first four tracks--"In My Pocket", "You Remind Me", "Saturate Me", and "One Sided Love"--were obviously intended to be its hits, and it's worth noting that they were not. However, what Mandy Moore lacks in show stoppers, it makes up for it in consistency, both with its hooks and with its production values. Though "In My Pocket" lacks the sing-a-long vocals necessary for a teen pop song to hit, its fast pace and menacing horns make it a delightfully delirious lead single. With it's seductive layering, "Saturate Me" is indeed a song worth soaking in. For better or worse, any of these songs would've fit in a teen movie in 2001--perhaps the greatest testament to that being that the album's weakest track, "Cry", was indeed released to promote Moore's leading role in A Walk to Remember.
What's most surprising on Mandy Moore, then, is how the album keeps the pace until the end. Filler "Yo-Yo" matches a cute metaphor with a lively hook, and "Turn the Clock Around" is an irresistible confection that would've easily been a hit were it not for the production, which felt dated even in 2001. However, it's hard to complain about the production when the same team produces the glossy "Split Chick" or the Moore co-written album closer "When I Talk to You"--a track that strips things down to Moore, a violin, and some acoustic strumming to excellent effect.
Making an album like this isn't rocket science, but judging from the cultural garbage of Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Willa Ford, and Jennifer Lopez--to name a few--it did require a charming persona and some consideration for the actual age group being targeted. The album's most effective moment is certainly single #2, TRL favorite "Crush", which indeed nails the feeling of a high school crush. And a song like "17" is delightful especially because Moore was still at an age where it seemed relevant to sing about her age. Ultimately, Mandy Moore is an album that succeeds by coloring in the lines, never veering too far from its modest teen heroine and never working itself into a dirty sweat. Mandy Moore got Britney's leftovers and made herself a solid album, one that stands as an artifact to turn-of-the-millennium teen pop before Pharrell came along and popped its cherry.
What's most surprising on Mandy Moore, then, is how the album keeps the pace until the end. Filler "Yo-Yo" matches a cute metaphor with a lively hook, and "Turn the Clock Around" is an irresistible confection that would've easily been a hit were it not for the production, which felt dated even in 2001. However, it's hard to complain about the production when the same team produces the glossy "Split Chick" or the Moore co-written album closer "When I Talk to You"--a track that strips things down to Moore, a violin, and some acoustic strumming to excellent effect.
Making an album like this isn't rocket science, but judging from the cultural garbage of Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Willa Ford, and Jennifer Lopez--to name a few--it did require a charming persona and some consideration for the actual age group being targeted. The album's most effective moment is certainly single #2, TRL favorite "Crush", which indeed nails the feeling of a high school crush. And a song like "17" is delightful especially because Moore was still at an age where it seemed relevant to sing about her age. Ultimately, Mandy Moore is an album that succeeds by coloring in the lines, never veering too far from its modest teen heroine and never working itself into a dirty sweat. Mandy Moore got Britney's leftovers and made herself a solid album, one that stands as an artifact to turn-of-the-millennium teen pop before Pharrell came along and popped its cherry.
8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment