Ashley Tisdale's first album "Headstrong" started off in a rough spot commercially. Either no one took the time to hear it, or Ashley (June 21 - 28, 2009) didn't take the time to promote it fully with shooting of "High School Musical 2" around that same time. Afterwards, she made up the rest of the promo duties in October of 2007. After earning a Gold certification at 471,000 copies sold, it didn't make a giant impact. But it wasn't a disaster like we quickly assumed considering that it sounded similar to the failed debut album that Diana DeGarmo (May 25 - June 1, 2008) put out.
Now in the year 2009, Ashley might have went to the same hairstylist that DeGarmo had and came out a brunette. But that's not her only change. Her second album "Guilty Pleasure" takes on the pop/rock sound with the electrorock subgenre, which was different from the first album. With the exception of the Timbaland-ish "Crank It Up", the entire album is jammed in the middle between the Hilary Duff/Lindsay Lohan teen rock from Disney's past and the Miley Cyrus/Selena Gomez electronic pop/rock from Disney's present.
The "High School Musical" breakout, whose vocals still aren't as powerful as Demi Lovato's (April 26 - May 3, 2009), sounds scattered on "It's Alright, It's OK". Limping from note to note to high note and sounding like Kidz Bop covering "So What" by Pink (March 1 - 8, 2009), the album's first single doesn't make a giant mistake like it wanted to. As much as she tries to show her growth, the vocals sound constrained, and the amazement is not there. Tisdale hasn't even gotten a handle on the slow ballads yet. On "What If", she struggles to shake off the Broadway pitch for "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi's soft tune. It comes across as an outtake from the "High School Musical 3" soundtrack as well as a sequel to the wobbly ballad "Unlove You" from her debut album.
When listening to the lyrics on "Hair", those who miss the blonde ambition she had with Sharpay Evans and Maddie from "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" will find it hard to endure through the full song. Also sounding like a bad pun, "Hot Mess" is a decent track, but considering what didn't impress already, the album could have been either summed up as a hot mess or made into a more appropriate title for this album until the rest of the album is played.
Listeners are prone to doubt the potential of Disney stars but have never counted out Ashley. As you listen to "Overrated" you can somehow identify it as a top 40 ready smash that would have made a better first single than "It's Alright, It's OK". Ashley could have also substituted in "Masquerade". This radio-friendly jam sounds pitchy when sung live, but it gives Ashley room to grow as a vocalist. She comes out swinging toward the end of the album with knockouts like "Me Without You" and "Switch".
In a typical discussion, Tisdale is often labeled as the fabricated Disney tycoon instantly, but Tisdale's showbiz record has less in common with everyone else than anyone takes the time to notice. While she had her first encounter with Disney at the regular starting age of 13, her first appearance in a Disney product was in the 1998 Pixar film "A Bug's Life". While every other Disney star was still a teenager at their breakthrough, Tisdale turned 21 when "High School Musical" took off. While all of her good Disney friends got record deals from Hollywood Records, Ashley made a bold decision by signing to Warner Bros. Records. It may not get her videos on YouTube due to the label's feud with that website, but they supported every decision Ashley went with. Most of these songs flow better than the first single, and she finishes this round feeling like a champion.
This review can also be read on my Rate Your Music profile (misterturk182)
No comments:
Post a Comment