Britney Spears isn’t the only pop star in need of a comeback. Kelly Clarkson, the original American Idol, has experienced her share of career ups and — most recently — downs. Frequently criticized for her weight, love life and last album flop, Clarkson has a lot to prove, but she hits a high note with her latest album, All I Ever Wanted.
In 2007, the disastrous release of Clarkson’s awkwardly angry rock record My December, precipitated by the infamous wrangle for artistic control between Clarkson and her music mogul boss Clive Davis, resulted in less than memorable tracks and a canceled arena tour. After the flop, many fans wondered what the future would hold for Clarkson. If she got nothing else from the mistake that was My December, Clarkson has seemed to have found her niche as she returns to the pop roots that made her a fan favorite and brought her mega success with past hits like “Breakaway” and “Behind These Hazel Eyes.”
All I Ever Wanted masters the formula for pop success. After “un-inventing” herself in a sense, Clarkson concocts an array of catchy songs on the 14-track album. The first single, “My Life Would Suck Without You,” is already experiencing wild popularity and abundant radio time as an anthem for her female fans, much like “Since U Been Gone” did in the end of 2004 and beginning of 2005.
One of Clarkson’s greatest strengths is her down-to-earth likability, which she plays up on this record. When she is not promoting an album, Clarkson is rarely seen in tabloids, unlike her indulgently overstated musical counterparts. Her rise to fame on American Idol showcased her humble normality as she uncomfortably came to terms with stardom. Clarkson’s ability to be relatable and genuine shines through on tracks like “Don’t Let Me Stop You” and “Cry,” in which she proclaims with earnestness, “If anyone asks / I’ll tell them we just grew apart / Yeah, what do I care if they believe me or not / Whenever I feel your memory is breaking my heart / I’ll pretend I’m okay with it all / Act like there’s nothing wrong.”
The album’s gems are the tracks co-written by fellow pop sensation Katy Perry. Engaging and biting, the unlikely collaboration of Clarkson and Perry on “I Do Not Hook Up” and “Long Shot” puts Clarkson at the top of her game. In “I Do Not Hook Up,” Clarkson quips, “I do not hook up, up / I fall deep / ‘Cause the more that you try / The harder I’ll fight / To say goodnight.”
Unfortunately, the formula for a flawless pop album falls short on the overproduced “Already Gone” and “Whyyawannabringmedown.” Clarkson should have played a more significant artistic role in developing these tracks; this idol has too much vocal talent and spunk to be drowned out by synthesizers and poor production techniques.
Ironically, though All I Ever Wanted might not be the creative direction that Clarkson originally wanted to pursue, the pop genre undeniably suits her. The album offers an agreeable, spirited blend of tunes that will probably come to saturate the radio waves during the approaching summer months. Surely, Clarkson’s fans will embrace the new music as they rejoice in her comeback, turn up the radio and sing along.
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