Kelly Clarkson

Thankful

Amazing Blend of Songs Coupled With Powerful Vocals

Review Score:

(8/10)
Though she once appeared as an extra on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Kelly Clarkson was brought to the public's attention when she won the first season of American Idol. Kelly is generally seen as a girl-next-door type however her powerful, even soulful vocals really bring her into the spotlight. Kelly's debut, "Thankful", is a versatile blend of styles that can appeal to a majority of people. Her songs range from pop-rock to country influenced with even some hints of soul. One thing the album never fails to do, however, is show of Kelly's amazing voice. Backed by the renowned producer, Clive Davis, Kelly's debut hosts a variety of writers ranging from Christina Aguilera to Babyface to Diane Warren and even a handful of songs co-penned by Kelly herself. The result is an incredible blend of styles that truly showcases Kelly's talents.

"The Trouble With Love Is" starts things off with a soulful vibe and sweet lyrics. In this song, Kelly describes some problems with love ("it doesn't care how fast you fall") and try as you might, you cannot deny your feelings when you love someone. The bridge has particularly emotive vocals and touching lyrics. "Miss Independent", co-penned by Christina Aguilera and by Kelly herself, describes a woman who basically refused to fall in love and how she finally sees how beautiful love really is. The bridge, where Kelly sings to a slower beat and in more subdued vocals, sounds exquisite and is definitely the most emotive part of the song. "Low" is a great mid-tempo song that really showcases Kelly's vocals (especially in the chorus and bridge). The bridge has by far the best lyrics in the song ("I walk out of this darkness with no sense of regret...").

"Some Kind of Miracle" was written by esteemed songwriter, Diane Warren who is known for writing power ballads and touching, emotional songs (like Brandy's "Have You Ever"). The song features Diane Warren's signature beautiful, expressive lyrics and is enhanced by Kelly's soulful voice. The vocals get more powerful towards the end, making for a wonderful finish. "What's Up Lonely" is possibly one of the weaker songs on the album in the sense that it takes quite a while to adjust to. Vocally and lyrically, the song does not disappoint, but the style seems just a little out of place. It describes a feeling of loneliness that will not seem to leave a person alone. "Just Missed The Train" is definitely one of the stronger songs, with its poetic lyrics and superb vocals. Kelly's vocals and delivery only increase the quality set by the lyrics. Once again, Kelly's delivery is particularly great during the bridge.

"Beautiful Disaster" follows much in the same vein with amazing lyrics and a wonderful delivery. In this song, Kelly questions whether holding on to a relationship will result in something great, or in a "beautiful disaster". ("If I could hold on through the tears and the laughter, would it be beautiful? Or just a beautiful disaster?"). After that is another of my personal favourites, "You Thought Wrong" with Tamyra Gray. The song was co-written by Babyface, Kelly and Tamyra among others and describes a situation where a boy is seeing both girls and how they confront him about it. The two women sound amazing together and fit well with the pop-rock style of the song. The lyrics are extremely well-written and definitely a change from "The Boy Is Mine" (although I do love that song) or other similar songs. "Thankful" is probably my least favourite song simply because the vocals do not fit well with the tune and because the lyrics, while personal to Kelly, do not fit with the rest of the album. It is not a horrible song, but it is not nearly as good at the three previous tracks.

In retrospect, "Anytime" is one of the most powerful songs (and the most powerful ballad) that the album has to offer. The lyrics are particularly touching and Kelly gives one of her best vocal performances. The piano music in the beginning of the track is simply beautiful (as is the rest of the music in the song). "A Moment Like This" is a great song, though I am still slightly sick of it because of how often it was played. Kelly's voice is a little more subdued, allowing the quality of her voice to shine through without bordering on shouting. Lastly, there is "Before Your Love" which borders on (though never quite reaches) complete sappiness. That is not necessarily a bad thing however. Kelly pulls this song off beautifully and adds emotion to it, making it sound like she's had this sort of experience. The lyrics to the verses are stunning and the backing orchestra adds a great deal to the song.

Overall Mark: 4/5

Overall, Kelly Clarkson's debut ranks right up there with Clay Aiken's, as (debatably) the two best debuts from American Idol winners/ runners up. Like Clay, Kelly's debut is packed with stunning vocal performances and romantic, touching lyrics. However, Kelly's debut has a little more stylistic variety so it will appeal to more listeners. Though many accuse it of being all over the place, the album actually has a great deal of consistency that makes it come together as a whole instead of just being a variety of songs. Obvious highlights include "You Though Wrong" because of Kelly and Tamyra's awesome vocals as well as the interesting twist on the subject matter and "Just Missed The Train" because of the exquisite lyrics and powerful delivery. This album, though it has a wide variety of songwriters, is definitely not a case of "too many cooks in the kitchen". Instead, each writer brings their own influence to the music, which in turn gives Kelly a variety of (vocal and lyrical) styles to work with. Even though the first season of American Idol is long over, Kelly's debut is well worth a listen.

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