Kelly Clarkson - Meaning of Life
The Guardian 80
(Atlantic)
New label, new sound is the overriding theme of Kelly Clarkson’s eighth album, her first for Atlantic and billed as the one she’s always wanted to make. So out goes the pop-rock hybrid; in its place sits a broad, old-school soul inflection that initially manifests itself as Meghan Trainor pastiche on the ungainly Love So Soft. But it’s when modern touches – distorted vocals, looped hooks, pitched melodies – intertwine with the old that things get interesting. Heat is pure unadulterated joy, Medicine is 90s-era Mariah Carey-effortless, while Go High closes the album on a surprisingly experimental note. The big, syrupy ballads, meanwhile, accentuate Clarkson’s undeniably powerful voice, creating a comfort zone that feels genuine.
Continue reading... Sun Oct 29 08:00:22 GMT 2017The Guardian 60
(Atlantic)
Way back in 2002 – in the days of Will Young v Gareth Gates, and Fame Academy – Kelly Clarkson triumphed on the first series of American Idol. Rasputin-like, she has since displayed a staying power that’s rare for talent-show victors, making it through the RCA deal she inked off the back of the show, before moving to Atlantic last year. While the first single from this new album – Love So Soft – is little more than Candyman-era Christina Aguilera with a hint of on-trend trap, there are plenty of strong and saleable tracks here. Among them, Move You – a grown-up acoustic ballad with a churchy, clap-fuelled crescendo – and I Don’t Think About You, the sort of big, key-changing thing a returning singing show champ sings to this year’s contestants as they hold back the tears. Even so, there’s lots of filler, too, such as Go High – based around a Michelle Obama speech – and the body-positive pop of Whole Lotta Woman, which sticks a little too closely to the Meghan Trainor mould. Despite this, the strong, 90s diva-ish mood suits Clarkson’s belting vocal style, as she ushers in a more soulful phase with class.