Album Review: Jordin Sparks - “Jordin Sparks”
February 3, 2008
Jordin Sparks – “Jordin Sparks”
The American Idol team decided to take a different approach with the Season 6 winner. Rather than immediately releasing a sub-par album, they opted to wait and make sure that everyone agreed that the right songs were chosen and that Jordin was positioned for success. Joe Music thinks they succeeded. As with Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, her debut album holds much promise for a long and successful career.
rates it a B-
| Track Title | Notes | Grade |
| Tattoo | Is it Joe Music, or is she channeling Dolly Parton with her voice? Weird. But it get a lot of radio play, for good reason (”This Is My Now” doesn’t count). But does “Love you once, needed protection” mean what I think it means? | B- |
| One Step At A Time | Ok. Kinda amateur, Disney-eqeue. Something better suited for Hannah Montana. | C |
| No Air Duet | Eh. Like a Hostess Twinkie – sweet but basically tasteless. | C- |
| Freeze | C+ | |
| Shy Boy | One of the best tracks on the album. Danceable and not in a cookie cutter fashion. Joe Music likes it a lot. | A- |
| Now You Tell Me | B- | |
| Next To You | Another strong song that showcases her vocal ability. This should have been her debut single. | B+ |
| Just For The Record | Decent enough; good hook. | B- |
| Permanent Monday | Jordin puts a lot of emotion into this, making it a solid track. | B |
| Young And In Love | Like OMG, a Britney Song! Not bad though. | A- |
| See My Side | Wow. Joe Music hearts this track, in a major way. | A+ |
| God Loves Ugly | A very appropriate title for a throwaway song. Eh. | D+ |
| This Is My Now | Joe Music will be kind: it’s one of the better American Idol winner songs | C- |
Maroon 5 - "It Won’t Be Soon Before Long"
January 23, 2008
 B+ |
JoeMusic LOVES Maroon 5. Ever since first hearing “This Love” from their debut album, Songs About Jane, I’ve been waiting for their follow up. Though they released an acoustic consisting mostly of the same songs from that album, it has been 5yrs between records. And yes, the wait has been worth it.
With lead singer Adam Levine in top form, they kick it off with “If I Never See Your Face Again”, an explosive pop-rock number that easily could have been their radio debut. Rather, they decided to keep this gem under wraps for a little while, and instead do a media onslaught (SNL, American Idol) with “Makes Me Wonder”, again showing that they have more energy than a gerbil on Red Bull. The title track sets a slightly different tempo, reminiscent of their first album, as well as with “Nothing Lasts Forever”. It’s great to see them showcase their agility, and the point is proven with “Goodnight Goodnight”, easily parallel to anything by My Chemical Romance or Green Day. A few other standout tracks include “Kiwi” and “Better That We Break”. Overall, a highly worth follow-up that, while a long time coming, shows that they haven’t lost their touch. |
|
Track |
Rating |
Comments |
| If I Never See Your Face Again | A+ | Hard rockin’ and Adam Levine giving it the business. Nice. |
| Makes Me Wonder | A+ | |
| Little Of Your Time | B- | |
| Wake Up Call | B | |
| Won’t Go Home Without You | A- | |
| Nothing Lasts Forever | B+ | |
| Can’t Stop | B | |
| Goodnight Goodnight | C+ | |
| Not Falling Apart | B- | |
| Kiwi | B+ | |
| Better That We Break | B | |
| Back At Your Door | C+ |
