Thursday, 25 July 2013

Jordin Sparks- Battlefield Album Review



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Album- Battlefield

Artist- Jordin Sparks

Since winning the sixth season of American Idol being only age 17, and thus becoming the youngest winner in the shows history, Jordin Sparks is definitely a talent show winner who has through her music shown that she deserved to win. The singer has cultivated a strong career with a platinum selling debut album and five top twenty singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The singer hasn’t had much new music released in a while, seemingly focusing on other projects such as acting and her fragrances, but if reports are true then new music should be released this year, and so as we wait for that, I thought I would take a look at her last album and gauge how excited I should be for a new album.

Track 1- Walking On Snow

Opening track Walking On Snow is a light pop tune that finds the singer giving us an airy vocal performance but firm, I’m over you lyrical statements. The song was co-written by Barbadian singer Livvi Franc and finds Sparks telling this guy that she is not affected by the love that he gave her, using the metaphor of walking on snow to convey that she is really over their relationship. This metaphorical lyrical content is interesting and gives the lyrics a catchy quality, whilst the light vocal performance of the singer elevates the idea of not being affected by love, with the bridge having a touch of feistiness through the use of a countdown. The production also keeps things simple and light with the steady guitar strumming and clattering electro beats, and so all of the components of the track really come together to create this light pop tune that is just nice to listen to in a chilled atmosphere.

3.5/5

Track 2- Battlefield

The records title track and the only top ten single from this album, Battlefield is a mid tempo pop and RnB ballad that was co-written and co-produced by One Republic frontman Ryan Tedder. The song revolves around a relationship that is in a state of turmoil, as both parties aren’t able to compromise, with the chorus focusing on this love as war metaphor. The songs production is great as it has this light quality through the piano melodies, which brings out the love qualities of the track. But then their drums and guitar that are really forceful, with an arena sounding tone that brings out the war perspective of the lyrics. Vocally the song really shows of the power of the singers voice nicely, with some diva like ad libs in the final sections that make for an epic finish, although I would say that the vocal performance does slightly hinder the song as I don’t feel Sparks really makes her mark on the track to make this a song that only she could have sung.

3.5/5

Track 3- Don’t Let It Go to Your Head

Originally a song by singer Fefe Dobson before her second studio album was eventually cancelled, Don’t Let It Go to Your Head is a pop ballad that finds the singer firmly telling this guy that even though she has really declared her feelings for him, he should become big headed by this and should kind of just forget about it. The song is firmly changed from the edgy pop rock feel of Dobson’s version for a more classic pop sheen, complete with delicate piano melodies and stadium ready drums and guitar. The singer also brings some power to the lyrics through the strength of her vocals, with the vocal layering of the chorus making things even more powerful. This ballad is a little bit better than the former track in my opinion, and definitely improves on the Dobson version.

Track 4- S.O.S (Let the Music Play)

Sparks really ups the tempo for this electro and dance pop tune that features a sample of ‘Let the Music Play’ by Shannon. The stomping dance tune finds the singer getting ready to dance with her girls to get her groove on and get this guy wanting her and not ignoring her or her other girls, whilst also showing a feistier edge in preparing to fight another girl on the dance floor for the guys attention. The song has a snappy quality lyrically that is very catchy, and the use of the sample acts as a great hook for the chorus. The singers voice is smooth and light to make this a fun pop tune, with the end of the bridge giving her that one strong note to still powerfully show off her vocal ability. The blending of the 80’s synths with modern techno-dance beats also just gives the song this really enjoyable and fun quality, and so this is definitely a good foray into a totally different style for the singer.

4/5

Track 5- It Takes More

Bringing the record back down to ballad territory, this song still continues with the feisty quality of the previous track in terms of the lyrical content of the track. Here we find the singer telling her man that she is sick of how he acts and he should understand that he should be doing more if he wants to really keep his girl. The song lacks the punch lyrically of the previous tracks but is a strong concept, and I feel this song is good in the way that it shows of the singers voice, giving us slightly more of an RnB quality in the bits she speaks in the chorus. The song also features the singer stressing some lyrics to show off the smooth tone and just the good quality of her voice compared to some of her peers. The sound of the record lets the vocals and lyrics make a strong impact, with the simple electric guitar and heavy drums just giving the song a powerful edge, although the sound does feel a little typical for Sparks.

3/5

Track 6- Watch You Go

Co-produced by current hit song maker Dr Luke, Watch You Go features even more of an RnB quality than the previous track, and nicely changes things up with a mid tempo setting and clattering, hand clap ready beats that brings some good variation to the record. Sparks here sings of this seemingly turbulent relationship, but seemingly things always turn out right at the end of the day, and she likes to watch him go but cannot part from him. The twisted quality of the concept makes things more interesting, although the bridge could be a bit more powerful. The singers voice has a light tone within this song that is vocally layered for a cool RnB vibe that gives the song a slight flirtatious edge, whilst the ad libs on the final sections still mean that your attention is commanded. The quite fast paced energy of the production gives the track a cool rhythm that is almost something you can dance to, and acts as a light but interesting sound that just works well in changing things up.

3.5/5

Track 7- No Parade

Once again we transition back to the pop ballad territory where the piano takes centre stage, and the singer shows of the power in her voice. The song finds a vulnerable Sparks telling us of the end of this relationship where she speaks of the end as being like lacking a parade in that their was really know sign for her that things were coming to the end. The song has this almost bittersweet edge that is intriguing, and I think the metaphor basis of the song makes things more interesting. The song also nicely shows of the singers range and also her control, with the delicacy of the bridge allowing for a really powerful finish to the track. The steady drum beats, piano and strings are perhaps the only thing that let the song down: it is nice production that allows the singer to really convey the emotion of the track, but something could have been added to change things up a bit, as it feels a little too much like classic Sparks

3.5/5

Track 8- Let It Rain

We are kept on this fragile ballad level with this song where we find the singer shedding her emotional baggage from this relationship where she should have said things but didn’t, and so she ultimate ends up feeling renewed. The lyrics are slightly too clichéd but the rain metaphor is quite nice, and the song also is one of the strongest vocal performances from the singer as it feels really passionate, although the electronic stuttering at the end of each chorus is just annoying. However this song is great in that the production is really different, featuring the use of organs and a choir that gives the song a gospel quality, whilst the heavy drums and guitar make for a more pop rock sound, and so this definitely is more of a standout ballad from the singer with some bite to it.

3.5/5

Track 9- Emergency (911)

The first of four songs the Sparks co-wrote for the album. Emergency (911) finds the singer taking another foray into more dance pop territory. Like the other dance pop tune Sparks is a bit feister here, but this song also has a bit of a crazy girl mixed with vulnerability quality about it. The song simply finds the singer asking this guy what he is doing as she has gone and gotten all pretty for him but he hasn’t called her. The song lacks a really strong hook in the chorus, but the twisted quality of the song is interesting, with the vocal performance giving us a powerful tone but also having this little bit of an insane vibe in the way that she goes softer  in places and also seems to be really talking angrily to this guy. Production wise the track nicely utilises some phone style bleeps and punchy electro beats with a gritty electric guitar and some nice strings in the bridge, all blending for a sound that adds to the insanity and intensity of the track and makes this song command the listeners attention more.

3.5/5

Track 10- Was I the Only One

Here things are given more of an acoustic feel at first with this simple guitar strumming and stirring strings that find the singer in an intense state of vulnerability. The song finds the singer in a bad state where she gave her all in this relationship but now it has ended she questions whether it was only her and her love that was really in the relationship. The song is strong vocally as always in terms of showing of the power of her voice, but the track is stronger than some songs as the fragile tone feels more truthful. And although the sound is familiar Sparks territory, the piano melodies and guitar strumming have a deeper quality that really brings out the emotion of the song.

3.5/5

Track 11- Faith

As the title would suggest, this song has more of a universal tone and finds the singer singing to us on more of a one to one where she tells us to release the negativity and just fight through the hard times, because if we have a little faith we can get through. The problem with this track is that the lyrics unfortunately come across in a clichéd way where the singer is trying to be inspirational in an obvious way. The song is nice in the way he voice is initially soft and fragile but builds and becomes this really commanding vocal that makes us believe she has faith in herself. However the build of the track feels to obvious, whilst the final sections of the song employ gospel tones that add to the tracks clichéd quality. Furthermore the ever building energy of the production with the delicate piano and then forceful drum beats feels stereotypical as well, and also feels bland placed back to back with the former track, and so this song should not have made the record and should have been rethought about in the creative process.

1.5/5

Track 12- The Cure

The final track is a further pop ballad where the singer speaks on more of a seemingly one to one basis and comes across as this really caring person. Here we find the singer telling this guy to forget about his heartbreak and allow his pain to ease by opening himself up a relationship of love with Sparks, as she will make him better. The songs medicinal metaphor isn’t original but comes across as sweet, with Sparks giving us a light and cute vocal performance that exudes this caring tone. The use of the background vocals in the final minute here feels a little bit more powerful, and although once again we are treated to a sound that is familiar sparks, the drumbeats and hand clapping tone has a little bit of an urgent quality, with some electro pop flourishes thrown in to make the track stand out a bit more.

3.5/5

Final Review

With this record Jordin Sparks highlights exactly why she was crowned the winner of American Idol’s sixth season: she has an a really appealing and powerful voice. The vocal performances for each song are always on point and for me exude this great energy, with a tone which I would describe as being like cake: sweet and delicious, not always good for you but when you start eating you can’t stop. The songs also feature some catchy lyrics and nice production, and although the record does have its issues such as a familiar sound or stereotypical qualities, the album is really cohesive and fun, and also finds the singer going into some different territories that shows she can create different types of songs. A good album from a deserved Idol winner.

7/10

Best Track- S.O.S (Let the Music Play)

Worst Track- Faith

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