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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