Kelly Clarkson – My December

CD REVIEW

It takes courage to depart from a musical path that has brought success and even some critical acclaim. One-time American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson has that courage, but her gamble to rock a bit more seriously pays off only in part.

My December is much less poppy than the preceding two albums, and it has no such instantly memorable songs as “Since You’ve Been Gone” (which may be one of the best pop songs of the decade).

Yet, the more mature and introspective Clarkson is more interesting than the pop princess ever was. While as a songwriter she is still at the bottom of the growth chart, “Sober” and the long and lovely “Irvine Chivas” show that Clarkson is more than a pop puppet.

The CD starts off with much energy, but dozes off in the middle with a slate of forgettable tracks. Perhaps allowing a few radio-friendly hits on the album might not have been such a bad thing after all.

Listen to: Sober; Irvine Chivas; Hole; Don’t Waste Your Time; Yeah.