Jordin Sparks : Jordin Sparks : Review : Rolling Stone

Jordin sparks was the perfect American Idol because you could see that she was working hard, learning new tricks week to week, which suits the Idol massive's fantasy that we're teaching her how to be a star. She was wildly inconsistent, going from an excellent "I (Who Have Nothing)" to a pitiful "Livin' on a Prayer." But that just built up her ingenue appeal: America gets to feel like we're watching the duck become a swan before our eyes. Melinda Doolittle may have been a stronger singer, but she's also a fully formed adult — there's no way she could sing something called "This Is My Now" with a straight face. (When Blake Lewis had to sing it, he was practically gagging all the way through.) But Sparks? Happy to be here, happy to do what she's told, no different from millions of other pleasant-mannered teen girls. She's the kind of pop star who writes "Nobody puts baby in a corner :P" on her MySpace blog and means it.

At seventeen, Sparks is the youngest Idol ever, with a sweet smile, not much of an ego and an appealing enthusiasm about getting to be the center of attention. So she's perfectly happy to lard her album with her Idol coronation song, something Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee refused to do; she's willing to call her castmates "my best friends.” The moment you hear her sing "Tattoo," with the hook "You're on my heart/Like a tattoo," you can't help but chuckle — yeah, right, like this girl would ever be allowed near a tattoo parlor.

The album shrewdly positions her in hip-hop-flavored R&B, which is interesting because it's one style she never touched on the show (unless No Doubt counts). The powers that be shelled out for real songs from real producers: StarGate (Beyonce, Rihanna), the Underdogs (Chris Brown, Ne-Yo), Robbie Nevil (High School Musical and Hannah Montana, although he blew up with "C'est la Vie" before Sparks was born). The kickiest tracks come from Bloodshy and Avant, the Swedish team behind Britney's "Toxic," who funk up Sparks' voice without pushing her too far into adulthood. "Young and in Love" has warped hand claps and Nu Shooz electrobeats, while "Shy Boy" goes for Prince funk — it's an ironclad law of pop that all songs called "Shy Boy" or "Shy Girl" are great, and this one is no exception.

Most of the other winners come from StarGate, who produced Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" and have no shame about churning out "Irreplaceable" replicants forever. They reprise their formula brilliantly in "Tattoo," giving Sparks an acoustic guitar, a drum loop and a lyric replete with over-the-top, Kelly Clarkson-worthy verse like "I gotta let my spirit be free" and "No matter what you say about life/I learn every time I bleed." Their overstatement brings out the best in Sparks' voice, as in "Now You Tell Me" (a Coldplay knockoff) and "Just for the Record" (a hilariously brazen rip of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain"). Sweet Baby Jordin takes to "No Air," her ballad duet with Chris Brown. He's a couple of rungs higher than her on the maturity ladder, but it forces her to step up, as C-Breezy and J-Speezy toss the melody back and forth like a beach ball.

Her ballad voice is nowhere near as strong as it was on the show. Like every young female singer bent on displaying her technical abilities, she's picked up the bad studio habit of imitating Mariah Carey, giving her vocals affected sobs and chokes, and it drags down her slow songs. She doesn't get to sail away on long notes the way she did on "I (Who Have Nothing)," still the best thing she's ever done, with the possible exception of her version of Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker" (unfortunately not included). That's the real flaw of Jordin Sparks: The only time Sparks doesn't sound like a pure pop star is when she's trying to pose as a soulful grown-up, which is something nobody really wants her to be.

ROB SHEFFIELD

(Posted: Nov 29, 2007)

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Track List

Play All

Tattoo (Main Version)
One Step At A Time (Main Version)
No Air duet with Chris Brown (Main Version)
Freeze (Main Version)
Shy Boy (Main Version)
Now You Tell Me (Main Version)
Next To You (Main Version)
Just For The Record (Main Version)
Permanent Monday (Main Version)
Young And In Love (Main Version)
See My Side (Main Version)
God Loves Ugly (Main Version)
Virginia Is For Lovers (Main Version) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Save Me (Main Version) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Worth The Wait (Main Version) (track not available in Rhapsody)
This Is My Now (Main Version)

Your Turn

Give us your review of Jordin Sparks

Review 1 of 10

1of 5 Stars

sheeshh...I could sing better than this kiddo in my sleep!! Average album, just another teen wannabe.

Jul 22, 2008 09:06:23

Review 2 of 10

1of 5 Stars

Why can't they just put out one album every three years with all the crap from these bathroom stars, instead wasting all that plastic?

Feb 5, 2008 19:07:50

Review 3 of 10

3of 5 Stars

Decent album, nice girl. She won't do as well as Carrie Underwood or Kelly clarkson, or even chris daughtry-- but I hope she makes it. She has a nice voice. Just doesn't have the star power of Carrie or Kelly.

Jan 30, 2008 17:13:57

Review 4 of 10

5of 5 Stars

Well... first off, I'd like to say that unlike some of the other reviewers, I actually know what I'm talking about! Jordin Sparks CD, most definantly blew me away! I was expecting something along the lines of Taylor Hicks CD, but wow, I was suprised at how well it was! I will admit though, that there were a few songs that weren't quite up to par, but out of 13 songs, I really liked 11 of them! And quite frankly, I think that Jordin Sparks could be the next Alicia Keys, she most definantly has the powerful voice! I believe that people who have no idea about true music, should not leave reviews unworthy of other people's viewing... if you don't know it, don't talk about it! Just because you listen to music does not mean that you know music, there is quite the difference, but on that note, I would like to say that over-all I was blown away by the album, expecially the duet with Chris Brown! I think that her name truly fits her, and has most definanly created sparks in the music industry world-wide!

Jan 7, 2008 19:39:12

Review 5 of 10

4of 5 Stars

I LOVE HER!!!!

Dec 8, 2007 23:47:19

Review 6 of 10

2of 5 Stars

One would hope an album by someone named Sparks would actually provide some. This album is boring. Oh yeah, American Idol. This is not music, it's product, like shampoo or cereal. Is Americal Idol still even on? I thought Simon ascended to heaven on the wings of angels a year ago. Apparently Christian musician Michael W. Smith encouraged AI viewers to vote for Sparks. It's bad enough the religious right is all mixed up in our politics, must we now suffer them in AI voting as well? Sparks is a decent enough singer, although I particularly dislike overly-trilly vibratio singing, which is her style. Like a birthday present for a six-year-old, Sparks will probably be the focus of attention for a few weeks and then forgotten.

Nov 29, 2007 09:36:50

Review 7 of 10

Not Rated

Where was this recorded? in a very mediocre home studio by the sound of things. Could this have possibly been sequenced and recorded using Band in a Box Version 1.0?? Weak songwriting, plastic production, corny and painful to listen to... like one of those $2.99 'Soundscapes' CD's that you see on display at the 'end of the isle' in K Mart or Target (with vocals added to it). Kind of a waste of a fairly talented singer... she deserves better people around her.

Nov 28, 2007 18:59:01

Review 8 of 10

Not Rated

now i really start having doubt ...of your reviews... after
briteny, now jordin better than alicia keys?

so sad!

Nov 20, 2007 01:23:56

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