When Kelly Clarkson prevailed in the release of her introspective My December album over the wishes of record label executives, many feared that it was a career-killing move. The release of All I Ever Wanted and triumphant success of the incessantly poppy lead single "My Life Would Suck Without You" should lay any worries to rest. Kelly Clarkson is back.
One Of the Top Voices In Pop Music
The most obvious strength of Kelly Clarkson as a recording artist is that she simply has one of the most powerful and accomplished voices in pop music today. Given an outstanding song, Clarkson can nail it to the wall, and she has a series of impressive pop singles to her credit. She flies high here with the bubblegum rock of "My Life Would Suck Without You" and the midtempo bounce of the title cut. "Whyyouwannabringmedown" is a bracing, almost punkish, surprise.
Runs a Little Long
At 14 songs, All I Ever Wanted could have used a bit of trimming. "If I Can't Have You" is a little too close to Miley Cyrus' "Fly On the Wall" for comfort, and "Save You" sounds like a guest appearance from Pink. A solid 10 or 11 tracks is always better than an album padded out with lackluster material.
Top Tracks on All I Ever Wanted
- "My Life Would Suck Without You"
- "All I Ever Wanted"
- "Whyyawannabringmedown"
- "Ready"
- "I Want You"
Welcome Back To the Top Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson's return to the pop mainstream is very welcome. There are songs here that will quickly become addictive for pop fans, and more hit singles are likely. Clarkson's ability to range from the punkish "Whyyawannabringmedown" to cute, bouncy "I Want You" shows that given a quality song she will turn in a memorable performance. Kelly Clarkson is an enduring pop star.
Released March 2009 by RCA Records
