Music Review - Ashlee Simpson “Bittersweet World”
GRADE: B+
Out of all of the guilty pleasures that I am ashamed to admit to in music, this is my biggest folks. I know I sound like a hypocrite with my anti-Britney stance but I can’t get over Ashlee Simpson’s non-stop fun pop song hit factory. Her bubble gum sweet brand of lip synching friendly radio tunes are at their best on Simpson’s third (and best to date) studio album. Packed full of catchy Gwen Stefani riffs and 80’s inspired tracks, “Bittersweet World” is an instant iPod favorite of mine already.
Simpson worked on this album with producers Timbaland, Chad Hugo, and Kenna. It has been described by Simpson as a “fun party album” with a “silly and quirky” side and some influence from 1980s music. She has also described it as having a more beat-oriented sound than her first two albums, “Autobiography” and “I Am Me”, although still retaining some of those albums’ guitar-based sound.
The insanely original catchy singles “Hot Stuff”, “Boys” and “Outta My Head” deserve to blow up this summer. “Rule Breaker” is a deliciously bratty Pat Benatar-like rock n’ roll fist-pumper. The fake punk snarls and rebel girl attitude in songs like “Beat It” and “Rag Doll” would come off silly if it weren’t for Simpson’s fabulously husky “voice”.
Even the ballads “Bittersweet World” and “Little Miss Obsessive” have an original rock edge that caught me off guard, both could even be minor hits. This album is quite the fun little pop find if you can get past all of Simpson’s recent “SNL” and nose job drama that has made her a star up to this point. This album is proof that there is someone other than Britney worthy of the pop princess crown.
WATCH THE “OUTTA MY HEAD” MUSIC VIDEO BELOW:
LISTEN TO TRACKS FROM “BITTERSWEET WORLD” BELOW:
July 26th, 2008 at 3:59 am
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