RIYL: Paramore, Sara Bareilles, A Fine Frenzy, Avril Lavigne
In the sequined, sun-drenched world of pop star diva-dom they call LA, Charlotte Sometimes may not stand alone but at least she’s still standing. Sometimes (real name Jessica Poland) created a splash with her 2008 album ‘Waves And The Both Of Us’, an impressive debut serving up glossy power-pop choruses, jittery beats and the grade-A production you’d expect from a Geffen release.
With a voice that suggests identical twin-ship with Paramores’ Hayley Williams, Sometimes handily navigates a variety of styles, from straight-on power pop to quasi- R&B club tracks, moody electronica and a power ballad thrown in for good measure. While the best tracks stand up to multiple listens, the high-class production seems to be working hard to hide somewhat sparse songwriting at times.
The opener, “Losing Sleep” is a catchy track featuring a nice stop and start rhythm and propulsive beats that remain consistently good throughout the album. Accompanied by a strummy acoustic guitar riff and surging violins, Sometimes muses “I’ll be the winner you always were/Don’t you dare lose” before a soaring chorus moves in for the kill.
Similarly safe and cheerful pop persists for about 5 tracks until the album veers into more interesting territory midway with “AEIOU” and “Toy Soldier”, the former unleashing a slinky R&B-style jam with Sometimes providing some spunky come-ons. “I’ll go the distance if you please, ‘cause your touch is such a tease” are some of her more G-rated offers. She also shows off an impressive falsetto and the song clicks with some much needed attitude as a catchy backup crew chants “A-E-I-oh-ooooooo” and some kitschy howling ensues.
The album closer “Pilot” uses more abstract and electronic elements and succeeds spectacularly at evoking some smart and affecting allusions to Sometimes’ somewhat troubled past. The lyrics shine here, as the singer relates, “My feelings are nothing but a curtain/Hiding me from what I should know/That I am a pilot/And I am steering low”. It is a touching conclusion and in a high-gloss package of radio-randy tunes, the only track that really connects with real emotional depth.
‘Waves And The Both Of Us’ is clearly an album of halves, with early tracks showcasing a more radio-friendly power pop formula and the latter turning darker and more moody. Sometimes handles both genres well and the high production quality makes it obvious that some of the better tunes are a Dr. Luke chorus and an iTunes commercial away from sending her headlong into fame of a customarily unpredictable duration.
For those looking for more depth than the usual Top 10 fare, Sometimes is probably best reserved for iTunes scavenging. Still, compared to most mainstream pop these days, the album is quite solid overall and Sometimes shows a lot of promise once her songwriting has time to mature. All in all, Sometimes is certainly doing something right.
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More Information
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http://www.charlottesometimesmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/charlottesometimesmusic
http://www.geffen.com
