★ ★ ★ ★ out of 5
She's the original American Idol. She's a true queen of pop ballads. She has over a decade of hits under her sparkly belt. The return of Kelly Clarkson was inevitable and anticipated.
The "Stronger" songstress now presents her glowing seventh studio album, Piece By Piece, her first pop album in four years. A Christmas album and greatest hits collection were good to tide over patient fans... but this is the moment we have all waited for.
Preceded by top 40 hit "Heartbeat Song", as well as an interesting, revealing track campaign leading up to the album's release date, the new effort shows the artist staying within her comfort zone, not a bad thing, with a majority of the track list being comprised of heartfelt, mid-tempo ballads instead of sure fire radio winners.
The instantly catchy rock-laced "Heartbeat Song" is the lead offering from the new album very soon. While the song is nowhere near as epic or Earth shattering, as let's say... "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)"... the new single definitely makes an impression on the listeners and embodies the overall essence of Clarkson's song catalog: a true, confident pop number with some rock-influenced instrumentals thrown in to support the singer's always stellar vocals.
"Invincible" is the perfect pairing of Sia's narrative songwriting skills and Clarkson's impressive vocal range as the artist belts out empowering lyrics over gorgeous strings and drums. Clarkson returns to her hitmaking power ballad formula. Nothing wrong when it's done right. The song wastes no time at using the artist's impressive vocals to its advantage, but the true shining moment may lie in its lyrical content.
Clarkson always succeeds with supporting uptempo production, but is best when it is all stripped away. On "Someone", the artist apologies for the end of a previous relationship, wishing them to find someone better than her. "I wish I didn't mean, 'I'm sorry I'm not sorry'," she admits on the opening verse. The emotion expressed by the singer is effective, the song will hit a chord with listeners and is a strong moment for the album.
The gospel-like "Take You High" wisely puts the artist's vocals to the forefront with support from some experimental, electronic beats during the chorus. It's a very different sound for Clarkson, but works in a strange way. The singer sounds happy and in love, telling her new lover that they should not be afraid of the feelings to come. It is an overall cute and solid message with always impressive vocals.
The album title track, "Piece By Piece", is said to be Clarkson's most personal song to date. That is correct. Throughout the somber number, the artist sings directly to her disappointing father, comparing him unfavorably to her current husband. Some harsh words are shared, it appears Clarkson has wanted to get them off her chest for a while, so it allows the song to have real emotion, causing a few tears in the process.
Not many people will know that Clarkson's "Run Run Run" collaboration with John Legend is actually a cover of a recent Tokio Hotel track. Crazy right? Both versions are beautiful, credit must be given to the songwriting, but Clarkson and Legend are able to give the piano-driven track their own spin. The two artists show some great chemistry and the slight changes to the instrumentals is refreshing.
Things take an interesting turn on "I Had A Dream", a track most critics are singling out as a disappointment. I cannot disagree more. Clarkson tackles a rap-like delivery approach on the verses, which come off as digs targeting other artists, but beautifully handles the inspiring chorus. "I had a dream that we were more, a generation to behold, lighting fires with our words, instead of useless smoke that blurs," she sings.
Listeners are treated to another Sia-penned number, the encouraging "Let Your Tears Fall", where we see Clarkson in her inspiring, nurturing motherly role. Songwriting and vocals go hand-in-hand for an uplifting pop moment that could and should succeed at radio. Clarkson is not the judgmental type, instead she sings of being by one's side every step of the way with a convincing vocal performance.
Heavy, loud production gets stripped away once again for "Tightrope", a song that finds the artist at the end of a rocky relationship. The tone and inspiration behind the track are saddening and unpleasant, the vocals of Clarkson convey this sentiment as well, and while the overall feel of the song can get a tad boring, it is a well-crafted ballad with convincing emotion added to the mix.
"War Paint" starts out ordinary enough, but then something magical happens as it progresses. The track picks up tempo as the chorus approaches, making room for a powerful vocal performance from the artist as she sings that things will be better if both parties weren't always preparing for battle. "Why in the hell do we fight on the front line, when we both know that we're both here on the same side," Clarkson belts.
The mid-tempo ballads take a back seat to the energetic, pop nature of "Dance With Me". While the song may not be the most complicated track on the album, it's nice to hear Clarkson have some fun once in a while. As the title suggests, the production, lyrics and vocals blend well in order to get listeners out onto a dancefloor. The intro has an 80s vibe, but the artist pulls it together with a more modern sound.
The retro, throwback vibe continues on with "Nostalgic", a track interestingly written by members of Semi Precious Weapons and Cobra Starship. Those names explain the slight, unexpected rock nature of the upbeat song. It may sound a bit out of place compared to most of the track list, but the change in direction is a welcomed, refreshing reminder of all Clarkson is capable of. Great song.
The standard edition of the album closes out with "Good Goes The Bye", an 80s pop-leaning offering which highlights Clarkson's tranquil vocals and a dream-like vibe that encompasses the listener. "Break goes the heart, wrong goes the right, good goes the bye," Clarkson sings. The song contains upbeat, catchy production to counter the gloomy emotions in the songwriting. Perfect way to end things.
For those opting for the deluxe edition of the album... smart choice. "Bad Reputation" is a hard-hitting, gritty, country/rock moment with an epic vocal build up and climax from Clarkson. "In The Blue" is a strange, snyth-pop track on the surface, but a dreamy message of a neverending love when listeners dig deeper. Finally, "Second Wind" is similar in message and structure as Clarkson's past empowering, revenge pop tracks. Good way to end.
Piece By Piece will definitely divide critics and fans. People may be mislead by the uptempo opening track, but the new album from Kelly Clarkson is really a collection of mid-tempo ballads and experimental pop moments that do more to showcase the artist's powerful vocals, one of the stronger voices of our generation, than it does to achieve similar chart success she has experienced in the past. It sounds like this is the album Clarkson truly wanted to make. We can't fault an artist for that. People may use words such as "boring" or " not cohesive", however, all the pieces come together to create another solid full body of work for an artist who has never really fit a certain mold.
Tracks to Hear: "Invincible", "Piece By Piece", "Dance With Me", "Nostalgic" and "Good Goes The Bye"
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