With her debut release, Mandy Moore did little to distinguish herself in the burgeoning field of teen pop. Her girl-next-door good looks and paint-by-number arrangements met with only modest radio success, leaving her to disappear to the back of the racks to make way for the next round of contenders. End of story? Almost, but Moore has stormed back into the pop arena with a vengeance. Her eponymous follow-up record is one of the summer's most pleasant surprises. The album sparkles with the kind of shine only released by the most perfect pop music and (even more surprisingly) is delivered with a degree of confidence normally conjured up by those with decades of hitmaking experience. It's as if the whole record is saying, "What? You didn't know I had it in me?"
Shame on the world for hailing Ms. Spears as pop's reigning miracle worker. There's plenty to delight in here, as the album could be a showpiece for "how to make a pop smash." From the opening East Asian-over-programming loops and the driving chorus of "In My Pocket," the record delivers one dynamic performance after another. Tracks such as "One Sided Love," which opens with an intriguing interplay of Indian instrumentation, the acoustic winner "Turn the Clock Around," and the cleverly constructed "Yo Yo," are laced with melody, groove, and attitude. Credit a stellar production team (including Gloria Estefan's son Emilio and balladeer Jon Secada) with adding plenty of creative touches and developing a world music flavor within the traditional pop landscape. Moore also showcases her delicate upper vocal range on atmospheric tracks like "Evaporate" and "When I Talk to You." Hitmaker Diane Warren even scores a subtle victory on "From Loving You."
True, with song titles like "Crush" and "17," the record doesn't stray very far from attempting to reach the target demographic, and may be a touch hard to swallow for anyone outside looking in. With its sophisticated treatments and Moore's vocal versatility, however, there's still loads of import for anyone able to be moved by the power of pop. In a world overrun by pretentious pop stars, Mandy Moore is a seductive entry to the field: classy, imaginative, and smooth as a yard of silk. What the future holds is uncertain, but Mandy Moore couldn't have done much better for herself than pulling this rabbit out of her hat.
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