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Demi Lovato - Don't Forget
- I came in not expecting anything from Demi Lovato. I was happily surprised. Although her album, Don’t Forget, is aimed toward young teen girls, the album isn’t bad for anyone who is a fan of pop/rock music. Lovato is better than Miley Cyrus vocally and shows strong song-writing skills. It’s amazing to see a girl who is 16 performing, because she has a lot of potential, both vocally and lyrically.
“La La Land” is a great way of opening the album. It’s sugary-sweet and yet exclamatory of her position as a teenage girl. The dating angst in “Get Back” is interesting and shows an edge that other Disney Channel stars lack. It was a great choice to be a single for Lovato. The first three tracks are amazing; other standouts are “Don’t Forget,” because of its interesting melody, and “Gonna Get Caught,” which is an interesting girl-anthem. The album as a whole is a pop-rock fun time that is safe for children to listen to and parents can connect to.
The order of this album is where Don’t Forget fails. You could stop listening after the track, “Gonna Get Caught.” Songs like “Party” and “On the Line” are a little weaker than the first few tracks, but benefit from being sandwiched by some good tracks. The song, “On the Line,” really doesn’t fit, because of the Jonas Brothers; their vocal style doesn’t fit the overall feel of the album and this track was clearly added for the Disney factor. “Two Worlds Collide” is decent, but could have benefited if it was the second or third track. The track, “The Middle,” has no place being in this album. It’s repetitive, and it is one of the weakest vocal tracks. Also, I would have appreciated if “Until You’re Mine” was a completely slow ballad without the annoying drums that kick in during the chorus.
I will give credit where credit is due. Lovato co-wrote several of the 11 tracks and some of the tracks show a lot of writing potential. “The Middle” doesn’t fit, because it wasn’t written by Lovato and she doesn’t have the same intensity or connection with "The Middle" as she does with her own music.
In comparison to a lot of the Disney Channel performers, Lovato blows them away. That isn’t saying much, but she definitely has room to grow. She's better than someone like Ashlee Simpson as well. Lovato succeeds in hiding some of her vocal shortcomings by a strategic arrangement and some background vocals.
There is a connection that Demi Lovato has to her audience with her vocals and writing style. I can see a less vocal Kelly Clarkson in Demi Lovato. The album has a similar sound to Breakaway. If Lovato can survive the test of time, her vocal confidence can grow, and she gets a good set of producers who will let her have some creative space, she can succeed in the music industry with her connectability.
Reviewer: Michael Pascua
new
Reviewer's Rating: 8.5
Reader's Rating: 6.89
Reader's Votes: 10
Added: 6-Jan-2009
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