As the original American Idol prepares to release her fourth album, I'm reminded why Kelly Clarkson has become such a pop powerhouse. Not only does she have talent, but she has a stable of great songwriters helping her out along the way. The first single, "My Life Would Suck Without You" jumped from #97 to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart just a few weeks ago. I'm sure we'll hear more from this album on the airwaves soon.
In a scant 7 years, her first three albums (Thankful, Breakaway, and My December) have sold 16 million albums worldwide and garnered her 2 Grammy Awards, 2 American Music Awards, 2 MTV Awards, and 11 Billboard Awards. Somehow I suspect that All I Ever Wanted will continue the trend.
Like her previous albums, with All I Ever Wanted Clarkson proves that she deserves to be on the pop charts with soaring vocals on ballads and anthems alike. Starting with the track released as her first single, "My Life Would Suck Without You", she gets the album off to a fast start. All the songs seem to focus on various aspects of relationships current, past, or future, especially where the guy is clueless and the girl doesn't want to take it any more.
"I Do Not Hook Up" tells of a rebound relationship. Written by Katy Perry, Kara DioGuardi, and Greg Wells, it's good that the latest American Idol judge hasn't lost her songwriting skills. "Cry" tells the story of a breakup where the couple knows it needs to happen, but they don't know how to tell others why. "Don't Let Me Stop You" is a woman telling her guy that if he really doesn't want to be around — don't let her stop him from leaving.
Probably my favorite song on the album is "All I Ever Wanted", which marches right along to a steady dance-worthy beat that leads into the chorus of "All I ever wanted / All I ever wanted / Was a simple way to get over you". She's tired of chasing him around and wants him to let her go.
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