Today is a very important day for Kelly Clarkson. Will her fans rally behind her "My December" release or will Clive Davis look like a genius?Washington Post: That screechy sound you're hearing right now? It's the driver of Kelly Clarkson's pop-star bandwagon slamming on the brakes, attempting to avoid a spectacular wreck. Not an easy thing to do, given that the American Idol's bandwagon is hurtling along without wheels -- all of which have come flying off in recent months.....The songs might work better if not for the fact that, as a writer, Clarkson doesn't seem to have a particularly strong sense of melody. Most of these songs don't suit her voice particularly well, and they tend to drone on, too, with a few exceptions: "Be Still," a gentle, almost jazzy lullaby whose lyrical phrasing echoes Edie Brickell, of all people; "Yeah," a sinewy soul song sassed up with R&B horns; and the quiet, contemplative "Irvine," on which Clarkson sings directly to God over an acoustic guitar.
411mania:
Listening to My December is like listening to that self-absorbed girl who calls you and talks for hours about her everyday dramas. Sure, there are moments when you think you might get some (“Can I Have A Kiss”, “Yeah”, “Never Again”), but they’re too fleeting as the chick moves from one “Can you believe this, poor me” moment to the next. When you finally get tired of the whole situation and change your cell number, you’re left with little more than frustration and enormous clarity that you’ll never understand girls. Clarkson takes some major chances here and fails in nearly every regard, unless her goal was to just make an album that appealed to her and her only. Hopefully she’ll learn from this mistake and come back strong for album #4, but only hardcore fans are gonna be able to enjoy more than a couple spins of this one.
Final Score: 6.0 [ Average ]
Ctnow.com: So, is "My December" worth the fuss? Yes and no.It's an uneven album with some tremendous bright spots - just like her previous records. "My December" has a harder edge and explores darker, more personal themes. But Clarkson doesn't forsake hooks, and there are songs here that certainly ought to end up on the radio, though you have to wonder how much money Davis will spend promoting a record he wasn't keen to release in the first place. (On the other hand, he has an extra $10 million hanging around.)
