Jessica Simpson - Public Affair
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CD Details
Artist: Jessica SimpsonEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 2006-08-29
Music Label: Sony Bmg Europe
Soundtracks:
- A Public Affair
- You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)
- B.O.Y.
- If You Were Mine
- Walkin' 'Round In A Circle
- The Lover In Me
- Swing With Me - Jessica Simpson
- Push Your Tush
- Back To You
- Between You & I - Jessica Simpson
- I Don't Want To Care
- Fired Up
- Let Him Fly
Music reviews of Public Affair
Music Review: Some of the Affair Better Off Left Private
Rating: 3 Stars
By now we all know Jessica Simpson for her (arguably scripted) idiocy on her reality show with ex-husband, Nick Lachey. It's a sad world when one of the highest forms of entertainment is mocking a celebrity who can't tell chicken from tuna. But I digress. Jessica managed to set herself apart from other pop princesses by marrying and putting out a rather mature album of love songs, showcasing her vocal capabilities. However, now with a marriage and divorce under her belt, one would expect a little more maturity, or at least passion in Jessica's music. She instead remains, for the most part, content to limit herself to light pop filler with the occasional hint of what she is capable of.
Many of us expected the title track, "A Public Affair" to discuss what it was like to go through a divorce while being in the spotlight. Instead, we are hit with a catchy pop hit, with a haunting resemblance to Madonna's "Holiday" and part of the bridge lifted from "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". The song is a fluffy piece about going out to party all night, which becomes ingrained into the mind until you can't help but like it. Or at least hate it less. "You Spin Me Round" follows, a cover of the 80s hit. Jessica does a surprisingly good job, singing softly and breathily over a pulsing beat. However, the given the repetitive nature, complete with a rather unchanging tune, it does tend to plod on for a little too long. "B.O.Y." is a song that could easily have been good...if Jessica was about seven years younger. The lyrics are rather weak, and as a general rule, I do not like songs where the artists insist on spelling out words. This track would not be out of place in the album of a teenage artist's debut, but by the fourth album of a woman nearing thirty, expectations are higher.
The next quarter of the album picks things up, starting with the vaguely familiar "If You Were Mine". This is another song that sounds like it was lifted directly from the 80s, although it is a definite improvement from the previous track. Listen closely for background vocals by American Idol's Tamyra Gray, who had a hand in penning the track. The lyrics are simple, but fits well with the production, making it an enjoyable track overall. "Walkin Round in a Circle" is the first song on the album I can truly say I enjoy. While the title track and the previous one were fun, they are rather disposable. Jessica actually had a hand in writing this track, hinting at potential ability as a passable songwriter. The song is sung once again in a softer, breathy voice that fits impeccably. "The Lover In Me" luckily manages to overcome the rather odd title. Both Jessica and Tamyra Gray played a role writing this track, and barring the chorus, the lyrics are some of the best the album has to offer thus far. This is easily the highlight of the first half of the album, although given some of the material here, that isn't saying much.
Case in point being the next two tracks. First up is the extremely out of place "Swing With Me". Jessica gets an A for effort on this one, and I definitely respect her attempt to distance herself from other artists by trying something different. However, the result is rather lacklustre. This track really should have been, if anywhere, on Christina Aguilera's Back To Basics, although even then it would probably be the weakest track. "Push Your Tush" is just as appalling as the title suggest. Like the previous track, this song is simply out of place. While the first half of the album seemed to be styled after the 80s, Jessica threw in this hoedown track, which suffers on nearly all fronts. I realize this is not a song to be taken seriously, but even then it fails to impress. The lyrics are weak, the invariable tune becomes rather grating, and at nearly five minutes in length, the track is far too long for what it is. "Back To You" is more of what I was expecting from this album. This is the first track to hint at the maturity that Jessica's experience should have given her, as well as demonstrates more of the vocal power that was missing from much of the album. The song talks about how Jessica misses someone, and whenever possible her mind wanders back to him. A truly beautiful track. Similarly, "Between You and I" is a slower track that gives Jessica a chance to impress with her vocals, and she delivers a very sweet and controlled performance. Simple production like this, depending on the quality of the lyrics (which thankfully are quite good here), really highlights the kind of music Jessica should be doing.
Following these gems is yet another album highlight, in the form of "I Don't Want To Care." Yet again, this is a more stripped down song, production-wise, giving Jessica's voice and the lyrics the chance to shine. Jessica delivers another controlled performance (at least until the last minute), showcasing the sweetness of her voice without overdoing it. Unfortunately, the strength of the previous three tracks is marred by "Fired Up", a weak attempt at a club song. Let's face it, Jessica's voice just is not suited to this kind of material, despite her best efforts. I will give Jessica some credit however, the song is decent except for the chorus, but someone like Britney Spears could have done it so much better. "Let Him Fly" is a cover of Patti Griffin's country ballad about letting go, which finally shows Jessica in her element. However, although the song is quite nice, it is far from Jessica's best ballad. Nonetheless, its addition is a nice touch that certainly helps the otherwise patchy album. Finally, the album closes with "I Belong To Me", a Diane Warren ballad, which was released as a single despite being a bonus track not available on all copies of the album. Being a Diane Warren song, one can expect the usual amount of sap, although in this case, it is pulled off exceptionally. This track truly ends the album off on a high note, giving the strong message that a person is not defined by their relationships.
Overall mark: 3/5
The main problem with the album lies in the fact that Jessica really did not seem to have a clue where she wanted to go with it. The first half is mainly 80s-style upbeat songs, which bear a closer resemblance to the debut of a much younger artist. The second half consists primarily of more mature ballads, which demonstrate how much potential the album had to be great, if Jessica had chosen to go that route. The other problem lies in the fact that many of the tracks are lacking passion. Jessica seems to have learned to control her voice considerably since her last offering, but appears to have sacrificed the emotion in the songs at the same time. Experimental tracks such as "Push Your Tush" and "Swing With Me" should have been kept tightly under wraps, or at the very least, saved for an album where they may have fit in. The album as a whole is decent, but Jessica really needs to decide in a solid direction for the next one.
Description of Public Affair
Enhanced International pressing of Jessica's fifth album features three bonus tracks: 'I Belong To Me', 'These Boots Are Made For Walking' and the Enhanced Video for the album's first single, 'Public Affair'. Jessica boasts songwriting skills on nine out of 12 tracks from the new album, which is produced by the most sought-after producers: Lester Mendez, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Cory Rooney, Scott Storch and Stargate. The first single's video clip is directed by Brett Ratner of X-Men fame a star-studded video chronicling a fun night out with Jessica and her celebrity friends. In the clip, Jessica Simpson is joined by Eva Longoria, Christina Applegate, Christina Milian, Maria Menounos, Andy Dick & Ryan Seacrest Sony/BMG. 2007.A Public Affair is a disco-studded, stunningly entertaining, 13-song slab of energetic white-girl pop. From the summer-fizzy first song and title track--which lifts, improbably, from both Madonna and the Supremes--Simpson tears out of the gate refusing to fall back on stale-sounding power ballads, something of a signature in the past. "You Spin Me Round" updates the Dead or Alive '80s hit; the vampy and innovative "B.O.Y." borrows from a vintage Cars track; and "Walkin' 'Round in a Circle," about as sleepy a track as you'll find here, seems to put a kind of pop spit-shine on a tune both Stevie Nicks and Ryan Adams popularized. Later tracks, including the excellent Louis Prima-inspired "Swing with Me" and the shockingly urban-sounding "Fired Up," bring Simpson's inner femme fatale to the fore. Let's hope it doesn't slink away anytime soon--other Simpson discs have been forgettable, but this is an affair to remember. --Tammy La Gorce
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