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That Jessica Simpson has been groomed to become the next (as well as younger, whiter, and more virginal) Mariah Carey should come as no great shock. Production by slavish imitation is the way it goes these days, and wanting to duplicate Carey's success is understandable. Yet the downside of idol worship (Simpson grew up with the octave-conquering diva as a touchstone) is the loss of unique identity, and sadly that's exactly what has occurred. From the wordless sighs to the mock Spanish guitars added for international appeal, to the overwrought power ballads and faux hip-hop flavored up-tempo cuts, Simpson, who
can sing, is a prisoner of by-the-numbers production and songs by the usual pop/R&B-lite suspects. The end result is sonically stellar, but is too close to a generic endeavor that does little to establish Simpson as an artist. Still,
Irresistible will no doubt firm up her already serious stats as a rising young star.
--Amy Linden
Reader Reviews
Words cannot express how utterly dismayed I am at Jessica Simpson's new release, "Irresistable." Gone are the vocal stylings that made her stand out from Britney and her clones. Gone are the effortlessly powerhouse notes, and in their place is a collection of pop drivel that sounds like material gathered up from Britney's reject pile. When I reviewed "Sweet Kisses," I went on and on about how different Simpson was and what an extraordinary talent she has. It's not evident on this album, which is watered-down, boring, unimaginative, and like everything else released by a pop act that's under 20. Here, Simpson sound like a slightly more talented Spears, and the tracks are all bland and unoriginal. I truly am disillusioned. I don't know whether "Irresistable" is a case of the sophomore jinx, or if Simpson has sold out her talent in favor of a more sexed-up image and larger sales.
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