With her bubble-gum-pink CD, complete with an inscribed heart motif, Leona Naess proves she’s just one of the girls in her upcoming self-titled album. Within 11 tracks, Naess incorporates ballerinas, broken hearts and all that is stereotypically girly into an otherwise nondescript compilation.
- Kate Green
On the surface, the album is neither distinctive nor particularly creative. Naess adopts a style not too unlike every other low-key pop princess of the late ’90s: the Natalie Imbruglias, the Jewels and the Natalie Merchants of the world unite. The music is not really unpleasant to hear, but it’s not especially memorable either. Each track sounds strangely similar to the last, and although typically upbeat, the sound is rather mundane to those searching for something new.
The voice behind the music elicits a comparable response. Naess produces a smooth sound with little variation or fluctuation between songs. While it is certainly not hard on the ears, it’s also not overly noteworthy considering the continuous influx of singers just like her.
Naess’ lyrics are what truly separate her music from her predecessors. They rank among some of the most shallow and insipid to grace the page. Her metaphors are random and forced; her messages are, at best, predictable and stale. With songs like “Don’t Use my Broken Heart” and “He’s Gone,” the jilted lover rant grows old fast and only seems to further the indistinguishable quality of each track.
Although the new album attempts to console the lovelorn and lonely, it lacks the emotional depth and variation to adequately do so. Despite her vocal potential, Naess’ music comes off as the whiny, worn out battle cry of yet another pop wannabe.
Rating: 2 stars.