Released on Monday, February 12 2007
Jessica Simpson's new album A Public Affair is chock-full of blistering pop tunes, showing that La Simpson knows exactly what her public want - and it ain't a navel-gazing down-hearted examination of her relationship with ex Nick Lachey. For sure, a fair number of the songs on this album are about said ex, but thank the gods, it's all cheesy, fabulous 'choons'. Dreamysigh.
1. 'A Public Affair'
Okay, perhaps it's just a need for cheese, but this song is a huge grower. After absolutely hating it to start off with, having it on your MP3 player will, I guarantee you, end in you learning the words and having a bit of a sing-a-long.
It's really, really enjoyable and very catchy.
2.
'You Spin Me Round (Like A Record'
This is a rather unfortunate cover of the Dead Or Alive song of the same name. Nothing really compares to the original and Simpson's weak-vocalled attempts really don't do the song any justice at all. It's all a bit too try-hard to be any good.
3. 'B.
O.Y.'
The funky, Who-esque tone set by the opening of 'B.
O.Y.' continues with Simpson's angered rage against users.
Her tight, almost-forced-but-not-quite vocal gives it a Britney Spears (at her best) sound that revs up the enjoyment factor on this clever little number.
4.
'If You Were Mine'
Simpson pulls together a charming retro vibe with 'If You Were Mine'. You can practically see her dancing in legwarmers to this cheesy, fast-paced tune that, whilst not the most revolutionary of songs, shows off how great pop can be when done correctly.
5. 'Walkin' Round In A Circle'
Things wind down a little bit with this Kylie-esque number, giving the album a more relaxed vibe. Simpson's vocals are breathy and soft, soothing rather than irritating, but the song is a little bit bland to be more than just adequate.
6. 'The Lover In Me'
This is such a whimpery song.
Utterly bland, totally devoid of any true emotion, and completely dull, this is a proper turn-off of a track.
7.
'Swing With Me'
As the title might imply, this is Simpson's attempt at creating a swing track worthy of Dean Martin, and although it doesn't quite hit the spot, it's a fun song with great use of brass. Simpson, on the other hand, can't really pull off this kind of sound at the moment and should stick to what she does better - pure pop.
8. 'Push Your Tush'
What a charming title. You might think Simpson is here trying to emulate Gwen Stefani with this rap-song, and it certainly draws comparisons with some of the work on Stefani's most recent album, but this has a distinct tinge of Simpson - mentions of 'hoe-downs' and 'cowgirls' mean you're never far away from the cheese factor.
9. 'Back To You'
Simpson's voice goes incredibly girly on this pretty little song that shows she can produce great music when she really tries.
It's incredibly cheesy, possibly the cheesiest track on the entire album, but it's still a cool little retro number and very listenable
10. 'Between You I'
This gentle number is the kind of song you imagine would have been played at an old-fashioned school dance, when the 'slow-dance' stage of the evening was announced.
It's cute, but drags a little too much.
11.
'I Don't Want To Care'
As the album draws to its inevitable conclusion, Simpson chills out a little bit with this r'n'b number, incorporating a funky backing tune, meaningful lyrics and emotive vocals. This is one of the best songs on the album, simply because it's well put together and works really well as a ballad without being too slimey.
Almost there. Your clueword can be found in a guide to who's who in new series Primeval.12. 'Fired Up'
Essentially pretty forgettable, this is a rather P Diddy-esque number that tries to funk up the album in order to show off versatility. Simpson's overly breathy vocals and the lack of originality in the number weaken it immensely.
It's not much good, really.
13.
'Let Him Fly'
The final track of the album is a gorgeous, peaceful little country-style tune. Simpson's vocals are gentle and delicious to listen to, and it's a pity more of the rest of the album isn't of this standard. Her voice soars and swoops beautifully on this tip-top acoustic ballad.
A Public Affair is a bit of a mish-mash of an album. Great in some places, terrible in others, it's too much all over the place to be a real hit.
There are a few really enjoyable pop songs and indeed a few that will make great singles, but there's a lack of direction that overpowers the album and prevents it from hitting the spot.
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