Mandy Moore: Amanda Leigh Reviews
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Mandy Moore has the distinction of being among the bubble gum pop princesses of the nineties, and I think I have been listening to her music since I was in middle school. I even bought her first album, the one she said she would gladly refund everyone for if she could. (I think that she will always be remembered for that comment now.) She is an artist I have grown up with, and I am glad to see that she has made a successful evolution from the sugary sweet pop of her youth to mature music over the last few albums. Her album “Wild Hope” really helped her to find her voice (and I love the folk song tone she acquired when she made that disc), and this album helps her to sharpen the skills she has learned, and prove that she can stretch herself as an artist.
“Merrimack River” is one of those songs that I cannot decide what to feel for. It is nice. I like it. I do not know if it was the best choice to lead off the CD with compared to the tracks that follow. It is slow and calls to mind images of county fairs and small towns. It just feels odd to me, especially knowing that Mandy Moore has spent the majority of her life in big cities and is originally from Orlando, Florida. I feel like it is an attempt to draw in listeners to let them know they are in for a more intimate album, but I also am not sure the song truly reflects its singer.
“Fern Dell” does a good job of confusing me. I am unsure whether the song refers to someone who simply betrayed her, or if it is about a man who broke her heart, or both. The rapid fire of the lyrics can be difficult to follow as well, but it sounds amazing. Even though I go back and forth on the meaning of the song, I love to listen to it. The music on this album is so different from anything she has done before, and she only emphasizes this further here.
“I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week” definitely retains some of that old school pop feel that was featured on Mandy Moore’s first two albums, but she pulls away from the sweetness by turning herself into a heartbreaker. Even with the boasting, she manages to keep that folksy quality to her voice that makes her so much fun to listen to. I actually think this would have been a better lead off for the album since it has the folk tone, but is an undeniable pop song. I only wish there was more to the song. At just under three minutes, there is little more to it than a few repetitions of the chorus.
“Pocket Philosopher” is fantastic. I may have complained before about Mandy not being a real small town girl, but on this song, she sells it so much better. It actually demonstrates a thought process on the part of the singer as a “pocket philosopher.” It helps that the track does not drag either. It is fun to listen to, but not in the same way a pop song is fun. The song has more whimsy than top 40. It has a little bit of an old Hollywood musical feel to it, some big band thrown in with that folksy sound, and she shines.
“Song About Home” is just what the title says. The singer is discussing the search for home, and I found this to be one of the most personal songs on the track. Mandy sings of traveling across the country, shedding her skin in every town, and this is exactly what she has done throughout her career. She has found a way to change her music with every change in her image without really losing herself, but she reveals that she did not feel at home until now. Of course, once she has found that home, she amends it with a “for now,” indicating that she could always begin to search again.
“Everblue” conjures up an image of another era, and this track is one of the reasons I understand the “classic rock” label given to this album. The music, the voice, the emotion behind the lyrics, it all brings me back to the kind of music my dad used to listen to in his pick-up truck before my mom would make him change the station. I don’t think I can do this song justice by trying to describe it here, so you will just have to listen to it for yourself.
“Merrimack River (Reprise).” Reprises generally feature some sort of vocal refrain, but this is simply a bit of instrumental music from the first track on the album. I am not sure why it was added in. I think the album would have been great without it.
“Love To Love Me Back” is all about wanting to find love. She laments being the one to love easily and be broken hearted just as easily. While the pop feel is there in the background, it has as much folk to it as “Pocket Philosopher” and the track is all the better for it. It is another track that is really enjoyable, but maybe not a stand out.
“Indian Summer” should probably be defined for those unsure of the meaning of the song. The term is used to refer to abnormally warm temperatures in the fall, just before the winter season starts. People usually refer to the warm period after the first frost as an “Indian Summer” just before the temperatures really drop. It marks a period of rapid change. In the song, a person is referred to as an “Indian Summer,” while Mandy sings that she has stayed the same. It is a really beautiful song, musically, as well as because of the story it tells.
“Nothing Everything” is not one of my favorites on the album. For some reason, I find the music and the vocals at odds. I think the song should have been a little softer, maybe without quite so many background vocals. I would rather listen to Mandy sing than hear the overpowering singers behind her.
“Bug” sounds a little disjointed to me. Not the music, but the lyrics. It is strange, because Mandy’s voice flows effortlessly over the words, but it still fells jarring somehow. And I think that is what made me love it. It is a beautiful song that sounds like it should not be beautiful. Unlike the previous track, nothing overpowers Mandy here. Her vocals sound so natural on the song. I am sure it took a lot of work to get the song to where it is, but it has that quality that makes you think she broke out a tape recorder, let the words out, and then shipped it out to the studio in matter of minutes. It’s great.
Choosing to call the album “Amanda Leigh” (her given name) marks a true leap into adulthood, more so than her last two albums. It is as though she is saying, “this is me, take it or leave it,” and I admire her for that. I might not agree with some of the song choices that made it on to this album, but I do respect her for making those choices. Mandy Moore had a lot more say in this disc, and she chose to make it a personal reflection rather than fill it with pop anthems that would easily make it into the top 40, and I applaud the effort. She had a hand in writing every single track on her CD, and with the talent they show, she is easily going to just keep getting better.
Review #2 - by Kat
Mandy Moore has come a long way since her ‘Candy’ days. Her new album ‘Amanda Leigh’ is a gorgeous album of beautiful melodies, perfect harmonies and stunning vocals. A perfect album to chill to, Amanda Leigh smoothly transitions from slow ballads such as ‘Everblue’ to upbeat love songs like ‘I could break your heart any day of the week’. Described as classic rock the album will undoubtedly open up a new world of music to younger listeners who were pulled in by her early bubblegum pop and stuck around to hear what Mandy describes as the real her.
Definitely a must have CD!