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Kissin U was the first single from the album, and it really isn't that bad. It's very bubblegum, but that isn't really all that surprising given Miranda's good girl image and Nickelodeon backing. It's also the only track on the album that she had a hand in writing, so it was a good decision for a single. It allows the record label to see how her fans respond to her music, gauge whether or not they should have more of her own writing on her next album. And it's a good effort for her first released song, though I think it's got some of the weakest vocals on the CD. She'll probably do a lot of cowriting with much more experienced musicians the next time around, which will help her grow as a singer/songwriter if she chooses to continue pursuing music.
BAM is a dance-pop track. If it wasn't for her squeaky clean image, I would probably refer to it as more of a club track. I can't imagine any club playing Miranda's songs though. Which is a shame. Because even though I don't particularly like this song, I think the electronic-dance route would be perfect for her. She's got such a sweet voice, and the electronic elements help give her some edge, making her sound pretty cool on this track, and the next one.
Disgusting, which was written (partially) by Kesha Sebert, whom you might know as Ke$ha now that she's released her own music, is my favorite on the disc. I know, it surprised me too. This track amps up the dance/club feel, and like I said, that would be the perfect style for Miranda to pursue. I think it would be easy for her to go the Ke$ha route without going quite as far as the club girl that the other singer/songwriter is. This song has the same theme as the first two tracks, being surprised by love, but it's definitely the best of the three. Miranda's even got a little attitude on it.
Shakespeare is a bit of a conundrum for me. I like the concept of the song, asking the guy you're interested in if he likes Shakespeare, trying to figure out what you have in common. And Miranda's vocals even sound much better on this than on the first track, even though we're back to the bubblegum sound. There's just something missing. Maybe it would be better if the sound was a bit edgier, a la Orianthi, or someone similar. I'm not sure. The song just doesn't feel complete to me.
Hey You definitely comes in as the weakest track. I think this is due to it being the only song that doesn't have to be taken in the context of a romantic relationship, and because Miranda's vocal performance is so soft. She just doesn't have enough feeling, or power, behind her to make me believe her on this track, or even really want to listen to it. It almost sounds like the producers were going for a Taylor Swift sound to the track, but it just doesn't work for Miranda.
There Will Be Tears has an interesting sound. Miranda sings a lot of the song in her lower register, and it definitely makes her sound different. The song itself is a weird cross between bubblegum and dance-pop. It's not bad, but it isn't particularly great either. It's one of those songs that won't really register while you're listening to it, not really all that memorable.
Oh Oh is another dance-pop track, though it employs a lot of spoken lyrics (think chanting, not rapping), and it's not as good as the earlier dance tracks. It's better than the last song, but, even with the electronic assistance here, Miranda sounds incredibly young. And when I say young, I realize that she's a teenager, but there are parts of the song where she sounds like she's still 12 or so. It's an odd listen. Again, it's a track that straddles the line. Not bad, but not great either.
Daydream has such an age appropriate theme for its lyric. Actually, I'd say everything on here is pretty age appropriate, but for some reason, this one hit me as a younger song than the others. Maybe because this one references daydreams instead of “real” relationships. It's a good way to end the track. It's got a bit of an edge mixed into the bubblegum sound, and it's fun.
The verdict on Miranda's musical effort is, like her album, a little confusing. I don't think she's quite at the point of being on main stream radio; she's got a little bit of work to do before that. But her bubblegum tracks are good enough to be played on children's radio stations, like Radio Disney, for example. Her current sound, the mixture of club beats and the sugary sweet pop, will probably hit well with the younger end of her audience. I just don't know if anyone over the age of thirteen is going to want to listen to her album all that often. Tracks like “Disgusting” will probably land well with older teens, but when they can listen to its writer on the radio already, I don't see the need for them to buy this album.