Disco de Natasha Bedingfield: “Unwritten [Slipcase]”

Descripción (en inglés) :

This is a DualDisc, which includes videos of "These Words", "Single" and " I Bruise Easily". <p>This is a DualDisc, which contains a CD on one side of the disc and a DVD on the other. <p>Personnel: Natasha Bedingfield (vocals). <p>Much less dance-oriented than her brother Daniel's records, Natasha Bedingfield's impressive debut album is closer to a UK version of Kelly Clarkson's similarly masterful sophomore release, BREAKAWAY. Although UNWRITTEN unashamedly has its roots in mainstream chart pop--it's only degrees away from the likes of Jessica and Ashlee Simpson--Bedingfield's strong vocals (alternately flirty and commanding) and personal, quirky lyrics turn songs like "Single" and the title track into frothy but substantial gems, while the soaring opener "These Words" could well be the perfect summer single. <p>Throughout, the production is pleasantly gimmicky, with neat touches like the slide guitar and echoed vocals in the intro of "Silent Movie," and most importantly, the songs don't sound like they've had all the personality focus-grouped out of them in the manner of so many similar records. UNWRITTEN is a startlingly good example of glossy, commercial pop music circa 2005, and a rebuke to those who feel that successful pop records must by definition be irritating fluff.

This album infuses dance, R&B, pop & rock. It blends them incredibly well! Here it is track-by-track:

1. These Words: Natasha's US debut single & sophomore UK single. Reason I bought this & I'm not disappointed! Great R&B tune about expressing your love on paper & writing songs in general. I can relate since I myself am a budding thirteen-year-old songwriter. 10/10

2. Single: I own the DualDisc version of this album, so I get the treat of seeing the UK music video of the song, which I think is also the US one. Third US single & debut UK single. Natasha's self-proclaimed anthem for people without significant others. Infectious beat, top-notch vocals & great lyrics. The '06 mix, (which I downloaded, but is also on the 2006 re-issue of this record,) features a slight remix of beat as well as a newly recorded bridge with the added lyrics: "I'm single and I'm likin' it this way. I'm single and I'm solo and I'm happy," which add a catchy edge to the track. 10/10

3. Unwritten: Sophomore US single & third UK single. Excellent. Fabulous message in the lyrics & great beat. Love the gospel choir as well as the acoustic guitar loop. 10/10

4. Silent Movie: A rocky track with excellent vocals about asking her boyfriend to love her without any complaints or being egotistical. 10/10

5. Stumble: Letting some guy know that she knows he loves her & she loves him back. So pretty. 10/10

6. Peace of Me: Letting a guy know that he figured her out & she likes it & it actually recovers her from some depression. Very good instrumentation on this song. 9/10.

7. If You're Gonna: A rocky song letting guys know that they have to protect her & be a good man to be hers. Excellent song. 10/10

8. Drop Me in the Middle. This song features British female rapper Estelle which is cool because there's something to me about British accents that sounds so cool to me! Natasha explains on the DVD side of the DualDisc version of this album that it means to just put her anywhere and she guarantees the she alone will liven up the place. The sound is pretty cool too. 9/10.

9. We're All Mad: This track shows that we all have our bad days and it shows a reason for why we as a global population stand here today. While the lyrics send a great message this, to me, is the album's worst track. I just don't like the sound or the vocals on this song. 6.5/10.

10. I Bruise Easily: Fourth international single and rumored to be the same in America. This is a beautiful track about being very emotionally fragile and that the strong initial vibe given off was just to keep up appearances. Because of this, Natasha warns you to "be gentle when you handle her" meaning to watch what you do or say so that she doesn't go into a deep depression. 10/10.

11. The One That Got Away: An R&B/dance track with a message that conveys that Natasha is not prepared to let the man she loves slip right through her fingers. Really funky. 10/10

12. Size Matters: a bouncy dance/pop number with Natasha saying she believes size matters. *giggles* Oh, will you get your mind out of the gutter?! She means the size of a man's HEART. She does it in a really cool, funky way, too. 10/10

13 Wild Horses: A ballad about wanting to be free as her spirit desires. Very pretty although a bit dragged out. 9/10.

14. Sojourn (hidden track): A ballad, as its predecessor, but instead of using primarily piano, this track primarily uses acoustic guitar. Natasha envisions an energy that encourages her to go on with her life; a "sojourn from the north." Beautiful. 10/10

Average grade: 9/10