Disco de Paula Abdul: “Spellbound”

I always loved Paula even when I was very young, I remember hearing COLD HEARTED SNAKE and I would think I love this woman. I own two of her albums now her GREATEST HITS and this album SPELLBOUND. I love this album more than anything...it is a top in my collection...Her ballads are strong her dance cuts are hot, her upbeat R&B sound shines. Paula was the original Britney only she has talent that is put on her albums. This is a great inprovment from her excellent debut FOREVER YOUR GIRL. Paula I will be FOREVER YOUR FAN, just for the greatness you show on your SDOELLBOUND ALBUM.

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Paula, Paula, Paula...how much you are my guiltiest pleasure! Long before I was glued to the TV with American Idol, I was a Paula Abdul fan when she released this album in 1991. I remember begging my mom for some LA Gear sneakers with the Paula logo and pom-pom laces (I got them and was the coolest kid in my first grade class) and everytime, "The Promise Of A New Day" and "Rush, Rush" would play on the radio I would turn it up and belt along to it. I was a deticated fan at only just a mere six years old. Well, times changed and Paula dissapered from my life till one day I was browsing CD's in my early teens and I stumbled upon this album. I brought it of course and got a fresh start at being a much more mature Paula Abdul fanatic!

"Spellbound" is a completely 360 from what 1988's "Forever Your Girl" offers. "Forever" is an excellent piece of late 80's New Jack/Pop but "Spellbound" introduces Paula as the quirky dance/pop queen. Some of the tunes off of "Spellbound" are off-the-wall dance-a-thons and they have a quirky yet cheese factor behind them that make them just sugary-rot-your-teeth dance music, that's fun and not to be taken seriously.

"The Promise Of A New Day" has that earthy, drum laden dance vibe scribbled all over it, plus the message is quite nice saying that there is always...well, the promise of a new day! "Rock House" is an odd political piece (I wonder who she is talking about on this track!) that is verry early 90's dance and has a thunderous effect to it. The sweet, oozing soul of "Rush, Rush" (Keanu Reeves in the video...great choice for a lead! :) is possibly one of Paula's crowning acheivements, and she shows that she can pull off a ballad without having diva lungs. Nice touch with the violin solo. The title track is quirky and insane. It has a sort of witchy feel to it. "Vibeology" is a great dance number that has some funny little voice-overs and it makes for a great video. One of Paula's best dance tracks. The Prince produced, written and performed (!!!) "U" is basically a Prince song with Paula singing it. It's odd, quirky and Prince, what more can you ask for? "My Foolish Heart" is pure early 90's dance that has a driving bass beat to it. "Blowing Kisses In The Wind" is a gorgeous, soul-stirring ballad that was another hit for Paula. Great trickling keyboard intro and Paula sings this song with great ease. "To You" can be considered filler, but good filler at best. Verry early 90's dance with some strident keyboard work throughout. The oddball of this set is "Alright Tonight", a honky-tonk stomper of a tune. I was surprised when I heard this. It's not good and it is out of place on here, and it's just a terrible song to place admid some great dance tunes. "Will You Marry Me?" is a sweet and almost sappy lush ballad. It's great for the first few listens but it grows to be very very cheesy and almost nauseating. Still Stevie Wonder (!!) saves the day when he comes in with his supurb harmonica solo.

"Spellbound" is a an album that Paula should be very proud of. It showcases her dance abilities (especially through the music videos) and now Paula gets to show off her ballad chops. Though Paula will never be remembered for towering vocal abilities a la Whitney Houston, she is not a dull performer. I find Paula's albums and music for that matter to be enjoyable, fun and totally dance worthy. My friend's laugh at me for owning this album and "Forever Your Girl" but then turn to American Idol and go "Oh, I love Paula!" Yeah, for being a sweet judge! Long before "AI" Paula had a great music career, though relatively and sadly short, it still had a great impact on the music industry and I'm glad that she is still in the spotlight today. Paula you go girl and keep your dancing shoes on!

JEN'S TOP 5

1. The Promise Of A New Day

2. Rush, Rush

3. Vibeology

4. My Foolish Heart

5. Blowing Kisses In The Wind (tie w/Rock House)

This is my favorite Paula Abdul album for one main reason I wore the album out. "Rush Rush" the albums' first release and Paula's first superballad, went straight to #1 and stayed there for 6 weeks, next came "Promise Of A New Day" also #1, a very uplifting song, then came "Blowing Kisses In The Wind" also top 10(but explain the video), next come the song that we were waiting for off of this album although it missed the top 10 hitting #14, is "VIBEOLOGY"(the study of the chemistry between you and me) this is the song from the album the I simply could not stop listening to, I would just listen to it over and over until I wore the tape out, this is just a classic dance song that Paula knows what to do with. The final release is where I think she could have gone with something else, like "Spellbound", "My Foolish Heart", or two songs that are so good they should have been released, "Alright Tonight" is an excellent song is so unique in the way it sounds, that it sounds like nothing I have heard before, and the song that definitely should have been released was "U", this had hit written all over it, it was written by Prince and in the late 80s' early 90s' you could not go wrong with a Prince written song, even "To You" was very releaseable, but the one song that should not have been released was "Will You Marry Me"? this was just a goofy song, and it tends to be the least favorite of mine out of any of her songs, and the video for this song is absolutely ridiculous, but this album despite that song is one of my all time favorites.

This is one of the most impressive sophmore albums. It shines from the wonerfully joyous "Promise of a New Day," to the liberating "Will You marry Me?." An effort extremley different from it's predecessor and much more diverse, Paula proved she was more than a mere dance diva. After a huge debut album that consisted of almost all upbeat dance tracks, she followed up with the beautifully creative "Rush Rush." This was a bold move and it paid off. "Blowing Kisses in the Wind" was another great ballad on the album. Paula revealed not only her softer side, but also mixed in funk and rock this time around. "Rock House, Spellbound, Vibeology and U" are unique, and combined with Paulas 'one of a kind' voice are unlike anything I've heard then or since. One of my favorite cuts is "Alright Tonight." Although some may think this song is silly, it's a great cover and shows Paulas versatility. Every track on here sizzles with maybe the exception of "To You." I'll forever treasure "Spellbound," for it is an extraordinary album by one of musics most missed artist. If you love quality pop music that's not like most junk out there "Get this album!"

Paula Abdul became one of the most popular artists in 1988 when she recorded her debut album "Forever your Girl" that eventually would sell over 17 Million copies, 3 years later in 1991 she was still popular, and that wasn't strange since she had been on the charts constantly since. This album isn't as full of dance-pop as her debut though. Here she'll even try a few ballads and shows other sides of herself then choreographic uptempo songs. She had clearly matured and wanted to deliver something more personal (She even co-wrote songs this time) which we can see on slower songs like "Will You Marry Me" and "Blowing Kisses on the Wind", both hits but most of all the big hit "Rush Rush" a ballad that reached #1. The song had an very special video directed by George Lucas! and feauturing Keanu Reeves portaying her boyfriend. Midtempo "Promise of a New Day" also reached number 1 and "Vibeology" a classic uptempo became a decent hit aswell, most other songs of this album that weren't singles are biuncy uptempo's kind of like on her debut. Eventhough this album is 15 years old, it doesn't sound dated at all, many of the songs would still sound fresh today. "Spellbound" eventually sold 8 million copies, which isn't bad, but unfortunately she wouldn't have any more hits afterwards and her third and last album "Head Over Heels" didn't sell good at all. Possibly cause she tried to emancipate herself from the youthful dance-pop girl she was in the beginning of her career. However, another good album from a good artist that sadly doesn't record albums anymore.