Jessie J

Who You Are

Who You Are -

Track Listing

Brief Review

Jessie J's debut album is mediocre at best with a confusing mix of teen-attitude tracks and soulful ballads. The combination alienates more than welcomes and with a little more polish and drive the album could have been a hit. What results is different genres thrown in but no real direction or identity attached resulting in an average-at-best debut for the 23 year old.

Full Review

Lumped in the same category as so many other female vocalists the main selling point of this artist is her look. A gothic Lady Gaga might sound a weird concept but she does nail the look well-unfortunately her music doesn't follow suit. At only 23 its hard to tell which direction her music will go but what's on offer here is a clash of two styles that never really take off.

The album kicks off with the commercial chart hits 'Price Tag' and 'Nobody's Perfect' which showcase not only her vocal talents but also her potential for creating catchy hits. Price Tag in particular is hands down the best track on the CD which is a shame as its the first song on the album and doesn't leave much more to look forward to. 'Nobody's Perfect' is also a good effort with some strong vocals and a decent backing track but doesn't match up to 'Price Tag'.

The second style of washed-up teen-pleasing tunes hits the speakers in the form of 'Abracadabra' which sounds like a solo version of 'Higher' by The Saturdays with a less catchy beat and more R'n'B flavour to it before 'Big White Room' spins the album back to the ballad style that never truly hits the ballad heights of Adele but is a good effort overall.

'Casualty of Love' is a slightly more beat-driven track with drums rolling lazily over the backing beat of decent vocals but again the style doesn't match up to Adele's quality. Just as the album starts to fall into a rhythm of slow, more deliberate vocal-driven tracks the album shifts to please the younger crowd and consequently leaves the album in limbo.

'Rainbow', 'Who's Laughing Now' and 'Do It Like A Dude' all leave the vocal quality behind and instead focus on churning washed up tracks out to appeal to the masses. 'Do It Like A Dude' in particular, despite how catchy it is, sounds more Ms. Dynamite than anything worth listening to. All three tracks are some of the weakest on the album and I can't help but feel that with better track selection this album could have shined. Her style is similar to Katy B but the difference here is the ease in which Katy B's album flows compared to this one.

'Mamma Knows Best' dips into the big band style with some heavy brass instruments fused over some decent vocals leading to a good effort overall but nothing that sounds catchy enough to be a hit.

'L.O.V.E.' and 'Stand Up' aren't worth mentioning and will no doubt fall victim to the skip button before the album ends on more slow ballads in the form of 'I Need This' and the album title of the same name 'Who You Are'. Both are two of the best non-commercial hits on the album and really do show the potential of this artist. The vocals are excellent here and with more emphasis on this CD with that style then the rating could have been higher.

As it stands the album is a mediocre effort at best with a confusing track selection stuck in limbo due to the conflicting styles that never truly take off until the last two tracks of the CD. What results is an effort that whispers Jessie J's arrival rather than shouts.