by Michael LelloWeekender Editor
Mandy Moore always seemed awkward amongst her teen-queen peers. While Britney flashed her crotch and Christina got Dirrty while waving her hand and cramming 57 notes into one syllable, Moore sang her nice-girl disposable pop with an eye cast towards more independent, mature music
Moore, 25, makes the final break from the Mouseketeer set with “Amanda Leigh,” an attempt at serious singer/songwriter fare. The results are a mixed bag — which you should expect when an artist enters new waters — but at their best, the “Amanda Leigh” tracks have a stunning, innocent beauty, falling somewhere between the lily-white harmonies of Nickel Creek and the smoky come-ons of Norah Jones. It’s the sound of a singer and songwriter — and a young woman, recently married to batshit singer Ryan Adams — growing up, and it points to a promising future. The present, however, could use some work.
First, the good stuff. Moore, who is not blessed (or is it cursed?) with an octave-shattering Mariah Carey-esque voice, sings within her range, and it matches these songs. The instrumentation — besides an odd infatuation with the harpsichord — is fresh yet rooted, as well. At their sparsest, the arrangements work.
“Everblue” is a remarkable, mournful song, with Moore singing confidently and emotively over warm organ and tom-toms. Moore waits until the second verse to use some vocal flourishes, like a little turn on the word “colors.” “Love to Love Me Back” is another keeper, with pedal steel and chiming 12-string guitar working together, backing Moore’s whispery vocals. The jangly “Bug,” the closer, could be favorably compared to Jewel’s earlier material.
The bad stuff comes when Moore attempts to play roles not suited to her, like the temptress in the hand-clap-happy uptempto “I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week.” It’s not a bad song, but it all comes off as warmed over or tossed off, better suited to someone like Jessica Simpson. Also, the harmony vocals of Moore’s collaborating writer Mike Viola throughout the album tend towards flamboyance — you can almost see jazz hands — and add an unwelcome saccharine Broadway flair. The songs demand a grittier treatment, and Moore seems up to the task without the help.
Rating: W W W
