Carly Rae Jepsen - Tug of War (2008)
Carly Rae Jepsen reminds me of my buddy's ex-girlfriend in the way that they're both female and endlessly hung up over shit. Huh, I guess that's where the similarities end, but I had you gripped by the BALLS there for a second, didn't I?! You thought you were gonna get some great insider info but then I hit you with absolutely nothing!! I hate myself for what I've done to you.
But I DON'T hate what Carly Rae Jepsen has done on this album! I don't LOVE it either but life is about staying positive and staying out of mom's medicine cabinet! The first track, "Bucket", is a good track that almost foreshadows her later smash-hit "Call Me Maybe" in catchiness, with its nice bass groove and overall sunny nature of the music, and it's complimented nicely by the following track, which happens to be the title track! A nice little song about jealousy with a catchy piano rhythm. She also includes a lyric about a guy possibly screwing girls, actually using the word "screwing", and that's edgy as shit for her! Watch out, Carly: You're just a few inches away from going full-on Columbine jokes ala Eminem!! Both were released as singles, and it's surprising they didn't get more popular than they did.
And of course, sometimes there's a catch: Those tracks are followed by eight more tracks, which includes a John Denver cover, which are pretty much just nice little filler. Nothing to get excited for, but nothing to hate.
I'm sorry, but there's only SO MUCH one can say about this album, and the fact that I can pretty much easily dismiss it after a few listens, and also the fact that I'm not even able to get too in-depth about the album should say something: Sure, it's an upgrade on the past EP in the sense that its highlights (all two of them!) reach much higher, but it still finds itself (outside of the two tracks I was just talking about) in a category of music that can only be described as almost purposely bland and inoffensive. Put it on in the car for quiet background music while you listen to a rarely-contacted relative in the passenger seat reminding you just why you unfollowed them on Facebook.
6/10
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Feel free to check out the song previews/buy this album using my Amazon Associate link!
