Sophomore jinxes don’t exist.
Well, that’s at least the truth for Sara Bareilles’ second album, Kaleidoscope Heart, which was released on September 7th.
Bareilles first entered the music scene in July 2007 with her chart-topping “Love Song” on her first album, Little Voice earning her two Grammy nominations. With the release of her new album, maybe Bareilles will win a Grammy this time.
“Uncharted”: This is my favorite upbeat track on the album.
While listening to this song I can just imagine Bareilles performing live. It’s the kind of song I know she would be smiling about and having a blast performing it on stage, and it’s one you can tap along to on the steering wheel of your car.
“King of Anything”: Whenever this song plays on my iPod, I immediately change it.
This is Bareilles’ current single for her new album and I hate it. It also seems like I’m the only one in the world who feels this way. It currently holds the 49th spot on iTunes Top 100, and I don’t understand why. It’s not the way Bareilles sings the song, but it’s the lyrics of the song that frustrates me.
The lines “who died and made you king of anything?” may make her sound independent and awesome to some listeners, but to me she just sounds a little too self-righteous.
“The Light”: Whomever Bareilles is singing this song to has her complete love and trust. At first I thought the song was about the death of her love, but it’s about the trust and faith she has in her love. This track is the type of song that would be in an epic romance movie. It is hauntingly beautiful. It raises goose bumps on me.
“Not Alone”: This track dredges up the jazz roots from Bareilles’ first album tracks like “Vegas” and “Bottle It Up.” It seems like the jazzy-blues tracks on Kaleidoscope Heart are rare for a reason. Bareilles performs the song with a soulful sound, but the lyrics confuse me. She sings about how she’s afraid and wants this guy to protect her from the dark, even if he lies to her, which I find weird.
“Basket Case”: This is the most acoustic-sounding track on the album.
On this track Bareilles’ has a vulnerable sound. However, it’s not a weak and meager vulnerable where she can’t hit any notes, but a vulnerable in which she shares all of her most personal emotions.
“Bluebird”: What’s a new album without a break-up song that you can listen to and belt out in your car in the dead of night?
Well, that’s exactly what “Bluebird” is, your classic break-up song. The lyrics don’t focus on the couple’s problems and lost love. Instead, they focus on how Bareilles is a “bluebird” which is now flying solo. In this song, Bareilles sounds like she is on the verge of tears, which adds to the song rather than detracting from it. Bareilles sings with conviction and sounds like she isn’t afraid to be on her own Bareilles’ first album Little Voice was a huge success and anything but “little.” Her second album Kaleidoscope Heart proves that the “sophomore jinx” does not pertain to her or her music.
Maggie Cassidy can be reached for comment at [email protected]