For Real: New Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson recently hit the airwaves with her 16th career single, and the 4th from her latest album, All I Ever Wanted. The title track was selected, likely because it has been getting more sales than the other rumored choices ("If I Can't Have You" and "Cry") over the past few months. As it is, "All I Ever Wanted" still trails the other two tracks in total sales (40,524 compared to 40,621 and 49,273 respectively), but in recent weeks it has been selling considerably more copies than either of the latter two tracks.

But regardless of the sales it's gotten so far, the track is not a typical radio pick. From the dark-sounding guitar lick at the beginning, through the jagged & forceful chorus, the song is a lot heavier than the types of songs you see topping the charts today.

So there's that. But then you have to excuse yourself from the pop world for a second and recognize the fact that Kelly Clarkson is one of the best vocalists of the 21st century - it's why she is famous. In that light, "All I Ever Wanted" is one of her most impressive vocals. It's one of those numbers that gives you goosebumps just from the sheer power of her high notes - nobody will listen to this tune and say the girl is untalented. It also has a raw emotional element that is lacking in the album's biggest hit, "My Life Would Suck Without You," which hit #1 last year. It has more to say & does it without any of the added frills. The song is long, but it doesn't seem like it. After an intense 4 minutes of Kelly repeatedly telling us "All I ever wanted was a simple way to get over you," the band's casual fade out makes it seem as though they had barely gotten there; meanwhile the drums end the song by themselves, tapping away like a horse who lost its rider without realizing it. It is one of several artistic elements that makes the song good - and it is a good song.

But Let's Be Real: Will people like it? Some of them. Her one-of-a-kind voice & the unique edge of the song will drive it up the charts - but its heavy gloominess will stop it from rising as high as many of her other hits. Oh, and the music video probably won't help, by the way...she sort of gave up on the "visual" aspect of her career...
What It Is: Top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100, but not higher than #21


Listen to "All I Ever Wanted" and other tracks from Kelly's latest album here.

at 3:14 PM