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ASHLEE SIMPSON – AUTOBIOGRAPHY - UNIVERSAL
Record Rating: ***
Most people know by now that Ashlee Simpson is the younger sister of American pop star Jessica Simpson. Ashlee, now twenty, spent most of her teen years dancing in her sister's shows and following her older sister around – though now she does have her own reality show on primetime TV in the US.
Ashlee Simpson debut album is simple - fun, easy to follow lyrics, and enjoyable bubblegum rock. One listen to the lead single Pieces Of Me and the reason why it was chosen as the lead single is understandable, since it’s easily the most radio-friendly song on here. Autobiography debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 last month, where it stayed for three weeks. And it also went triple-platinum, making it the year's biggest debut by a female artist with 3 million copies in stores. This album scores high on the catchiness factor, but the 12 tracks aren’t anything to write home about. Most young, female pop artists today are like Britney replicas, complete with blond hair, sexy revealing outfits and even belly rings – but Ashlee Simpson try to avoid that one. One theme that seems to run through - she seems to be doing is differentiating herself as much as possible from her sister’s squeaky clean pop scene. A few heavy guitars, two fold drum machines and angsty lyrics unfold as you listen along – so the comparisons to punk pop princess Avril Lavigne’s latest effort will inevitable.
And you can catch her latest single Shadow doing the rounds right about now. It’s the same old story, her growing up in the shadow of a famous sibling and how she really was afraid to be herself. (Haven’t we heard that one before?) This is a good breakout album, and Ashlee Simpson seems to be trying with her music - to give the kids and teenagers a defiant voice…and set it to music they could rock out to.
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