Moonsigns  |  Band Guide  |  Blogs  |  Adult
Boston  |  Portland  |  Providence
 
CD Reviews  |  Download  |  Live Reviews  |  Music Features  |  New England Music News

Ashlee Simpson

Bittersweet World | Geffen
By DANIEL BROCKMAN  |  April 15, 2008
2.5 2.5 Stars
ashleeinside
If this album were placed in a capsule and unearthed 5000 years from now by aliens with four heads made out of laser beams, they’d probably listen to “Ragdoll” and “Bittersweet World” and think, “Damn, humans in the year 2008 were way obsessed with cartoonish depictions of ‘the ’80s, what with all these shameless Oingo Boingo and Soft Cell ripoffs.” But you know what? Fuck laser-headed aliens. They don’t have any context, and they can’t appreciate how diverse and adventurous and occasionally honest this record really is. Fans and detractors alike get exactly what they expect with bratty rockers like “Outta My Head” and “Rulebreaker,” but things seem to “get real” a bit with a more-introspective (if you can call it that) track like “Murder (I Get Away With),” which pits M.I.A.-esque multiplying world beats against Gwen Stefanish coos and cajoles. “Don’t keep me in the dark/’Cause I’ll find the light” sounds like the clarion call of a hardened show-biz wunderkind who’s been bred to become a pop star no matter what. “I get what I want and I know what I need” Simpson croons in the Cardigans-lawsuit-instigating “Boys,” and I’m inclined to agree.
Related:
  Topics: CD Reviews , Oingo Boingo , The Cardigans , Celebrity News ,  More more >
  • Share:
  • RSS feed Rss
  • Email this article to a friend Email
  • Print this article Print
Comments

ARTICLES BY DANIEL BROCKMAN
Share this entry with Delicious
  •   SWEET AND LO-  |  June 24, 2008
    Your cynicism is no match for Times New Viking
  •   THE NUMBERS OF THE BEAST  |  June 26, 2008
    Iron Maiden at Comcast Center, June 20, 2008
  •   JUDAS PRIEST  |  June 17, 2008
    Nostradamus | Epic
  •   DISTINGUISHED FLANNEL  |  June 16, 2008
    Mudhoney at the Middle East Downstairs, June 6, 2008
  •   TEENAGE KICKS  |  June 10, 2008
    M83 at the Middle East Downstairs, June 2

 See all articles by: DANIEL BROCKMAN

MOST POPULAR
 Most Viewed   Most Emailed 



Featured Articles in CD Reviews:
Friday, July 04, 2008  |  Sign In  |  Register
 
thePhoenix.com:
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
StuffAtNight Latest:
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2008 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group