Japanese pressing of this infamous third album from the American Idol winner comes with one hidden track: 'Chivas'. One of the most heralded voices in pop, Kelly Clarkson returns to reclaim her place at the top of the music scene with her new album My December. With every song on the record written or co-written by Kelly herself, My December is Clarkson's most personal record to date and shows tremendous growth as an artist. Going in a harder-hitting direction, the first single off the album, "Never Again," is all-attitude lyrics, edgy guitars and soaring vocals. BMG. 2007.
Average Customer Review:
( 369 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
60 of 62 found the following review helpful:
Wake up!Jun 26, 2007
By ~+~ Mistress Anne Boleyn ~+~
"Lizzie"
I was never a Kelly Clarkson fan until this week. I didn't watch her on American Idol. I bought her first CD because I liked the single "A Moment Like This," but wound up disliking the rest of the CD. Sure, I found all those Top 10 hits from Breakaway catchy, but they were just so sugary. There was no real emotion in them; it was blatantly obvious that they existed solely to become hits and sell CDs. After a while, "Since U Been Gone," "Breakaway," "Behind These Hazel Eyes," and "Because of You" melted into one big, mindless pop song trying to cash in on the emo craze and simultaneously retain pop radio appeal. And while they did get stuck in my head, I refused to listen to them because they seemed so obviously manufactured.
Not so with this disc. I downloaded it when it leaked on the Internet, just to see if it was any better than Breakaway. At that time, I hadn't heard about the controversy surrounding the album, so I wasn't biased in Kelly's favor; if anything, I had exceedingly low expectations for the album. Instead, I fell in love with it at first listen.
These songs are overtly different. They're not trying to be bouncy summer radio sing-alongs. They're not trying to reel you in with catchy hooks and keep you satisfied with lightweight melodies and inconsequential lyrics. These songs are heartfelt and, at times, downright hardcore. The lyrics aren't world-changing, but they ring true, and their titles are blessedly devoid of cutesy intentional misspellings. My December may not be steak, but it's certainly more filling than Breakaway-esque cotton candy.
In fact, when I first listened to the album, it reminded me of nothing so much as Origin-era Evanescence: pre-Fallen, pre-fame, pre-studio gloss. Those songs were much less polished, and would never have survived on contemporary radio, but they were more raw, more real, and they possessed an emotional incandescence that was never matched by any of Evanescence's later material. One could conjure a mental image of the band actually writing, channeling, experiencing them. So it is with this disc.
After falling for this album, I watched Kelly's CMT special with Reba McEntire, and for the first time, I realized how immensely talented Kelly truly is. I never would have noticed had I not listened to this disc. I can now say that I am a true Kelly Clarkson fan, and I will be buying this CD on my next trip to Wal-Mart. There are very few artists whose albums I deem worthy of buying after sampling them online, but I believe that Kelly has earned my money and my support with this album, and I hope that it does extremely well for her.
135 of 164 found the following review helpful:
Kelly's Ready!Jun 26, 2007
By A* Everyone knows by now the problems that Clarkson has had with this disc -- well, the problems the higher ups have had with letting Clarkson have her own voice on record. But this is nothing new. In the world of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Clarkson had the guts to tinker with what worked. A poppy, melody written style that sucked in everyone who had ears. Did the change do her good? Yes-yes-yes. Is her album perfect? No. Who has made a perfect album? Not a dang soul out there.
What makes this album work so well. Is that Clarkson is TRYING!!!! Trying so hard not to be some cookie, cutter waif, with bleach blonde hair, kohl rimmed eyes, and a snarky attitude. The woman has substance. Songs like "Sober," with it's build up to an almost necessary rant is just plain talent!!! The disc pops with tracks that show a woman in transition. The contemplative "Irvine" with its hollow melody and Patty Griffin like simplicity is marvelous and Clarkson can drudge out a sour note like no other popstar on the market.
Clive Davis offered her a truck load of money to put more "sellable" songs on the disc and she chose not too -- again, guts! Clarkson is growing as a sonwriter. And its bumpy for her. Her lyrics, at times, are too simple, but when they hit the right mark -- she tells a relatebale story. A girl/becoming a woman in a world where she's feeling a lot less secure. When Clarkson sings: "Let it go ..." on "Be Still" there is a quiet pain in what she sings, a great connection to the lyric.
Guts alone to take a chance on your own vision as an artist should merit you credit. But when you work at it and it comes out as solid as Clarkson's "My December," you want to stand and cheer for the girl. She nails it. Daivs must also be a little deaf, if "Yeah" with its shout-back chorus and "One Minute" aren't radio friendly hits -- I don't know what is.
Congrats on, so far, having the best album of the year, Ms. Clarkson!
17 of 19 found the following review helpful:
Amazing....Jun 26, 2007
By Jessica Stevenson This album had so much negativity surrounding it, that some people wouldn't even give it a chance. I am SO happy Kelly took a chance and put HER album out there. I am so happy she didn't record based on anything being "radio friendly," and I am even happier she didn't feel the need to release a more positive album. In my opinion, the album is not negative. It is refreshing and inspiring. It tells us that we can have the worst of times and get through it. We aren't alone. It is truly amazing.
Her vocals are amazing as always and her lyrics are beautiful. The emotion she has in her songs is remarkable.
37 of 47 found the following review helpful:
Won me OverJun 29, 2007
By Ron I tend to like rock and punk over other music genres. But I do find myself liking Kelly Clarkson every time I hear a new single on the radio. I actually went back and bought the first 2 albums and picked this one up on the day of release. I like her darker/edgier side. She does have an incredible and beautiful voice for the ballads, and I like those songs almost as much as the rocker chick stuff. This album is much deeper than the first 2 with Kelly doing her own writing. I don't know if it will produce the huge smash hits of the first albums, but she certainly is a talented writer. I heard Never Again when it was first released as a single and I still enjoy it. I actually find Haunted to be my favorite track on the album. How I feel is like Kelly channeling Pat Benatar with the Go'Go's doing backing vocals. Then the very next track she has a real funky sound. The album is Kelly feeling her way around on her own for the first time. She will only get better and better from here. I personally think it is already top notch stuff.
10 of 11 found the following review helpful:
No Radio Hooks? What Album did Clive Listen To?Jul 09, 2007
By J. Moore I hate to admit it, but I was hesitant after hearing how "uncommercial" this album was. I wondered if Kelly had become spoiled after becoming so successful with her "Breakaway" album. Then I thought, maybe this is one of those albums that really grows on you after a while, but it might take a few listens to really appreciate it. Then I bought it, listened to it, and was completely and utterly blown away by it. I honestly can't believe Mr. Owen didn't like this album. Yes, it's different from Breakaway, but songs like "One Minute," "Hole," and "Yeah" have plenty of hooks on them, and other songs are so vocally impressive that I automatically hit the replay button. ("Sober" starts out so slow and moody and grows into an explosion of emotion that i was completely unprepared for). All in all, you won't find another "Since U Been Gone" on this album, but all this talk about it being a total flop and uncommercial is ridiculous. After only two listens, I like this album WAY more than Breakaway, and Kelly Clarkson has become the first official American Idol winner to show true artistry.
based on 369 reviews
( 369 customer reviews )
