Kelly Clarkson
"Thankful"

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Released: 22nd March 2004.

In case you didn't know, Kelly Clarkson won the first series of American Idol. But the question is - will she end up down the dumper like Hear'say or stay on top?

Her debut album, "Thankful", is a very eclectic effort. It starts off with the beautiful ballad, "The Trouble With Love Is", sounding similar to the Honeyz' "End Of The Line", but that is no bad thing. As the song goes on, Kelly's voice becomes stronger and more soulful, making this the perfect opener for the album.

The next song is the one we all know. The new single, "Miss Independent", which starts off quite badly, as the verses seem to go nowhere, but when the chorus hits - wow! The song was written by Christina Aguilera and used without her permission. But why didn't Christina record this song herself? "Miss Independent" is fantastic and looks set to make Kelly a household name on this side of the Atlantic.

Next up is the forthcoming single, "Low" - a great choice for single and another standout track on the album. The song is slightly rocky, but Kelly's voice remains soulful and incredible. Track four is "Some Kind Of Miracle" - like "Miss Independent", it starts off slowly, but builds up into a fantastic chorus. The next song is "What's Up Lonely" - quite a bland track, which is one of the weakest on the album. It is followed by one of the best tracks on the debut, "Just Missed The Train". Kelly's voice sounds beautiful on this song, which would be a great choice for future single.

Track seven is "Beautiful Disaster", a mid-tempo number, which is nothing groundbreaking. It's not a bad song, but definitely one of the weakest tracks on the album. Kelly duets with fellow American idol contestant, Tamyra Gray, on "You Thought Wrong". It's yet another song which starts slowly but has a fantastic chorus, but overall it's still one of the weakest songs on here.

The title track, "Thankful" follows next. Unfortunately, this is the weakest track on the album. Track ten is "Anytime" - a gorgeous ballad, which sounds like something Celine Dion would song. The album closes with the two singles, "A Moment Like This" and "Before Your Love" - the double A-side Kelly released when she won American Idol.

This is a brilliant debut effort from Kelly. The album sounds like a cross between a Mariah Carey album and Christina Aguilera's "Stripped". Kelly has an undeniably amazing voice. The quality of the songs match the quality of her great voice, so there is no reason why Kelly shouldn't have a long and successful career ahead of her.

(Dazzle)

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