Rating: N
A common criticism levelled at the pop stars of today is that they leave much to be desired in the personality department. British singer Jessie J, however, is afflicted with a dire case of the opposite: too-much-personality disorder.
Prior to winning the BBC’s Sound Of 2011 poll, the 23-year-old was best known for penning the Miley Cyrus hit Party In The USA, a song that sounds like Penny Lane compared to this crass train wreck of a record. It begins with the breezy single Price Tag, but three tracks later, in the throes of never-ending ballad Big White Room, it’s clear that subtlety is not Jessie J’s strong point.
Over-emoting at every turn, she obliterates otherwise innocuous soul, R&B and reggae-inflected songs with gimmicky vocal histrionics, strident attempts at melisma and the kind of callow self-help lyrics that are apparently mandatory for all young pop stars nowadays.
Top track: Price Tag
