"Sparklepop" is a good word to describe this album. It is definitely a pop album, and it's sparkled with fun. The four members have put together this disc of up-beat and praise-filled songs.
The vocals of lead singer Miranda are beautiful and add different feelings to every song. The first track, "I'm So Happy," is very fast and falls into the typical pop-song category. The second, "Hard Landing," follows that same feel.
But the third track "Sweet Forgiveness" is one of the most beautiful songs on the album. It is a lot slower song from the openers, featuring a flowing piano melody and the sweet vocals of Miranda with her own harmonies tracked throughout the song.
The guitars are slow and carry the mood of a 'love song' to God. The next, "Sugarcoated Saviour," has a ska sound to it as it features many trumpets in the background of the chorus.
This song reminds me of the band Letters To Cleo. The same sounding vocals and the same type of music. Later in the album, the song "Happy Birthday Jesus" comes in with this same kind of sound. No trumpets, but it definitely carries the same beat. They're different from the rest of the album, but that just adds to the fun of it.
"Miracle" is another slow song. Acoustic guitars accompany the sweet harmonious vocals which tell the story of being reborn, and other miracles which never cease to amaze us all. The chorus says "Is that the way it's supposed to be? No flash of light or angel wings. But in that moment I was changed, and in my heart was a miracle." The words are comforting and when you hear the music and sweet vocals along with it, it's really an amazing song. One of the strongest tracks on the album.
"The Lie That Ate Bobby McWatkiss" is a story of how lies grow to really take us over. It's an important message, and very truthful. The chorus is very strong, with heavier guitars and drums, and the vocals brought up on many levels to harmonize. Another slow song, "A Woman's Place" comes in. But this one isn't like the others. The vocals are more flat and just not as enjoyable as the others. But that is soon taken over with the next track, "(Are We All) Serving The Same God."
It starts out with a fast beat and it's back to the sound the openers had. Pure pop. For some reason S Club 7 popped into my head when hearing this song.
"What Happened When Jesus Went to Nashville" features the lead singer on her harmonica for the opening chords, and the rest of the song carries through that country feel to it. It's more of a country-pop song. I'm not sure if that's a good mix, but it seems to work on this album for some reason. The final track "Dying To Live" is yet another slow track with piano as the main instrument.
Going from pop to ska and slow to country, this album is filled with so many different styles of music. But they are all brought together with the vocals and the same level of instruments throughout it. It's nice to jump from one beat to another, but it can get a bit much by the end. The messages are good and this kind of music would be great for a teen to listen to. It's not overly preachy, yet it can apply to anyone out there.
3 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Eric DaamsI have to admit, I'm a bit of a sucker for the guitar. When I heard that guitarist Andrew Shirley from All Together Separate played on Sparklepop's first project, my hopes for this self-titled album were raised considerably and Sparklepop lives up to those hopes. Not only do some of the guitar licks seriously rock, the rest of the musicianship is equally talented. The artwork is strikingly…
