Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Kelly Clarkson could have played her American Idol-propelled career much differently, languishing in the role of dippy ingénue or shunting her musical development by leaning too heavily on overnight stardom. Instead she dug in her heels and allowed good sense (or a good manager) to steer, and somewhere Simon Fuller and the rest of the TV gang ought to be smiling. Credit Breakaway, which couldn't be more aptly titled--the sophomore effort represents a seismic split from the thin if pretty debut, Thankful. Here we encounter Clarkson as superstar, with the humility that made her likable on the first disc tucked tightly under her arm. First single and leadoff track "Breakaway" topped the pop charts on arrival, and its rock-friendly thumps, dips, and rolls don't wear out their welcome. Instead,they blend into the firestorm of beats and guitars that is "Since U Been Gone," another shout-it-out rocker. Those songs set the tone for the rest of the disc in all its fury: The innocence is long gone, "Addicted" and "Hear Me" say. The big, expressive voice ringed by the occasional high-pitch trill--the one that prompted millions to get behind her on Idol--doesn't dip entirely off the radar, though. On "Where Is Your Heart" and the stunning live closer "Beautiful Disaster," it's there in full force--a hint, maybe, that despite the wide, smart career step Breakaway represents, her fans come first. -Tammy La Gorce



KELLY CLARKSON - BREAKAWAY [With Bonus Tracks], album released July 2005.
Encoded 192Kbps [Lame] mp3. Covers included.

The winner of Fox TV's first American Idol: The Search for a Superstar competition, during the summer of 2002 Kelly Clarkson went from an anonymous talent to a nationally known singer performing for an audience of millions of viewers. One of the show's most naturally gifted singers, the 20 year-old Burleson, TX native's vocal talents were discovered when she was in seventh grade, when her school's choir teacher heard her singing and urged Clarkson to join the choir.

Clarkson may be a fine ballad singer, but what gives Breakaway its spine are the driving, anthemic pop tunes like "Since U Been Gone," "Walk Away," and "You Found Me." These are the numbers that sound simultaneously mainstream and youthful, which is a hard trick to pull off, and they are the tracks that illustrate that Kelly Clarkson is a rare thing in the 2000s: a pop singer who's neither hip nor square, just solidly and enjoyably in the mainstream.

Tracks:
01 Breakaway
02 Since U Been Gone
03 Behind These Hazel Eyes
04 Because Of You
05 Gone
06 Addicted
07 Where Is Your Heart
08 Walk Away
09 You Found Me
10 I Hate Myself For Losing You
11 Hear Me
12 Beautiful Disaster [Live]

Bonus Tracks:
13 Miss Independent
14 Low

KELLY CLARKSON - THE VIDEOS [mpeg SkidVid]
TV rip, edited, logos removed and encoded 352 x 288 mpeg.

Kelly Clarkson - Because Of You [2005]
Kelly Clarkson - Behind These Hazel Eyes [2005]
Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway [2005]
Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway