Customer Reviews

All I Ever Wanted (Limited Edition CD/DVD)

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It really is. I was worried that on this record, Kelly would be backpedaling from the bold, uncommercial, dark "My December" to make "Breakaway Pt 2"...and the similar to SYBG but improved "My Life Would Suck Without You" had me a tad worried. Nothing wrong with having hits on the radio and mass success, as long as you don't sacrifice artistic integrity and credibility for pandering commerciality, and in the wrong hands, that's what this 4th album by Kelly easily could have been.

Instead, and this is what's remarkable here, she takes the same emotional terrain of "My December", and artistic boldness, but places it in a brighter, catchier, powerpoppier context. The songs are great powerpop tunes because they concentrate on the CRAFT, not the commerciality, and the songs hold up well to repeated listens. There's lots of variety here (powerpop/dancerock/country/punk/retro girlgroup and soul), yet it doesn't sound like a hodgepodge either, with an assorted buffet that don't sound great together. Credit it to the sequencing. Songs here can stand alone as singles, but they go well together as a piece. Not easy to do. Plus, 7 of the tunes were cowritten by Kelly herself...always the best way to be. Now, I am NOT a fan of Ryan Tedder and his band Onerepublic, I hate their record with a passion, and the singles "Apologize" & "Stop & Stare" are two of the worst songs of last year...too commercial, flat and annoying. Luckily, Kelly's collabos with him are great songs...credit it more to Kelly, not Ryan...maybe they had good artistic chemistry or something.

All the tracks here are great, but one that stands out is the punky "Whyyawannabringmedown", with her approximation of Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten snarl that really works.

Bottom line...Kelly Clarkson is not afraid of artistic growth, nor is she afraid of having hits...as long as she doesn't sacrifice the art...as it should be...it's hits on her terms, commerciality and Idol be damned. Also, if it wasn't for "My December", "All I Ever Wanted" would have existed in lame form, as she wouldn't have had the proper context and growth to make it as good as it is.

Not saying it's the best album of 2009 yet, but it IS one of the better pop records of the year, and it could get even better by year's end, and I'm really curious as to what her next artistic step will be. A difficult one??? An easy one??? Only time will tell.

Kelly's latest CD is something that everyone can listen to and love. No matter what age you are you will love these songs. There is pop, hip hop, dance, ballads, retro...a must have for everyone who loves music. Kelly has amazing vocals and she can sing anything. She is the first American Idol and by far the best! You will love Kelly Clarkson's CD, I promise!

I'm just going to skip straight to the bonus material, which makes this album the Deluxe. You get the DVD, which includes the MLWSWY video, a video about the the making of the music video, and a video about the making of the album. I love watching these because Kelly is always so down-to-earth, funny, and cute. You can see why everyone who works with her always speaks so highly of her. But, its the bonus tracks that make the deluxe a must have. Both songs, Tip of My Tongue and The Day We Fell Apart are great! I really just love them both. Her voice sounds great, especially at the bridge of "Tip", the beats are great, yet different from what is on the standard version of the album. Both of these could be on the standard version. In fact, I like them better than some of the standard songs. They would also be great singles, but I don't know if anyone has ever released a bonus track as a single. That would be interesting, wouldn't it?

I got this cd last year and was really impressed with it. It's one of the best pop albums I've heard in years. Each track is good, I like every song, can leave it playing and not have to skip through, though some are better than others. One of my favorites is "Don't Let Me Stop You" which has a rock sound to it that I really like. Actually I'd pick that as the best track on the whole album. It's been my favorite since I first heard it. Already Gone is compared to a song by Beyonce, but there really is no comparison imo because Kelly's singing is way better. Long Shot, Impossible, MLWSWY, I Do Not Hook Up, If I Can't Have You, Save You-lots of memorable songs on here. If No One Will Listen is a good ballad. I Want You sounds like a 60s pop song which is an interesting change. The two songs I like least are Cry and Ready-they're not bad, just not as good as the rest. Cry has a great chorus, don't get me wrong I like it, but the verses remind me of her first album and I'm not crazy about that style. Also her voice when she sings the line "Act like there's nothing wrong" sounds different-just don't care for it.

The deluxe version is the best one to get because the two bonus songs are as good as the rest of the album and really fit in well. Tip of My Tongue sounds like another song Beyonce would steal the idea of if she could. There is also a bonus track only available on the Japanese version as others mentioned. Another really good one with a rock sound. It's too bad that these weren't included, because once you've heard them, they make the standard version seem like it's missing something.

I like Kelly's music and have all of her albums, but she seems to get better with each release. Her debut is the weakest, it has a few good songs on it, but there are a lot of boring R&B songs that weigh it down. She has continued to ditch that and go for a more pop/rock sound which was sorely missing in music for many years. This works much better than those R&B songs. This album explores a variety of sounds-rock, pop, soul, 60s girl group pop, punk, ballads, dance. It's a nice mix of styles. Music has changed quite a bit in the past few years from having an urban sound that was popular a decade ago, and I say it's about time.

I didn't listen to the album for a while because I played it so much, then came back to it and found I still enjoyed it. It is very consistent and strong. No filler really at all.

Before I even heard the songs I pre-ordered the CD, that's just how good Kelly is. And boy I wasn't disappointed! The songs range from bouncy and upbeat to slow and quiet. I also appreciate that Kelly included a few love songs in here. Most of her songs are about breaking up and all the aftermath and sadness, so some happy-in-love songs were a welcome addition. The up-tempo songs are great for exercising too. This CD has a different sound than her previous records, but it's still 100% Kelly. I'm glad I bought the deluxe edition to get the extras tracks and the DVD.

I'm very impressed with Kelly Clarkson's 4th album All I Ever Wanted in the Deluxe Edition. I love all of her songs from this album so much.

1) My Life Would Suck Without You 10/10
2) I Do Not Hook Up 10/10
3) Cry 8/10
4) Don't Let Me Stop You 9/10
5) All I Ever Wanted 10/10
6) Already Gone 10/10
7) If I Can't Have You 10/10
8) Save You 10/10
9) Whyyawannabringmedown 8/10
10) Long Shot 10/10
11) Impossible 10/10
12) Ready 10/10
13) I Want You 9/10
14) If No One Would Listen 10/10
15) Tip of my Tongue 10/10
16) The Day We Fell Apart 10/10

I love the DVD of the Deluxe Edition too. I love her music video "My Life Would Suck Without You." Buy the Deluxe Edition of her album! You'll love it!!!!! It's the best!

Kelly Clarkson hit a homerun with this one. I keep this in my car and it is almost playing constantly. I love it so much that I even have it on my ipod to go walking, and I need to get another one for the house. I know that Cd's are somewhat going away due to technology but the CD is the best thing since her last album.

Despite it being nearly seven years since the first season of American Idol, most people still tend to associate the program with its first winner, Kelly Clarkson. With her last album, My December, Kelly seemed to be interested in breaking away (no pun intended) from this image, although her attempts were marred by conflicts with the label over her choice of material. As a result, her newest album seems to be, in some respects, a step backwards as one gets a distinct impression that Kelly did not get much say in the songs. What it lacks in depth, it makes up for in commercial appeal, although this does not necessarily imply a stronger album.

Catchy first single, "My Life Would Suck Without You", shows Kelly at her commercial best, although it is reminiscent of some of her earlier hits. This track maintains a slight element of bitterness, as Kelly proclaims, "being with you is so dysfunctional" in the exceptional bridge. It's a rather unconventional love song, talking about how breaking up was a mistake. "I Do Not Hook Up", co-written by Katy Perry, suffers mostly from seeming more like a Katy-sound-alike than a song specifically intended for Kelly. To be fair, Katy had recorded the song first, for her own album. It's a good song overall, with an excellent message, however it lacks anything to make it distinctly "Kelly". In contrast, "Cry" stands out as an early album highlight. Kelly had a hand in writing this one, and it is definitely noticeable. This is the first song to really show off the power of Kelly's voice, and has much more depth to the lyrics. It is also the first track here to really show any passion."Don't Let Me Stop You" is a fan favourite, and with good reason. It is radio-friendly enough that it could easily have been released, with rather witty lyrics in places. Here Kelly sings about telling her man to just leave if he's not that into her. It's a confident song, and another one with an excellent message of letting go of someone who's not as interested in the relationship.

"All I Ever Wanted" is the one track that seems reminiscent of My December, with a darker sound and theme. It is another album highlight, proving once again that, in spite of her talent for commercial pop, Kelly really shines on the deeper, darker material. It's also one of the more emotive deliveries available throughout the album. "Already Gone" has garnered criticism for being similar to Beyonce's "Halo", due to using the same producer and a similar backing track. Kelly herself had criticized the choice of this song as a single due to the similarities. As for the song itself, it's a good ballad with well-written lyrics. "If I Can't Have You" is reminiscent of the kind of track Pink might release, although that is a good thing. It's a catchy dance track, balanced with interesting lyrics. The only slight problem is that Kelly sounds a little muffled amongst the production, however it is not enough to detract from the song as a whole. This is definitely one of the dark horses of the album, as it grows on you more with each listen. The bridge is exceptional. "Save You" brings us back to a beautiful ballad, arguably stronger than "Already Gone". This song shines due to its lower-key production, giving Kelly plenty of room to shine with a powerful and passionate vocal delivery. Ryan Tedder definitely redeems himself with this one.

"Whyyawannabringmedown" is easily the weakest track the album has to offer. It's an aggressive track, and fans of Kelly's more rock-style tracks may enjoy it. However, it seems extremely out of place among the rest of the pop-radio-friendly tracks. It is something of a grower, however, but there is much better on the album. "Long Shot" is the second track that originally belonged to Katy Perry, and arguably much stronger than "Hook Up". Although Kelly's vocals again sound very similar to Katy's, this song sounds much less copy-cat. Unlike "I Do Not Hook Up", I can see Kelly writing a song like this herself. While some may think Kelly has not made this her own at all, it seems like the kind of song that could have fit quite comfortably on either of her previous albums (excluding Thankful). "Impossible" is another hidden gem, and proves once more that Tedder's productions can be varied and engaging. This is another track that Kelly had a hand in penning, and again it shows. It's interesting to note that although Kelly's contributions were more limited compared to on My December, those tracks she was involved with inject a similar style to that album. This is easily an album highlight as well. "Ready" is more of a low-key mid-tempo, and another track which Kelly had a hand in. It is a generally strong track although it suffers a little from a weak chorus. This is one of the songs that tends to be overlooked as filler, although this is definitely filler at its best.

"I Want You" is more of a fun track, and one of the album's biggest growers. This gives some evidence of Kelly's versatility, and may not be the most contemporary sound. However, Kelly pulls it off brilliantly. Upon first listen, it sounds rather immature and forgettable, but it's the kind of track that gets stuck in your head and stays there. "If No One Would Listen" can't help but give the impression of speaking to Kelly's situation with her label, given the impression that she had little say with this album. The song is a cover, and Kelly does an excellent job. It is an emotive performance, and an excellent album closer and highlight. However, with the deluxe edition, two bonus tracks are included as well. "Tip of the My Tongue" comes first, and is an excellent addition. The lyrics are well-written, although the track as a whole is somewhat reminiscent of Pink. This is another song which shows why Kelly is at her best with the darker styled music. Finally, the album ends with the brilliant "The Day We Fell Apart", which is a little more radio-friendly that the track before. Like "My Life Would Suck Without You", it seems to be talking about a rather dysfunctional relationship that Kelly wants to stay in nonetheless. An excellent album closer as well.

Overall Mark: 4/5

This album fares much better when considered on its own, rather than as a follow-up to the brilliant My December. The major problem with this album is the lack of identity. Many of the tracks are reminiscent of other artists: Katy Perry, Beyonce, Pink, and some have even compared one to Miley Cyrus. One cannot help but get the feeling that this album was largely directed by the label, with little input from Kelly. This is especially obvious since many of the tracks Kelly helped write are more similar to the style of My December. In terms of the quality of the songs themselves, most of them are actually quite well-done and Kelly manages to inject enough emotion to make them believeable. However, at times the album becomes inconsistent as it sounds more of a mish-mash of other artists in attempt to be radio-friendly. It's a good effort, and in the end the quality of the songs themselves combined with Kelly's undoubtable talent are enough to make a thoroughly enjoyable album. Those who prefer Kelly's pop songs will enjoy this more than My December, whereas those looking for depth may be a little disappointed.

Kelly Clarkson's Latest Album "All I Ever Wanted" is a solid mixture of Pop, Light Rock and Ballads that make fans like me, enjoy her work. The diversity of styles reminds me of her album, Breakaway. She is so dynamic and talented with this group of songs.

Many of her songs have a message or story that young adults and teenagers can relate to.

I never get tired of "My life would suck without you". It's a great pop song. It is no wonder that it was one of the fastest climbers in the Billboard charts from 97 to #1.

"Long Shot" is typical Kelly Clarkson style. This is likely the 3rd release from this album. I love this song.

The title track "All I Ever Wanted" showcases her trademark style. This has to end up in the Billboard Top 10.

"I Do Not Hook Up" is going to be a great bar scene song where women will sing this song to "Pick Up Artists". It's a great and liberating song.

"Cry" and "Don't Let Me Stop You" are 'break up' songs with the heart and enthusiasm that Miss Clarkson can deliver.

"If No One Will Listen", "Already Gone" and "Save You" are wonderful ballads.

"I Want You" is reminiscent of a Doo Wop songs from the 50s and 60s. I love this song!

Overall, the mixture of ballads, pop songs and light rock, this album will entertain you. I can see this album winning her a Grammy and going Platinum.

This release from Kelly Clarkson is fun, sounds fresh and doesn't sound like a lot of what's on the radio today. What makes 'All I Ever Wanted' leaps and bounds better than 'My December' is simply the fun, light-heartedness of the release. There are some ballads but the production on each is consistent and very pop-orientated, and Clarkson's voice and the thoughtful attention to the lyrics all combine to make for a really addictive, memorable listening experience. If you were let down by 'My December', you will no doubt want to give this release a try because this is a cleaner, more enjoyable release from Clarkson.

The best tracks are those that are an infusion of your typical pop/rock sound with the heart of a ballad. "Cry", "Already Gone", "All I Ever Wanted" and "Impossible" are the stand out tracks, with strong lyrics and Clarkson's signature vocals belting out lyrics that, unlike with many artists, actually have heart and substance to them. These sounded a little dated, simply due to the pop treatment, but I found that aspect the best when we see a lot of artist going for overly processed voices and following the herd with R&B-orientated songs. Other tracks such as "Don't Let Me Stop You" and "Long Shot" play more with the rhythm and the beat, helping them to stand out and remain memorable. There really isn't much to complain about with this release, as I found all the songs listenable and none truly skip-worthy. Some songs, the ones mentioned in this review, were simply better and stood out in my listening of the release from start to finish.

As for bonus material, it's nice having some of the behind-the-scenes commentary, the sort of tame 'My Life Would Suck Without You' music video, and the bonus tracks. The beat of 'Tip of My Tongue' really drives the song more so than the lyrics or vocals while 'The Day We Fell Apart' sounds awesomely good and should have been a main track on the album rather than reduced to 'bonus' status. In all, a great release from Clarkson with her returning to her pop roots. Worth the purchase and worth a listening.