Customer Reviews

Who I Am

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

In July, 1999 my dad and I went to the county fair. But we weren't there to eat cotton candy, ride the ferris wheel, or win bright colored stuffed animals. We were there to see a young girl about my age who was becoming a fast rising star in country music. When she came onstage, the brown haired, smiling singer was warm and energetic toward the audience, and during the show it was obvious that she was going to be a star.

The young lady I am referring to, of course, was Jessica Andrews. It has been almost two years since the release of her first album, HEARTSHAPED WORLD, and in that time, she has grown and changed tremendously in her music. This musical development is reflected in her sophomore album, WHO I AM. Although the title track has already established a place for itself in the country music top ten list, and will surely be one of the favorites on this album, there are many other great songs on this CD that are sure to follow its success. Uptempo songs such as "Karma" and "These Wings" will be big hits for younger fans of country crossover and pop music, while tracks like "Helplessly Hopelessly" and "Show Me Heaven" that show a slow, romantic side of Jessica's music will be a big hit with anyone who has ever felt the wonderful, delicious feeling of being in love. One of the things I like the most about this album is how easy the songs are to relate to. "Who I Am" has become my personal theme song, and other songs like "Every Time" and "Good Friend To Me" (co-written by Jessica herself!) hit home with me as well.

However, WHO I AM does have a downside to it, and it is this that forces me to give it a ranking of four instead of the highest score. Despite the fact that I love Jessica and find her music style very appealing, this album lacks the variety of her first release. The majority of the songs are very upbeat and fast, while few slow ballads can be found. Although the fast songs on the CD are wonderful, more of a variety is needed.

Conclusively, this is a wonderful album that truly shows the great talent of Andrews as a singer and songwriter. If you like country, pop, or music in general, you will love it! Buy your copy from amazon today, and find out just who Jessica Andrews is!

And I do say pop/country, not country pop, because she has gone a bit stronger on the pop side than the country which is too bad.

Whatever, she still has a mature, masterful voice, and yet young enough to have fun with such songs as "Karma".

"Who I Am" is deservedly the hit song from this CD, and she does utilize the natural sounding warmth of her voice to the utmost here.

"Helplessly, Hopelessly" is a beautiful song, a bit more countrified than others. This is truly an honest, sincere musical statement she makes.

"These Wings" is my favorite, and I can't really tell you why. It's just a song that I find myself wrapped up in. Really, I would've thought that this would be more of a hit.

And the final song, "Show Me To Heaven", is a good windup to a good CD...and I don't even watch DAWSON 'S CREEK! LOL

Who I Am is a refreshing album to hear, in a world of country music where so much sounds alike, its refreshing to hear an album like this that stands on its own distinctively and warms your heart. Jessica Andrews blew everyone away in 1998 when she sang I Will Be There For You for The Prince of Egypt soundtrack, and her amazing debut album Heart Shaped World became a popular album. Who I Am is a great album as well, maybe even better than Heart Shaped World. She shows strength in her voice, as well as her ability to choose songs that really suit her. The songs are sung with such emotion and heartfelt tenderness, Jessica makes you feel like you are a close friend or something to that respect. Highlights include the title track hit Who I Am, Karma, Now I Know, Every Time and I Dont Like Anyone, although many would agree with me, all tracks are spectacular and its hard to choose the worst song (because there probably is none) while its also hard to choose the best one. Great job Jessica!

"Who I Am" is an excellent song with lyrics that show the power of heritage. It is a statement about who made Jessica Andrews what she is, including her own talent. This song will be around for a long time because people can identify with it and think about their own lineage. "Who I Am" is the reason I bought the album. If you have not heard this song, do not despair. Although there is no link to just listen to this song on Amazon, they provide a downloadable version.

Andrews has a beautiful, mature voice. She flexes her tones from alto to high soprano, as they were butterflies riding on a breeze. It always surprises me when a teenager sings such majestic music, and Jessica maintains this beautiful quality throughout the CD. A strong and consistent band that follows the rise and fall of her voice with ease and professionalism backs her.

Other outstanding pieces of music on this Pop-Country album are: Karma; I Don't Like Anyone; Helplessly, Hopelessly (which is another favorite of mine).

Variety is a spice, and that is where I think the music could have been more diversified. The rhythm throughout the CD is too similar in most of the songs.

Victoria Tarrani

Being a singer myself, I find it very hard to find singers that I consistently enjoy. In a time of "pop princesses" who sell more by looks than by talent, I was excited to find Jessica Andrews. She is (in my opinion) in the ranks of country superstars like Martina McBride and JoDee Messina, two of my other favorites. I have both of Jessica's albums, "Heart Shaped World" and "Who I Am," and I listen to both frequently. Jessica is a wonderful talent, especially for her age. Her second album "Who I Am" is refreshing, with songs that leave me feeling uplifted and tunes that I hum constantly. "Helplessly, Hopelessly," "Who I Am," and "These Wings" are the three triumphs of the album, but I haven't found a song of Jessica's that I disliked. My only complaint is that I would have liked to hear a few more ballads. If you're a fan of real talent in singers, give this album a listen. You'll enjoy it.

I love Jessica Andrews. I think she has a fantastic voice and I know she'll go far! She's young and very talented. I loved her first CD~ I play it without skipping literally! So I thought I should buy this one too. And I was not disapointed~
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1. Now I Know- This song is GREAT! She shows such a mature sound in this song and it's very catchy! You'll get addicted to this song!

2. Every Time- It has a nice chorus and this song is more of a story-type song. Its not my favorite but I like it and listen to it~

3. I Don't Like Anyone- I really like this song! Jessica does a great job of singing it! Dream a pop sensation group also sang this. Both Dream and Jessica do a great job of singing this song! It's a really fun song~

4. Karma- A song about the "golden rule." The chorus is very catchy! K-K-K-Karma!! It has a good message about what goes around comes around!

5. Helplessly, Hopelessly- The most beautifully sang song on the album! Its a very meaningful song about a strong woman who shows her softer side when shes with the guy shes in love with.

6. Who I Am- This song is my personal favorite! I love how Jessica talks about knowing herself. I think this song could have personal meaning for many people! Its also her biggest hit on this album! It was also her first hit on this album.

7. These Wings- This song is about finding the right one and being able to have a whole new part of yourself come out!

8. Never Had It So Good- This song is about finding the right one. Its about true love. Its also about that feeling of nothing being better than being together!

9. Make Me Love You- Have you ever wondered "why this guy in love with me? Of all people in the world why are we together?" Thats what this song is about~ Its a great song!

10. Wishing Well- This is about being in love and hoping its always gonna stay that way. And also believing in a little bit of luck.

11. Good Friend To Me- Its about having to be a friend first before being a lover. Pretty good sonG!

12. Show Me Heaven- This song was made for the show "Dawson's Creek." Its a very pretty song that you'll listen to alot!

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This is a definite must have for any Jessica Andrews fan or country/pop music lover!

I'm not much of a country fan, but I love this CD, as well as her previous one. I don't know who Alanna Nash (that editorial reviewer) is or what her credentials are, but I think she missed the point. This music is fun to listen to and enjoyable for a good long time. Isn't that what music is all about? If you want to make some kind of statement to the world, write a book. For all music lovers out there, I'd say forget what other people say, including me. Just listen to the music, and if you like it, great! No CD is going to please everyone, and I can guarantee there are obsessed die-hard fans of Jessica Andrews who would come here and give her 5 stars if she made a CD of farting sounds. So take every review with a grain of salt, and make your own decision.

Decidedly the best cut was Who I Am. I was disappointed with this CD and found the music sounding senthesised and spacy. The drums sounded like a drum machine. Also, her vocals were unemotional and boring. In a number of instances instead of going for the higher range, she wimped out and sang the lower note. I don't think she used more than one octave on anything but Who I Am. Although I enjoy Jessica Andrew's voice, I found she went plastic and safe with no maturing from the first album. In all, totally a waste of money. Too bad you can't return a "bad" CD.

The self-affirmation shown on Jessica Andrew's catchy first single, "Who I Am," is refreshing to see in an age where many teenage girls yearn to be thinner, taller or prettier. Her statements in the song, such as, "I'm clueless and I'm clumsy, but I've got friends that love me, and they know just were I stand..." seem to set the tone for the rest of the CD, also entitled "Who I Am." At 17, and already a veteran of country music after her debut CD, "Heart Shaped World," Andrews knows how to choose songs with both catchy lyrics and melodies. She even collaborated with two others to write the song, "Good Friend To Me," which is a pretty good effort for her first try. The lyrics may not be appealing for anyone over the age of 25, since Andrews focuses on the high school view of love. However, her presentation of the songs is enough to make anyone's ear perk up. Her sweet voice, ranging from alto to soprano on various songs, can make the listener's heart skip a beat with the utter sincerity with which she sings each song. Each track is worthwhile; there is no need for the listener to keep her hand hovering over the "skip" button. This country-pop CD shows Andrews' adept talent at choosing the right songs and delivering them.

jessica andrews's songs are great for anyone even if u don't like country music, it's such a change from the "i hate my life, nobody loves me, i'm so alone" music its just refreshing to hear songs that have a positive outlook on life and love