The Secret Life Of...

The Veronicas

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 14, 2006)
• Original Release Date: February 14, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sire / London/Rhino
• ASIN: B000E1MY8G
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,426 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Good thing we live in an age of internet-accessible lyrics. Otherwise, millions of teenage girls might find themselves mumbling through this collection of burn-the-joint-down pop instead of belting it out, which will be not only their first instinct but also their feverish, feverish desire. As a flip through about any teen magazine confirms, the Veronicas are a pair of identical twins from Australia who ooze coltish charm, volatility, and an aversion to jugheaded songcraft. Their debut does not belie the glossy claims: "4ever," the single leading the flock, crashes the gate with a punk-slanting, slightly Avril Lavigne-y boy tease, and though the energy stalls a bit on sleepers like "Speechless" and "Nobody Wins," it more than resurrects itself with the smart lyrics of "Secret" and the lathered-on boldness of "Mother, Mother," the most smokin' track Lindsay Lohan never sang. Part Bangles, part Benatar, and all babe, the Veronicas have crafted a 12-song bender that crushes the short-skirted competition. -Tammy La Gorce

Product Description

The Veronicas are Jess and Lisa Origliasso, 20-year-old identical twins from Brisbane, Australia-and they are going to rock your world. Adding a tough edge to teen powerpop, and the looks and savyy to back it up, The Veronicas were signed to an exclusive production deal with Engine Room on the strength of their first demo. With their irresistible debut album, The Secret Life of the Veronicas, written and produced by the likes of Billy Steinberg (Madonna), Clif Magness (Avril Lavigne), Max Martin (Britney Spears), Dr. Luke (Kelly Clarkson), Don Gilmore (Linkin Park) and Toby Gad (Enrique Iglesias), among others, the secret is out about The Veronicas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong debut with a lot of variety, February 15, 2006

By	Lee Gaiteri (Syracuse, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

With their debut disc the Veronicas have found an interesting mix of pop and rock that doesn't seem to rely too much on one or the other. I bought this just on the strength of "4ever" and really found myself impressed with the whole thing. While some have compared them to something between Avril Lavigne and Ashlee Simpson, those comparisons really just don't work; this group isn't a bit like either artist. Actually they remind me more of a few very different artists, but even those comparisons fall short and don't do them justice.

For pop, this CD delivers, mostly mixed with a lot of guitar and some terrific harmonies between both girls' voices. "4ever" is not just a fun pop song with a great harmony-laden chorus, but for some reason it sounds much much better on the disc than on the radio, even though it's the same version of the song. "When It All Falls Apart" is an awesome standout that makes good use of the two voices alternating lines in the verses and blending harmonies into the catchy chorus. "Leave Me Alone" does exceptionally well with harmony and with a chorus that practically begs you to sing along. It also plays a little in the upper registers, reminding me at times just a smidge of t.A.T.u. in the best possible way. "I Could Get Used To This" is faster-paced than the others once it hits the chorus, and stays strong in the verses with the blend between the voices.

For rock, a few tracks deliver that particularly well too. "Everything I'm Not" belongs in this group, although nothing makes it stand out beyond being a good song. "Revolution", fast and gritty, reminds me a lot of Lillix operating at full potential. "Secret", with a taste of Skye Sweetnam's impish playfulness, slaps back at a stalker type who set himself up as a best friend only to turn creepy and obsessed. "Heavily Broken" is slower paced but again picks up some of that Lillix-at-their-best vibe. "Mother Mother" is a decent cover, but I still prefer the original by Tracy Bonham.

On the slower songs, there's great variety. "Mouth Shut" has an amazing power chorus. "Speechless" goes acoustic and uses the girls' voices well. "Nobody Wins" is probably the most unique, in that in the verses it sounds a lot like something written by Tori Amos.

On the whole, there's a lot to love here. The fact that they remind me sometimes of such very different artists just underscores their own uniqueness. They seem to enjoy playing around with different vocal and musical styles. They certainly won't be pinned to a label like "Avril clones"; their music is unlike most of the cookie-cutter stuff that makes the top of pop stations' playlists. I'm still enjoying this CD an awful lot and I can't wait to hear what else they'll give us in the future.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice!, March 1, 2006

By	Benjamin Norman "Trance Pants" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ok, I'll start with the basics. The Veronicas are rocker twins from Australia. Their first single, 4Ever, generated a LOT of buzz in their favor. Recently their debut album was released.

Those Aussies are doing their best to put their country on the music map. Kylie and Dannii Minogue, the Rogue Traders, countless indie rock bands, and now these glittering girls.

I am highly impressed with this perfect slice of pop-rock perfection. Like their first song says, "Just one taste and you want more". The melodies are lush, the vocals are uplifting and powerful without being overbearing. Sometimes she can be a bit drippy, which is perhaps a weird term to use when talking about vocals, but I mean she really draws as much emotion out of those slow quiet parts as she can.

The album starts off with the rollicking 4Ever, completely about sex. How much fun can that be? Alright, so it may not be about sex, but that's what I hear. If you haven't heard this poppy single, I recommend it. It continues in that general trend, almost picking up the reins where Avril Lavigne dropped them, except the Veronicas seem to be happier about their lives. Perhaps one of the most amusing songs I've heard in a while would be "Secret". Here are some lyrics to explain why.

"You could call me six times but still I won't pick up the phone
You could spend all your money on me
but still I'll say no
You could write a million letters everyday confessing to me
That I am the girl of your dreams
But nobody ever asked me
I never looked at you that way
'Cause I always thought you were gay"

That just about sums it up. This album is truly spectacular for the reason of you get what you expect. It's pop, pure and rockish. One of the highlights and simultaneous lowlights of the album is their cover of genius-rocker Tracy Bonham's "Mother Mother". True to form, almost revoltingly, yet surprisingly engaging.

I give this slice of the pie a B.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, Album of the Year!, November 6, 2005

By	Mark Freedman (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Life Of... (Audio CD)

Too bad this is only available as an import right now. It is worth the money, though!

Their first single, 4Ever, is described by a friend of mine as "Avril playing Veruca Salt". Perfect.

After watching the AOL Sessions videos, I'm convinced that these girls have staying power. While artists in the same vein, such as Avril Lavigne and Michelle Branch have great futures, Jess and Lisa have each other to lean on, especially strong because they are twins. You can tell just by watching them together how close they are, and can just imagine that one will always make sure the other doesn't falter.

This debut album is pop rock at its best. There's nothing very original here, but what they play, they play great. And the backup band is also very good.

For most of the year, Natalie Imbruglia and Coldplay were 1 & 2 on my top 3 album list of 2005. The Veronicas pushed them down to 2 & 3.

Highly recommended!