Kelly Clarkson | Piece by Piece

She long ago left the American Idol label behind her, because her talent and her voice sustain her beyond the chains of that talent competition. Despite being its first winner nearly 13 years ago, Clarkson has soared so far beyond because she is simply that good ~ the most talented vocalist to ever come from Idol (sorry, Carrie). Today’s pop charts need someone like Clarkson who can really sing ~ without auto-tune, without interspersed raps ~ and here, on her seventh studio album, Clarkson is mostly on point because she does again what she’s done so well in the past.

But, that’s what’s also missing from Piece, any challenge to her impeccable skills that comes with irrefutable sameness. Don’t get us wrong, we love the roll-down-the-windows-and-scream-along songs (think: “My Life Would Suck Without You,” “Since U Been Gone” and “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” And these pop anthems are key to who she is, which is why the album’s first single, “Heartbeat” (released in January), is signature Clarkson. Written by another cog in the Idol machine, Kara DioGuardi, as well Jason Evigan and Clarkson herself, “Heartbeat” is catchy and poppy, and Clarkson kills it with energy to spare. It’s one of the album’s finest, but that’s not to say there are not others we love. On the title track, “Piece By Piece,” she lays into her delinquent dad while simultaneously re-enforcing her commitment to her own child, and on “Good Goes the Bye,” she manages to sing seamlessly about sadness and triumph all in one breath.

Sometimes, that big voice behind her ballads is glossed over by the sounds of an album that thinks it has to do more than just let her sing. Shoving in electro-synth riffs rob the songs of Clarkson’s power. Lesser singers (like Katy Perry or Madonna) may need these trappings, but not Clarkson.

Clarkson’s new album, Piece By Piece, is available now … pretty much everywhere.

By Mike Wood

Leon Legacy | 12Fourteen88

Sometimes in order to get to pristine waters, you first have to wade through the dark and murky lagoons life throws in your way. Worcester-based Leon Legacy seems to subscribe to such an outlook on his new effort, 12Fourteen88.

Clearly a talented emcee, Legacy shows off his lyrical chops on 12Fourteen88. The lightning-fast speed at which he delivers his rhymes, along with the inflections and slants that he uses for embellishment, are that of rare stature. The amount of energy and spirit Legacy throws on each track can be both inspirational and tense. Through the tongue-twisting lyrics, he adds colorful visuals, such as on “The Casablanca Lily and the Dutchman’s Pipe,” when he sings: “Just follow the no’s like Toucan Sam/ ‘Cause two can dance the tango/ But it takes just one to fight for your life like two Van Dammes.”

While it may sound cliché, 12Fourteen88 is an album about the struggle to rise over adversity and the stress that comes with it. For the most part, Legacy balances the resulting anger of that stress in his lyrics with a moderate level of control. Only occasionally does he let it get the best of him, such as on the aforementioned “The Casablanca Lily and the Dutchman’s Pipe,” which falls into a weird Linkin Park-esque ending. But when he sings, “I found a way to relate with the sadness/ I found a way to escape from the madness” on the radio-friendly “Clear The Runway (feat. Shelby McCready),” you’re given reassurance that not all is lost, and that is what Legacy is trying to say.

For more, visit leonlegacy.com.

By Jason Savio

Guster | Evermotion

I have always been a fan of Guster. The Boston locals have a sound all their own and are one of the greatest bands to see live, not only because they are talented but also for their funny antics on stage. I was thrilled that they came out with a new album this year.

Evermotion is an extremely laid-back album that is just perfect as we welcome in the warmer weather (finally) ~ like flip-flopped-feet-on-the-dash kind of relaxed. It has a smooth and echoing quality that
is modern, and yet, throws back to some earlier eras of sound. I hear late ’60s/early ’70s vibes in there ~ a breath of fresh air in how simple it flows. Acoustic guitar with layers of various percussion instruments, keys and harmonized voices make for an album that is complex but not complicated.

“It Is Just What It Is” and “Never Coming Down” are my favorite songs on the album and undoubtedly the catchiest. “Lazy Love” is also a really cool and different kind of song ~ Evermotion is definitely even more of an indie record than previous releases, and kudos to the band’s willingness to chance a new direction of sound. It will be a must on my summer driving and sitting on the beach rotation.

To learn more, visit guster.com.

By Jennifer Russo