ASHLEE SIMPSON: BITTERSWEET WORLD

SCORE: 73/100

The somewhat lesser known of the Simpson sisters didn't have a very long running musical career, but this album is a telling venture into Ashlee's personal sound and style - something that differs strongly from her sister Jessica. Ashlee has a solid enough approach on her third and final album; but problems arise in the somewhat lackluster sound and her poor vocal performances. 

My expectations were rightfully not so high for this album - not in a sense where I didn't think I would like it, but in a sense where I knew I wouldn't be huge on this. Ashlee has some catchy choruses, hooks, and good production; but her voice makes her music almost hard to listen to properly at times. The sound of this album mixes and matches with different sounds and acts as a love letter of sorts to the 1980s with some of the genres it pays homage to - but nothing sticks too much to make this album one that will leave a lasting impression. An issue with the Simpson sisters is their slight inability to sing (with Ashlee being the one who's worse for it), and this album is dimmed down highly due to this.

Simpson wanted to make a "fun party album" with 'Bittersweet World', something that works sometimes and doesn't at other points within the album. The production has a somewhat flat sound that is apparent as soon as the album kicks off, but the songs are entertaining enough to make this enjoyable for what it is - it's a light pop album that doesn't do too much despite being a more "experimental" venture for the Ashlee, but her sound is good enough to make this an album you can just throw on and use as some poppy background sound.

The strong suit of 'Bittersweet World' is without a doubt the production. The fun sound comes to life more on the synth-heavy tracks like 'No Time For Tears', and it has a great selection of sounds that fill the album with a sense of variety and looseness that make it enjoyable overall. It's a bit inconsistent in terms of overall style; but it works for the most part and makes for a solid pop album.

There's a huge dip in quality with the last few tracks of the album that leave it off on a very poor note, but the first half and middle of the album keep it afloat in most cases. 

It's an album that does a little too much at once - but the overall outcome isn't as bad as it may seem. It's a solid album that manages to be worthwhile for any pop fans looking for a more underlooked album. It picks up more and sticks to a mostly consistent quality; but there are some lackluster aspects that dim the album down somewhat unfavorably.