Ashlee Simpson
“I Am Me”
More Top Picks Razor Hovertrax 2 0
In the full-contact sport better known as building a pop star, Team Ashlee would run roughshod over Team Duff or Team Lohan any day.
Oh, sure, Ashlee Simpson may not be the best singer. And she may not think fast on her feet–not counting hoedowns. But she has hitmaking producer John Shanks on her side and an ability to seem “normal” in a way that most of her competitors, including big sis, Jessica, can’t match.
That’s what makes her second album so solid. “I Am Me” is built on a foundation of sturdy rockers and irresistible hooks. The lighthearted, guitar-driven “In Another Life,” with its immediate, sing-along chorus, is the hit waiting to happen, though the dancey “Coming Back for More” is a close second.
The ballad “Catch Me When I Fall,” which Simpson wrote after her “Saturday Night Live” lip-syncing debacle, debuted on the show earlier this month. It’s the best example of how her handlers care for her, keeping the song well within her range.
“I Am Me” is more of a marketing success than a musical one, but that doesn’t matter. It’s pop music. It is not that serious, but it’s also not as easy as Simpson makes it seem.