Breakaway
| Kelly Clarkson
Breakaway
Breakaway is the second studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released on November 30, 2004, by RCA Records. The album is a follow-up to her successful debut album, Thankful (2003). Executive produced by Clive Davis, Breakaway sees Clarkson collaborating with various producers and songwriters for the first time, primarily Dr. Luke, Max Martin, John Shanks, Kara DioGuardi, Ben Moody, and David Hodges; the latter two are former members of American rock band Evanescence.-Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Rolling Stone
On Kelly Clarkson’s second album, the ex-cocktail waitress turned hitmaker embraces her rock side rather than the pop pageantry that put her on top of the American Idol heap.
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Sputnik Music
As is to be expected, the album is firmly centered on Clarkson’s booming blues-diva voice. Though comparisons will inevitably (and have been) drawn with other heavyweights of the pop-rock genre- Avril Lavigne, Ashlee Simpson, Sheryl Crowe- however Clarkson’s voice is inherently superior to all of these artists: the latter pair’s gravelly crooning bears little real resemblance to Kelly’s clean jazz/blues-informed timbre; the comparisons to Avril are far more relevant, and her influence (or rather her example) can be heard throughout the album, but the Canadian’s pleasant vocals exhibit neither the variety nor the charisma shown here.
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Slant Magazine
In a decided bid to “break away” from the Idol template, Clarkson heads in an edgier, rockier direction with Breakaway—the album’s production credits are a who’s-who in the post-Avril pop world, the same names who have contributed to recent stinkers by Hilary, Ashlee, and Lindsay: John Shanks, Kara DioGuardi, Clif Magness. The difference is, Clarkson puts the power in the power-hooks (she’s still the best singer to come out of Idol) and she often elevates the album’s vanilla pop/rock productions and hackneyed, by-the-numbers lyrics (sample: “I’d become comfortably numb/Until you opened up my eyes”) above mediocrity.
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axs
She truly transcended the "Idol" tag 10 years ago with her sophomore album Breakaway, a 12-track set steeped in attitude-packed pop-rock. Kelly's then new sound struck a chord with audiences on a worldwide level.
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ALL MUSIC
So, her second album, Breakaway, released late in 2004, was a pivotal moment for her, a chance to prove that she was not a one-hit wonder, a chance to prove that she could have a real, vibrant career. Happily, Breakaway delivers on that promise.
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Common Sense Media
Mostly positive messages amongst musical mush.
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Snippets
I suppose Clarkson realized the same thing about her career, and when it was time to record material for her sophomore album, Breakaway, she figured she’d get as far away from American Idol and anything even remotely related to it as she could. The result is a mature album, full of songs co-written by Clarkson, and Evanescence-sounding vocals; a complete departure from the Kelly Clarkson we used to relate with American Idol.
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Thank You For The Music
You can almost easily see why Breakaway has sold over 12 million copies worldwide: there is just so many good songs. But that’s not to say that it is a great album, as certain songs do drag down the awesomeness of the album. Still, a great album by a great artist.
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GoldenPlec
'Breakaway' is the second studio album by Clarkson, released in November 2004. She was in tough position. Critics had been vocal about her first album, and continued to typecast her as nothing more than an American Idol winner. Keen to establish herself as a credible artist, she began working with producers Dr. Luke and Max Martin, (the man responsible for Taylor Swift's newest LP).
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