March 12, 2004

REESE


Album Review: Simpson, Jessica

IN THIS SKIN
By DARRYL STERDAN



IN THIS SKIN
Jessica Simpson
(Columbia/Sony)

Is that chicken skin that she has or tuna skin? No matter -- either way, teen-pop telebimbo Jessica Simpson knows which side her bread is buttered on.

The bonus DVD that comes with the new edition of her third album In This Skin contains neither music videos nor interviews, but footage of Jessica and hubby Nick Lachey's wedding, along with scenes from the first season of the Newlyweds series that rescued her faltering career (and prompted Sony to reissue this disc, which first came out last summer).

If she plans on keeping that career out of the dumper, though, she better have some tricks up her sleeve for the next few seasons -- 'cause the tepid In This Skin sure isn't going to get the job done.

Its 14 songs are nothing but your standard-issue soul-pop pap and high-tech hip-hop hokum, delivered with the usual overdose of moaning and purring and trilling and cooing that the Idol generation seem to feel constitutes singing these days.

Then there are the lyrics, which pretty much centre around how much Jess loves Nick (as well she should; anybody else would have stuffed her dirty laundry down her simpering throat by the end of Episode 1).

In the end, the most entertaining bits of In This Skin are the semi-literate liner-note dedications: "How could I let you go," Jess gushes to Nicky, "when you surround me inside out?"

Is that, like, even possible -- and are we talking with skin or without?

Track Listing
Disc 1:
1. Angels
2. With You
3. Take My Breath Away
4. My Way Home
5. Sweetest Sin
6. I Have Loved You
7. Forbidden Fruit
8. Everyday See You
9. Underneath
10. You Don't Have To Let Go
11. Loving You
12. In This Skin
13. Be
14. With You (Acoustic Version)

Disc 2:
1. Jessica And Nick's Wedding
2. Newlyweds: Scenes From The First Season
 


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