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Aimee Allen
A Little Happiness
Side Tracked
After listening to Aimee Allen's A Little Happiness, it's hard to imagine she ever played music that could be classified as "loud, distorted, plugged in, and angry," as the press release on the album says. With her powerful voice and reggae-infused beats, she has made a complete transformation. However, the results are mixed. On some songs she comes off like a female Jason Mraz, particularly on the laid-back "Save Me" and the catchy "Change in Weather." Meanwhile, with "Crazy" she goes for a more soulful sound along the lines of Joss Stone. She embraces religion with mixed results; the intriguing "Calling the Maker" qualifies as the most bizarre song on the album with the choir-like back-up vocals and upbeat tempo. On the other hand, "God Talks" doesn't fit with the light-hearted tone of the rest of the album. Songs such as the quiet "La La Land" and unobtrusive "Lean Into Me" run the risk of fading into the background and being forgotten. An ill-advised cover of Sublime's "Santeria" adds nothing to the original and makes you wonder why she even bothered including it on the album. In its best moments, A Little Happiness is the perfect summer record, but at its worst it fails to engage the listener. You're better off downloading individual songs.
—Jessica Simons
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