Suzie McNeil, after making it to the final four on the international television success
RockStar INXS, was posed to be a
rock superstar. However,
INXS-flavored
rock wasn't meant to be for
McNeil, as can be seen on her debut album
Broken and Beautiful. Instead of following the other ladies of
RockStar into a harder
rock area (
Storm Large,
Dilana),
McNeil shifted towards much friendlier
power pop, in a similar vein to
Kelly Clarkson and
Pink. She enlists the help of
Kara DioGuardi and
Marti Frederiksen to write practically all of
Broken and Beautiful for her, therefore leaving herself almost entirely out of the writing process. She has only two co-writing credits on the album. However, this might not be a totally bad thing.
DioGuardi and
Frederiksen have created a perfect album for
McNeil, one that is catchy without being a sell-out, and indulgent without seeming pretentious. The album is stocked with hard
pop chart smashers like
"Hung Up" and
"Skin," which would appeal to any radio listener. After that point, the album is heavy on
rock ballads that
McNeil shimmers on endlessly.
"The One," "Lonely," "So in Love," and
"Poison" are passionate, powerful, and sound amazing. There is never a doubt as to
McNeil's vocal talents throughout the course of the album, mainly because she never sacrifices her vocal credibility in exchange for technology. However, the true highlight of
Broken and Beautiful comes only two tracks into the album, with
"Believe." "Believe" is an emotionally powerful ballad anthem which is not totally dissimilar (and older than)
"Keep Holding On" by fellow Canadian
Avril Lavigne. The song has garnered much fame in its own right in Canada and the United States. It was used as a theme song for
The Biggest Loser, a weight-loss reality television program, and is the official anthem for the Canadian team of the Olympics, which is sponsored by Bell Canada, and the song is heavily publicized on their website. Overall, the album has some flaws. At only ten songs, and with seven of those tracks being
ballads, there is less mainstream appeal than required for this album, but still, at the same time, the disc is too mainstream for
rock fans. In other words, it borrows the negative traits of both
"Breakaway" and
"My December" without having the appeal of
Pink's
"I'm Not Dead." However, every single track individually is strong, and the best moments on the album are stronger than anything
Kelly Clarkson ever recorded. With any luck,
Broken and Beautiful will be a commercial success and
McNeil will become the household name she deserves to be. ~ Matthew Chisling
