photo courtesy of Country Weekly
Cassadee Pope is
extraordinarily talented and versatile. The former Hey Monday front woman and Season
3 winner of NBC's The Voice could sing the
phonebook and still captivate an audience. On The Voice, Pope sang everything from Miranda Lambert to Gavin
DeGraw with effortless artistry, making each song her own. But is there such a
thing as being too versatile? Frame By
Frame is Pope’s debut solo album, which hit stands earlier this month on October 8th. It is being promoted as a country album,
but it would be better for it to go uncategorized. Despite the fact that the
first single “Wasting All These Tears” is getting a lot of play on country
radio, there is nothing inherently country about this album. Frame By Frame is a lot like Taylor
Swift’s Red in the way that it has
some country influence in its songs, but overall it is a much more pop infused
album. The songs are great on their own, but in terms of a cohesive record, they
don’t work. Cassadee Pope has a rare talent and curse. Many artists try very
hard to “cross-over” into different genres and simply cannot. She has that
“cross-over” ability, but the fact that she is so new to the industry and so
genre-ambiguous in her debut album may hinder her, rather than help her.
The
following is a song-by-song break down of Pope’s debut album Frame By Frame:
1) Good Times
“It
ain’t about a lonely heart, did you wrong, broken promise leaving song. This
ain’t one of those nights, we’ve all had enough of those nights.” The first song on the album is a light
as air pop song about smiling, dancing and, you guessed it, having a good time.
The lyrics are seamless. There is not an awkward or out of place line in the
entire song. It is the type of track you’d listen to on a road trip with your
girlfriends, grooving and cruising down the interstate.
2)
Champagne
“It’s
been hours now, but I haven’t had a drop and this feeling won’t stop.” We’ve heard this analogy a thousand
times, so much so that it’s starting to become quite the cliché. This song is a
more upbeat, less country version of Luke Bryan’s “Drunk On You”. Once again it’s
fun, but it is a song based in pop music with the smallest essence of country.
3)
Wasting
All These Tears
“Standing
on a corner crying, feeling like a fool for trying. I don't even remember why
I'm wasting all these tears on you.”
Is there anything more familiar to women than feeling confused and stupid
because of love? The lyrics shine beautifully as Pope conveys a story of
heartbreak and frustration. This song is the first on the album to actually sound country. Instrumentally
this song is reminiscent of The Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two” combined with any
one of Carrie Underwood’s hits. The fiddle, piano, drums and guitar are
incorporated to compliment Pope’s voice beautifully.
4)
I
Wish I Could Break Your Heart
“Well the truth is that I never ever wanna
hurt you baby, but it’d be nice to know that I could be strong enough to pull
you under.” With the first few bars and verse I thought my iTunes had
messed up and accidentally started playing a Taylor Swift song. The first verse
is so sweet and simple it sounded as though I’d been transported back into the
“Teardrops On My Guitar” days of T Swift. But then the chorus hits and any
comparison between Pope and the old Taylor can be thrown out the window. The
chorus is shocking after the opening verse, and the song takes on an
alternative rock quality. If it weren’t for the acoustic guitar, Pope would
sound as though she were taking a page right from Hey Monday’s book.
5)
Everybody
Sings
“We're
all shining in our own spotlight, singing every line it feels so right.” It is out of respect for Pope that I do
not compare this song to Hannah Montana and the early, pre-twerking days of
Miley Cyrus. The fifth song on this album is confusing. It starts with a Britney
Spears-like “la-de-da” sweet as can be verse. Then moves into a chorus, which
sounds as if Disney Channel wrote it, complete with cutesy “whoa-oh-ohs” and
tambourine accompaniment. Not to mention the out of place break down towards
the end. “Everybody Sings” does not sound like something that a mature artist
would produce, but rather a song that a squeaky-clean teenybopper would sing.
6)
You
Hear A Song
“I
hear this melody coming out all wrong, but you hear a song” This is the best song on the album by
far. It is about being loved not in spite of your faults, but because of them.
The lyrics and music are beautiful and Pope’s voice soars effortlessly through
the high notes. This song could easily hit the top of any music charts, be them
country or pop. There is a definite influence of Pope’s previous band (it is
slightly reminiscent of “Candles”) but the acoustic guitar keeps it softer and
allows for Cassadee’s outstanding voice to shine through. “You Hear A Song”
will make girls everywhere swoon with hope of finding a person who sees the
true beauty in them.
7)
This
Car
“The
dashboard has seen every kiss, and every downpour, every we're gonna make it
through this. I know I'm home no matter where we are, me and you and this car.”
Cheerful and fun this
song is comparable to Taylor Swift’s “Mine”. From the upbeat guitar to the tale
of young love and fighting to make it through the songs are very similar. This
is one of the more country songs on Frame
By Frame. It is infectious and enjoyable to listen too. It will also bring
back memories of your teenage years and will probably make you thankful that
cars cannot talk.
8)
One
Song Away
“Each
one that plays is telling me that I'm still in love. Every word in every line
is singing how I feel tonight." Once
again Pope’s lyrics touch your heart. She does an outstanding job of capturing
the pain of a breakup and how sometimes certain songs can push you over the
edge. Her voice flows beautifully through the notes and breaks your heart with
every verse. There is definite country influence in “One Song Away”. It is extremely
similar in music and meaning to “I Almost Do” by Taylor Swift.
9)
Easier
to Lie
“It's killin' me to know you think I'm better then I am. Came over here
to tell the truth, but lookin' in your eyes, baby, sometimes it's easier to
lie.” By
now it is no surprise that Pope’s songs have killer lyricism and great
storytelling abilities, but it is the tone of this song that falls short. “Easier to Lie” starts off with a very
pop-like “la de da” intro and if it weren’t for the acoustic guitar in the
back, it might sound like an Avril Lavigne song. The guitar, however, does not
appropriately reflect the song’s meaning. It is too cheerful and is
contradictory to the somber nature of “Easier to Lie”.
10) 11
“I
was a little too young and a little too dumb to ever think the day would come
when dad would drive away and take his love with him.” From the meaning of the song to the
instrumentals, there is no question as to where the influence of this song
lies. This song is country through and through. Extremely beautiful and
vulnerable, “11” is about Pope’s experience with her parents’ divorce and the
effect it had on her at such a young age. The fiddle, violin and guitar combined
with the storytelling nature of the song are what makes “11” undoubtedly
country.
11) Proved You Wrong
“I
don’t need excuses, done with your abuses, telling me that I’m not strong” The last song on the album goes back to
Pope’s Hey Monday roots. It has a much more alternative sound than any of the
other songs on her record. From an attitude stand point it is very similar to
songs from an early Kelly Clarkson. “Proved You Wrong” is an anthem for women
who have been oppressed by the men in their life.
There is no
doubting Cassadee Pope’s talent as a singer or songwriter. There is only some
confusion as to what direction she wishes to take her artistry in. Hopefully,
her albums in the future will be more cohesive as she becomes more comfortable
with who she is as an artist.
Check out some of Cassadee's outstanding performances on NBC's The Voice:
