Clarkson's sophomore effort, "Breakaway," does just as its title suggests: Clarkson is finally performing her kind of music, and it does more than just work. When asked by MTV why she decided to call the album "Breakaway," she replied, "It so explains and describes all the songs on my album, like each and every one of them. Like I said about the past two-and-a-half years, I've grown from that now and I'm breaking away from that, so it just fit." The album's first single, also entitled "Breakaway," appeared in "Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," and reached the number-one spot on the Billboard Charts. Written by fellow rocker and pop star Avril Lavigne, "Breakaway" sets the tone of the album. Clarkson infuses her signature pop sound with a bit of rock, and the result is amazing. She delivers each performance with true emotion and electrifying energy-an energy that was definitely absent from her previous album.
Another difference between the two albums is that Clarkson co-wrote six of the 12 songs featured on "Breakaway" with the likes of Chantal Kreviazuk and former Evanescence band members Ben Moody and David Hodges, all three of whom also contributed to Lavigne's latest album, "Under My Skin."
Clarkson's new sound can be compared to that of both Ashlee Simpson and Lavigne, but her stellar vocals blow her contemporaries out of the water. While Simpson's album came off as uneven and Lavigne seemed overly determined to sound anti-Britney, Clarkson's transformation and plunge into the rock world seem to have transpired in a rather smooth fashion. Clarkson herself has admitted to MTV that she didn't try to revolutionize herself or stage a complete makeover in order to "break away" from her "American Idol" fame: "I didn't even think of that, I'm so stupid," Clarkson told MTV. "It has nothing to do with 'American Idol.' I will never break away from 'American Idol.' I'm the first one. It's on the grave. I've come to realize that and it's OK, I don't care." Clarkson also divulged to MTV that her album's central theme is embodied in the Evanescence-inspired track, "Hear Me:" "Everybody goes through that at a point in their life, especially when you're young and you just wanna be heard. You want everybody to just be quiet around you and just listen, just for once. And that's kind of the album."
Of Clarkson's 12 tracks, which include a brilliant live recording of the previously released "Beautiful Disaster," I cannot honestly say that one is inferior to another. Each song has incredible rock beats, as opposed to contrived dance rhythms, and even the ballads "Where Is Your Heart" and "Beautiful Disaster" showcase her strong and expressive voice better than ever. On "Thankful," Clarkson seemed to over-sing many of her songs, almost as if she were trying to prove that her title as the reigning American Idol was well-deserved. On "Breakaway," she sheds her insecurities and appears to have truly had fun while recording the album. Songs like "Since U Been Gone" and "You Found Me" seem destined for anthem popularity with their perfect blend of pop and rock, while "Gone" and "Addicted" (a personal favorite of Clarkson's) are both edgy and sexy.
Also noteworthy is "Behind These Hazel Eyes," where Clarkson's powerful and stunning voice fuses with rock-heavy guitar solos to produce a remarkable track. Clarkson has more than proven that she is a legitimate vocalist and artist. She has created an album that will propel her to stardom and "break away" from much more than her "Idol" yesteryear-Clarkson has successfully separated herself from the "wannabes" and established herself as a bona fide artist.