![A Year Without Rain [Deluxe Edition]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Y8FxuUe%2BL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
From the Artist
“I really wanted something that felt good to perform, but had a techno/dance vibe,” Selena says. “I wanted something that had meaning and melody, and more empowering lyrics.”
What do you do after striking gold with your first solo album, wrapping your third season starring in a hit series and earning raves for your movie debut? If you’re Selena Gomez, you dance. At least, you get the world on its feet with A Year Without Rain. A follow-up [Read More...]
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First, let me just say that Gomez has an incredible voice and is a wonderful actress. Her choice of notes and voice phrasing is pleasing to the ears. It’s hard to come across triple-threats (especially for her age) that have a stage/on-screen appearance like she does. Definitely one of America’s sweethearts, Gomez will no doubt go far with her time in the limelight.
However, her sophomore effort A Year Without Rain, was disappointing IMHO. I was excited to rush out today and pick up both pressings of AYWR (regular and deluxe), as I am an avid Gomez supporter. I won’t go through each song picking out the meticulous details of why and how each song was blah blah blah. Just know that this album is incredibly devoid of guitars and any rock-esque edge her debut CD(Kiss & Tell) had. Granted, Gomez wanted more dance-oriented material with a hint of techno on this album. Even so, I found it very light and forgettable. I can’t see dance/techno fans being drawn to this release for the music alone…considering the tons of other well established options out there. The only standout tracks for me were “Rock God” and “Live Like There’s No Tomorrow”. I found the use and somewhat mockery (towards another Disney star) of the phrase “Rock Mafia” in the former pretty funny. “Live Like There’s No Tommorrow” is a saving grace…a beacon in the night if you will, for this play list. The rest of it sounds like the writing and composition was rushed and just demoed on a synthesizer. I am in no way criticizing her voice…just the music and writing itself. At least don’t put the songs “Ghost OF YOU” and “Sick OF YOU” side-by-side. Even when I was opening up the mini poster inside of the Deluxe Edition, expecting rays of light and a goddess of demi-like proportions to jump out of the paper…I found myself looking at a mini calender with a banana-yellow Selena on stilts. Yep, I’m not joking.
She needs to stop doing any covers and bring Ethan, Joey and Greg back with full force. Gomez has a real chance to break away from the post-Disney cookie-cutter-curse. When I saw her for her homecoming show last year (Dallas, House of Blues)…she was THRASHING to the guitar solos. The performance was top-notch and she was rockin’. I just can’t see that same type of energy being used on this new album. If she continues with this direction I have a feeling “The Scene” part of her title will disappear. Those guys will move on to some real bands. Again, she’s a fantastic singer and one of the most beautiful girls on this planet, but for this album she needs to STOP & ERASE. I know it’s blasphemy to say anything negative about everyone’s fave wizard…but the music really just didn’t measure up to Kiss & Tell. JMO. Peace.