Album Review: Demi Lovato - Here We Go Again

Unless you've sat through the cringe-worthy Disney cheesefest of Camp Rock, you're unlikely to know who Demi Lovato is. It's a shame really, because the half of her 2008 debut Don't Forget that wasn't co-written by the Jonas Brothers showed some real promise, and spawned three cracking singles; one of which, the spunky 'La La Land', even made a small dent in the charts here in the UK. And now the follow-up is already on the shelves on the other side of the Atlantic, just ten months behind its predecessor.

Here We Go Again opens with a triple-whammy of pop-rock anthems, indicating that despite the potential, Lovato isn't cutting all ties with her Disney background just yet. The titular lead single is a cuter version of Kelly Clarkson's 'Since U Been Gone', a radio-friendly pop-rock nugget that breaks no new ground whatsoever but is likeable enough to warrant a second listen. 'Solo' and 'U Got Nothin' On Me' follow in similar fashion; both boasting relatable lyrics and hints of a raw, edgy quality that could develop into something really special in albums to come. It's like Lovato has jumped off the Disney boat into a sea of musical genius, but done so attached to a safety rope for fear of drowining. Note especially 'Quiet', a track which sounds like it would be alot better without a commercially-conscious record label executive keeping it on a lead.

The mid-album grit of 'Got Dynamite' is the closest the album gets to shaking off the Hilary Duff/Vanessa Hugens/Ashley Tisdale stigma altogether. By far the darkest song on the album, it's the track which best represents the type of music Lovato should be singing. 'Every Time You Lie' is completely different but equally outstanding, boasting a jazzier sound not dissimilar to Don't Forget highlight 'Behind Enemy Lines'. 'World of Chances' (which Lovato wrote with John Meyer) is an endearing down-tempo highlight with lines like "You've got the face for a smile, you know?". One of Lovato's strongest qualities is her ability to sing like she means it, and this is no better flaunted than on the amazing 'Catch Me'. A dissarmingly moving confession of being afraid to let your guard down ("I'm falling, but please don't catch me"), this is the track that deserves to get Lovato noticed, and not just for her vocals - she is the only credited songwriter for this one too.

Unfortunatley the album is not without its duds. 'Falling Over Me' amounts to nothing and is actually pretty boring, and 'Gift Of A Friend', which opens with a string arrangement reminiscent of a B*Witched ballad, is just plain awful. Some tracks are far from dire but smell a bit like filler - 'Stop The World' is considerably lacking in Wow, and 'Remember December' never quite lives up to its promising electro-ridden introduction.

Lovato - or rather Lovato's A&R team - still find it too soon to completely cut away from the Disney-friendly pop-rock that the majority of her fan-base lap up, but this time the sound is alot edgier and the production much more stripped back than her debut. The result is an album that, although not as groundbreaking as it perhaps should be, is at least a step in the right direction. Her voice is powerful but never shouty, her songwriting is honest and believable, and the majority of the music is a breath of fresh air - a bit more tweaking and she's really on to a winner. She's not achieved perfection yet, but this is at least the best album ever to be released by a breakout Disney star. Don't tell Miley.

4/5