Search - Erika Jo :: Erika Jo

~She Shines!~

A. Baker | united states | 06/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This cd is amazing i just love it!! The only thing that i have to complain about is that she has alot of slow songs on here and her voice is so much better on songs like "I Break Things" and "Strong Tonight" her voice is better suited for faster songs! But Erika Jo will go far in this business, this girl has just begun! Rock On Erika Jo!!!!!!!! :)"

"Erika Jo" Is a Proming Debut

T. Yap | Sydney, NSW, Australia | 07/15/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Prime Cuts: There Are No Accidents, They Say Love Is Blind, I'm Not Lisa



Wasting no time, recent high school graduate Erika Jo releases her debut CD in less than a couple of months after she has been crowned 2005 Nashville idol. On this eponymous record, Jo ups the ante on contemporary pop-country with a state of the art production with an occasional nod to the ancient tones of rustic country. Save for the occasional fiddling and steel, stinging guitars and forceful percussions over bubbly pop tunes are the order of the day. Pride of place is also given to the chockablock lineup of songwriters on this record, this includes fellow artists such as Katrina Elam and Rachel Proctor plus tried and true hit writers Danny Mayo, Sunny Russ, Blair Daly, Stephony Smith, Dave Berg to name a few. Nevertheless, the spotlight is Jo's energized and spirited vocals: Jo has the vocal tenacity of LeAnn Rimes and the mellifluousness of a young Brenda Lee. Hence, it's no surprise Jo has been the darling of the million plus viewers of Nashville idol.



In the spirit of Nashville idol, where contestants tend to sing their heads off, Jo's full throated voice is on full display on the midtempo "Good Day for Goodbye." Refusing to take the mediocre as an excuse for a dying romance, "Good Day for Goodbye" finds a determined Jo finally calling it quits with her paramour. Such a strong-willed woman theme resurfaces again on the Sunny Russ' penned "Strong Enough." A popish anthem dedicated to stating over again, there's camaraderie that ought to identify with anyone who has had been emotionally sliced and diced. Written by Jim Collins and Stephony Smith, "Go" continues the theme of taking chances. "Go" has an inherent Tanya-Tucker bluesy grit that makes it quite an experience to be beheld.



However, Jo is even better in the album's slower and more subdued moments. From the first tinkling of the piano on Jessi Colter's "I'm Not Lisa" (which is also covered by Elizabeth Cook on her "Hey Y'all" and Faith Hill on her forthcoming "Homefires" CD lately) every note of this cheating ballad is mesmerized with an emotional intensity that wouldn't let go. The plangent "They Say Love is Blind" brings to mind Lorrie Morgan's "I Guess You Had to Be There," as Jo witnesses her former boyfriend kissing a new love on a romantic street. This is heart rending stuff at its best. On the other hand, "There Are No Accidents," is a gorgeous love ballad that finds Jo philosophizing on the epitome of her relationship. Listen especially to how her astringent voice imparts wisdom as she sings: "I used to talk about coincidence/And how true love is only found by chance/Now I look at you and I'm convinced/There are no accidents."



Nevertheless, there are a few tracks that veer on the contrived side. Lead single "I Break Things" has perhaps one of the most cliché and trite lyrics: "Rain is wet/The desert is dry/That's the way it'll always be/Fire is hot/It's dark at night/The sun comes up in the east." I am sure an eight year-old can come up with better lyrics than that. Perhaps befitting to Jo's age, "Love Is" is at best juvenile and it sounds out of place with the abovementioned gems. "Who You Are," one of those inspirational type uptempo numbers, about searching for one's identity is so blend that one gets lost straightaway as the first note strikes.



"Erika Jo" is a promising debut from a young lady who can sing and when she wants she is able to burn vocally with vivid passion that is hard to resist. Nevertheless, she's often let down by some of her songs. Perhaps, they were hastily chosen and if she has had more time, this CD would have had been even better. Jo is a name to match and with such a copious crowd of fans behind her, over a million can't be wrong"

She can sing anything

RupertPrissy | 07/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Erika Jo people are so wrong about you, you can sing anything slow or fast and I will buy every CD you record. I love your voice and experiece isn't why I listen to a song, who cares what you have or have not experienced, that's not what sells records anyway. Do people say "Oh I don't think I'll buy that record, because she didn't experience it" I don't think so! You go girl, you'll be shaking up the music industry long after I'm gone, cause you are a "Natural" and sound different on all your songs, not the same ole same ole."