Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 06/19/2007
Since
Mandy Moore lacked the hits and sharply defined persona of her immediate
teen pop peers, she had the freedom to redefine her image in a way
Britney or
Jessica didn't. She could ease into adulthood while her onetime colleagues were stuck in a perpetual adolescence, falling out of cars and clothes (often simultaneously), slowly turning into pop culture punch lines instead of
pop stars.
Moore side-stepped such embarrassment by focusing on work, both as a musician and actress, picking projects that looked so great on paper that it almost didn't matter that the end results never quite lived up to their potential. This was as true for the 2006 silver screen
American Idol satire
American Dreamz as it was for her 2003 album
Coverage, an attempt at covering great
pop songwriters that proved
Moore's taste, ambition, and smarts. Even if it wasn't necessarily compelling listening, it did provide a template for a mature
Mandy Moore and
Wild Hope, delivered four years later -- after a parting of ways from
Epic, then an unsuccessful stint at
Warner that resulted in no albums but led to a contract with
EMI -- follows through on much of its promise. In most ways,
Wild Hope is
Coverage assembled with original tunes: it's a classy, burnished collection of adult
pop, often built on acoustics but rarely seeming folky, because it places the emphasis on melody, like most
pop music. Where that covers album occasionally seemed a little too earnest and stiff,
Moore has corrected most of those flaws: her singing is warm, even soulful, while the music sounds lived-in, not overthought.
Wild Hope has the right sound, which
Coverage didn't quite, but it ironically falters where that album went right: the songs aren't that memorable. It's certainly not for lack of trying:
Moore has enlisted such respected singer/songwriters as
Chantal Kreviazuk,
Lori McKenna, and
Rachael Yamagata as collaborators, helping her inch toward confessional, introspective songwriting, an admirable ambition that falls short of being easy to embrace. There are some good turns of phrase here, some ingratiating melodies, but there aren't strong melodies, so the tunes aren't memorable outside of their gentle, comfortable feel. All the same, it's sure hard to
dislike Wild Hope, because it's genuine in its intent --
Moore truly wants to deliver a record that sounds her age, in its feel and words -- and because
Mandy is such an appealing, open-hearted, undeniably attractive presence. Whether onscreen or on record, she exudes likeability, so it's easy to listen to
Wild Hope with all its flaws -- but it's just good enough that it's hard not to wish it were better.
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Average Review:
Number of reviews: 2
Write an online review and share your thoughts with others!
A reviewer
from LA
Mandy's Best So Far!
This is my favorite Mandy CD so far. My favorite songs are "Slummin' In Paridise", "Most Of Me", "Wild Hope", and Gardenia. The rest are amazing also. I also have 2 bonus tracks on my Cd. "Could Have Been Watching You", and the acoustic version of "All Good Things. This album is great and underrated. Deserved more attention.
J.D. Beedy
from Sacramento, CA
No "Hope" Necessary
Mandy Moore has come a long way since the 90s prepubescent, pop-boom. She has proved herself as a successful recording artist--with four platinum albums -- and 7 million records sold worldwide. She’s also a credible Hollywood actress -- with 12 feature films under her belt -- two of which are set to release this summer and one is currently in production. It should come as no surprise that "Wild Hope" is both a departure from the old and an arrival into the new.
Displeased with the type of music she was forced to sing under her label, Moore has since then ventured into singer-songwriter territory -- with flying colors I might add. Recruiting the likes of Lori McKenna, Rachel Yamagata and Chantal Kreviazuk, Moore has created a masterpiece full of deep, meaningful lyrics and punchy melodies.
The first single, "Extraordinary," fails to deliver what the entire album encompasses: self-reflection and vocal growth, with an emphasis on the latter. "Extraordinary" takes away from other songs on the record such as "Few Days Down," a mid-tempo, folk/pop tune with lyrics like "If nobody sees you cry / You can say it was raining outside...” However, it’s the songs, "Latest Mistake" and "Gardenia" that shine the brightest, demonstrating Moore's unprecedented and unique way of self-discovery and self-disclosure. "…Maybe I shouldn’t take this or love you anymore…” and "…I'm the one who likes to make love on the floor...It’s been good getting to know me more."
There are a number of potential hit songs on this record, so let's hope Moore's label takes heed at releasing the above tunes, or perhaps the more radio-friendly hits, "Slummin' in Paradise," "All Good Things," or "Looking Forward to Looking Back.
Whatever you're looking for -- or whoever you are -- "Wild Hope" is worth your time and money. This is especially true if you're a die-hard fan or just someone in pursuit for music with substance, heart, and the singer's hand-written lyrics.
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