a different candy

GARDENIA
Mandy Moore
Wild Hope

Rating: A+

Mandy Moore has always been the underdog among her contemporaries ranking fourth after Spears, Aguilera and Simpson during their pop days. She even slipped further into obscurity with the drastic (and rather ambitious) move that was 2003's Coverage, a collection of remakes that was quite remarkable for someone of her calibre.

And delving further into the whole alt-folk-pop sound, all the while exploring her knack for songwriting, Moore came up with Wild Hope - her most exquisite and extraordinary work to date. And on it is Gardenia - her best and most honest and moving record ever. Moore makes brazen yet sensible confessions (accompanied by a piano for that subdued, folk-inspired, "Angel by Sarah McLachlan" sort of effect) of her state after love, capturing the whole spectrum of emotion that comes with depression (love lost) and the acceptance/realization that comes after it (finding comfort and healing from the experience, getting to know one's self better). All these declared in under five minutes.

Gardenia is the perfect example of how Moore has tremendously improved in terms of her vocal and song writing skills. And much like its namesake, the simplicity of the song is its elegance. Her voice plays to its strength by making the track as organic as possible. And it worked.

Mandy Moore has outdone her fellow pop princesses in terms of credibility and talent by bravely veering away from the commercial and manufactured sound. And if her album's swan song is an indication of how her future records will be like then we're the definitely in for some ear candy from this lady.

*******

Well, I put so much thought into getting ready. Now I know that was the best part. It’s so easy to get caught up in what I’m regretting. Forget what I got from a wounded heart.