 Editorial Reviews for Mandy Moore's WILD HOPE album slated for release on June 19th
Amazon.com
Back in the 1990s, when Mandy Moore was still trying to outmaneuver fellow junior glamazons Britney, Jessica, and Christina up the pop charts, the best song she was able to pull from her bag of tricks was "Candy," a tune that was way more Twizzler than Starburst. Cut to 2007: Moore, a respected Hollywood actress (never mind the Diane Keaton dud Because I Said So), has made a record that reflects the artist that--against some heavy odds--she's become. Wild Hope, co-written with the cred-conferring team of Rachael Yamagata, Lori McKenna, and the Weepies, should earn her a spot on adult-alternative radio alongside format regulars Dar Williams, Sarah McLachlan, and Jonatha Brooke. Its songs, like the achy "Gardenia," sung over a gently plunked piano, aim at confession and clarity: "I'm the one who likes to make love on the floor," the chorus reminds a vacant-eyed lover. Earlier, on first single "Extraordinary," Moore pours her rich, country-rubbed, Anna Nalick-like vocals into self-scrutiny and renewal: "I was a starling, nobody's darling/Now I'm ready to be extraordinary," she sings. Talent will be Moore's ticket to the transformation she's going for--no wild hoping necessary. --Tammy La Gorce
JANE Magazine
"What a great surprise... Mandy Moore has turned into a sophisticated songwriter whose new sound fits cozily alongside that of Regina Spektor, Fiona Apple and Sarah McLachlan rather than all the pop tarts she used to be compared to... this is music destined for that mood-setting montage during the last 10 minutes of Grey's Anatomy (and yes, that's a great thing)."
BILLBOARD
"Wild Hope" is the gratifying sound of a singer finally finding her comfort zone. Gone is the sugary pop of moore's early career, replaced instead by thoughtful musings on love and life... an album full of subtle, but undeniable hooks."
James Hunter for ROLLING STONE
"Mandy Moore didn't have to take her music by the scruff of its neck; she could have kept on showing up on time, singing expensive tracks tailored for her by other people. But she knew that wasn't the way of awesomeness. So she locked into her own head and her love of artists such as the Weepies and Rachel Yamagata. This music is the successful sound of Moore's drive to supply something greater than product."
Harp
"Just when you think you have Mandy Moore's number, it turns out she gave us a fake one. Wild Hope is a surprise and a stunner!"
Paste Magazine
"Wild Hope shows impressive range. Here's hoping Mandy Moore's voice stays with us for a long time to come."
|
