Nineteen-year-old Ashlee Simpson has clearly succeeded in distancing herself from her famous older sister Jessica. In her debut album, “Autobiography,” Simpson shows Avril LaVigne’s penchant for punk and mixes it with Pink’s pop-rock attitude. Her first album sets high standards for her second, but also shows that she has room to grow.
While her first single, “Pieces Of Me,” is destined to have girls clinging to their boyfriends, the emotional ballad “Undiscovered” will be the definite break-up anthem for the girls who aren’t ready to say good-bye. She croons: “All the things left undiscovered/Leave me empty and left to wonder/I need you.”
Although Simpson shows her softer side on some tracks, others, like the upbeat “La La,” will keep listeners tapping their feet and nodding their heads. And while Ashlee doesn’t have the same vocal chops as her big sis, she proves that she does have a big talent for writing.
Even though there are several tracks that could have easily been left out, like the ballads “Unreachable” and “Giving It All Away,” “Autobiography” is an excellent combination of easy listening and lyrical bliss for the girls who will inevitably listen to this album. It covers everything a teenager can feel: love, hate, acceptance, defiance and even boredom.
Finally, growing up with the famous newlywed is the subject of her heartfelt “Shadow,” which could be the song that gets her out from under her sister. How appropriate.
