The Sexy Result

April - Album Review
Dignity
Hilary Duff
Hollywood Records

by: Johnnyy
[a.k.a Andrew Fraser]


"Nobody believes me when I tell em' that you're outta your mind!" Duff chants in “Stranger”, the opening track of her third studio album “Dignity”. I'll start off by saying that I am a Hilary fan, and have been since the beginning. I was one of the few boys who faithfully sang along to her fluffernutter-pop songs, and danced around in his room (and shower) screaming "Whyyy not, take a crazy chance! Why not, do a crazy dance?" Why, you're asking, do I have such a soft spot for Hilary Duff? It's simple. She was a cute, loveable, pop princess who I and many others just loved to love. Friends ridiculed and teased me, but I didn't care, I was always at HMV, on the release date, BUYING the new Hilary Duff album, goddamnit!

I will admit, Hilary isn't a powerhouse, nor does she have the vocal stylings of Nelly, Mariah or Mandy. Her songs, in the beginning, were never written by her, but by people who were paid to make her sound like a million bucks. Same rule of thumb goes for the second album. The third release, "Most Wanted", which was a “greatest hits” album that came out WAY too early (considering all her best songs are just coming about NOW), included a few new songs as well as the old fan favorites. Her music was catchy, but it wasn't personal. It was fun to sing-along to, but most listeners couldn't really relate.

Now, FINALLY, we're on to talk about “Dignity”. Hilary has grown up, and it shows. She’s blossomed and flourished as a woman and an artist, and I think she's finally grown into herself. She looks beautiful on the cover of “Dignity”. She's also looking fantastic in interviews, magazines and everywhere else this beauty is popping up. Her glowing radiance is undeniable, and she's come a long way since her Lizzie McGuire days. Along with this new, healthy look, comes a WHOLE new flavor of sound. Hilary has tapped the electro-pop dance vibe, introducing fans to a side of her unlike any they've seen before. Listening to the album; “With Love”, "Gypsy Woman”, "Stranger” and "Play with Fire” are just the kind of songs I think she should be performing. They’re not vocally demanding to the point where she's straining herself, they’re just right. Her style of music has a fun, catchy vibe to it, but she still brings along maturity with this new sound and it’s perfect for the car, the clubs and wherever else you want to bring it. Hilary has also grown by showing she can write her own lyrics and music. She wrote/co-wrote every song on the album, except for "Outside of You", which was left in the hands of Pink and Chantal Kreviazuk.

This album is extremely personal, preaching about Hollywood’s "shit-for-brains" superstars, family crisis and break-up's BUT it also brings about the importance of positivity, love, and enjoying life's joyous moments. This album is like a beautiful healthy relationship, that suddenly turns into a train wreck, and what goes with dealing and moving on from it.

In conclusion, Hilary has hit a great spot in her music career. It's the first album she's released, that has something for everyone. The vocals are a little weak in certain songs, but she shines brilliantly in others. The lyrics show true emotion, as well as heartfelt beauty and depth. She's still got a long way to go, but this album is proof she's finally headed somewhere, and that’s “straight for the top”.