Album Review: Tiffany Evans "Tiffany Evans"

It's been quite a journey for Tiffany Evans up to this point. She may only be 16 years old now, but she was even younger when she won CBS' revival of Star Search, leading her to a record deal with Columbia. Years later, Tiffany has finally managed to release her well-deserved debut album. The most disappointing thing about it all is that the little girl with the big voice still hasn't gotten nearly the amount of shine that she deserves. Her self-titled debut is a solid effort that should be heard & enjoyed by the masses.

The CD starts off with its two singles, "Promise Ring" & "I'm Grown." After hearing Tiff sing karaoke-style music as a young child, it was refreshing to hear her come onto the scene with her very own music. "Promise Ring" is a great lead single & includes lovely support from a mentor-of-sorts to Tiffany, Ciara. Personally, I even think Tiffany stepped it up a notch with the Bow Wow-assisted "I'm Grown," which features strong vocals & shares a statement with the world about how Tiffany feels (& should feel) about where she is in her life. The album continues on an optimistic note with "Impossible," but all-too-quickly causes the listener to question their complacency with "Thinkin' About." Still, Tiffany redeems herself with "Can't Walk Away" & "Lay Back & Chill."

"Girl Gone Wild" follows, which is not only an enjoyable listen, but shows that Tiff has some brains inside that head of hers. Another of my favorites, "About A Boy," is an emotional tune where she deals with heartbreak. I like "Favorite Broken Heart;" I'm not particularly fond of "Again." Then, Tiffany ends with the ballad you knew she would, entitled "Angels On Earth," which properly displays her vocals.

Tiffany Evans is a better album than I ever would have expected from this youngster, but it isn't perfect. One thing I may not really have mentioned up to this point is my only real problem with the album: almost every song sounds the same. It isn't a bad sound, but it makes remembering how many of the tunes that are just good--nothing more, nothing less--actually go after listening to the album ... even a few times. Most all of the songs are midtempos, so I guess it would have been nice to hear Tiffany step outside of her comfort zone more often than just with "I'm Grown." That's not to say that she had a lot of choice in the matter, but that should be an issue that solves itself later in her career. Let's just say I'm glad they didn't give her the expected 10-12 power ballads to sing the whole time.

Even with its flaws, Tiffany Evans is a solid album & an enjoyable listen. Tiffany's talent & material are easily comparable to that of the world's newest sweetheart, Leona Lewis. The production is great & Tiffany really brings it with the vocals. I would definitely have to recommend this one & I look forward to what Tiffany has to offer in the future.

Rating: 4/5 Stars