Jessica Simpson Sweet Kisses CD

Personnel includes: Jessica Simpson, Nick Lachey (vocals); Graeme Coleman (conductor, piano); Louis Biancaniello (various instruments, keyboards, programming); Carl Sturken (various instruments); Dan Petty (acoustic & electric guitars); Dan DeViller (acoustic guitar); Chris Camozzi, Robbie Nevil, Dwight Sills, Michael Thompson, Anas Allaf (guitar); London Jones (keyboards, programming, background vocals); Eric Foster White (keyboards, programming); Tim Heintz, Andy Goldmark (keyboards); Brian Newcombe (bass); Iki Levy, Focus (programming); Sam Watters, Jil Seifers, Destiny's Child, Evan Rogers, Sherree Ford-Payne, Tania Hancheroff, Gordon Maxwell, Beverley Staunton (background vocals).
Producers include: Louis Biancaniello, Sam Watters, Cory Rooney, Dan Shea, Eric Foster White.
Engineers include: Rob William, Glen Marchese, Scott Gutierrez.
By the end of 1999, teen pop had grown into a strangely diverse genre of its own, with each act fulfilling a different need. Britney Spears was pure, trashy fun, while Christina Aguilera was flashy and talented just like Mariah Carey. The Backstreet Boys stood above the pack with their suave sophistication and irresistible melodic charm, while 'N Sync were the Stones to the Backstreet Boys' Beatles -- a little bit of the rough and tough, not quite as melodic, but almost as charming. Into the fray arrived Jessica Simpson -- unlike some of her peers, a mere finalist for the New Mickey Mouse Club instead of a full-fledged member -- with her debut Sweet Kisses, an album that positions her as the teen Celine Dion. Sure, she delves into the frothy dance-pop that's teen pop's stock-in-trade, but the heart of her album lies in adult contemporary ballads like her breakout hit "I Wanna Love You Forever," which gives her a chance to show off the richness of her voice. She doesn't over-sing, like Aguilera occasionally does, even if she has moments where she pushes the envelope slightly -- just like her idol Dion. However, there are already indications that she's developing her own voice, since she is equally capable of delivering danceable urban R&B ("Final Heartbreak," "I've Got My Eyes on You," the Destiny's Child duet"Woman in Me") as she is mature balladry ("Faith in Me," the Nick Lachey duet "Where You Are"). Like most teen-pop albums, Sweet Kisses suffers from inconsistent material, yet the filler is well-produced and performed, making the record every bit as listenable as Aguilera's fine debut. As a matter of fact, Simpson proves with this debut that she could very well be a teen popster that could easily make the transition to adult artist -- and that puts her in a rarified league with Aguilera and the Backstreets. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
With her strict, chaste Baptist upbringing and corn-fed looks, 19-year-old Jessica Simpson fits perfectly into the mold laid by Britney Spears and jiggled by fellow Mickey Mouser Christina Aguilera. However, there's something about Texans that they just have to put their own special kick--that touch of arrogance balanced with know-how--that can bring a scent of ingenuity to even the most cookie-cutter of formats. Jessica Simpson is a Texan and she energetically slashes her way through 11 wantonly infectious tunes on her debut slab SWEET KISSES.
While she offers the inevitable ballads, in this case most notably a duet with 98 Degrees' Nick Lachey, her shining moments come courtesy of that invincible form of radio candy, the dance-pop jam. "I Wanna Love You Forever" has a familiar message and unassailable hooks. The stirring "I Think I'm in Love With You," replete with the Johnny Cougar-days Mellencamp "Jack & Diane" background, will capture the hearts of the older fans still livin' and lovin' in the '80s. Jessica Simpson's SWEET KISSES packs in the sugar and ensures she will last her full 15 minutes and maybe more.