You're the last time I'll ever compromise

Despite loving "Over And Over," I've never really paid much attention to Asia-focused producer-and-singer project Sweetbox; with that one exception, none of the songs I've heard from them have really had the ability to stick with me. Somehow, though, I still ended up paying semi-attention when American-born Jade, Sweetbox's singer for the past seven years or so, decided to go solo and giving her first solo release, the mini-album Out Of The Box, a listen (I still really like the somewhat trashy uptempo/urban/dance "In The Hall Of The Mountain King"-sampling "Crush," released beforehand as a duet, even with its dubious lyrics), and was interested enough to listen to her first full solo album, Bittersweet Symphony, released just a few days ago.

If you're looking for something that screams "international hit" or "you must listen to me now!", you won't find it here, but if you're looking for pleasant cute pop not made with real instruments and with lots of manipulated vocal effects and sparkling producer-created sounds, you'll find several enjoyable songs on the album. I wouldn't urge anyone to rush to add Bittersweet Symphony to your must buy ASAP list, but there are a few tracks that may make your music listening just that little bit brighter, if you don't mind your pop very bubbly, very produced, and very cheesy...which I don't! (Also, I suspect it's not that different from typical Sweetbox material, which does make it odd that I'm listening to it after having bypassed their earlier work.)

The Last

You're not the last man left
Or the last of my disasters
You're not my last mistake
Or the first to make me cry

Lucky Lady (with verses that are proof positive that lyrics can't really mean that much to me; just give me some meaningful-sounding "eee-aaay-ohhh"s and I'm happy)

California wait for me
'Cause I swear I'm coming home

Eee-aaaay-ohhh
I'm a lucky lady
But I ain't lucky when I love

If you're not all sugar-rushed and cuted out by now, "We Can Run" and "Always Mine" from the album are in a similar vein, and there are a couple of other different-but-good tracks (if you like your music slightly less...pink, "Undone" and "Unbreakable (Moonlight Sonata)" might be more your style).

To buy Jade Valerie's album Bittersweet Symphony, go here (physical).

Next up: maybe that British singer.

Know I talk too much, but for you I'd hush

I can't say that I've ever listened to much Sweetbox, though "Over And Over" is great and "Addicted" is OK. To be honest, I can't see too much changing with the new solo career of former Sweetbox singer Jade Villalon, currently going by the name Jade Valerie. And I'm not even sure how much I like the following song--I imagine I'll be over it in a few days. Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't listening to a decent bit at the moment. It looks like the song I'm posting was originally released in a dual language version and was a collaboration between Baek Ji Young and Jade, but it's been recorded in just English and with just Jade's vocals for her new mini-album and the full album that'll be coming out later.

Crush--all right, yes, this features some pretty dubious lyrics (that first verse and its rhymes come to mind, but you could choose just about any part of the song), and yes, it's still working the Sweetbox thing of sampling classical music and using it for modern pop (in this case, it's "In The Hall Of The Mountain King," I think...maybe). "Crush" is trying to be a track with attitude, and probably trying to be a little urban-influenced, though any song that everyone seems to hear as sampling Inspector Gadget (even if that's not the case) really stands no chance in the coolness sweepstakes. It's more enjoyable if you don't take it all seriously. By the way, the sound quality of this is subpar--sorry about that.

To buy Jade Valerie's mini-album Out Of The Box, go here (physical).

Next up: maybe a Swedish singer.

You're a mistake that I make over and over

Wikipedia has Sweetbox listed as being a German group, though I'm not quite sure why; I suppose it's because of the nationality of producer GEO, because the current and third singer--and the only actual "member" I know of--is American (or so Wikipedia identifies her--I wouldn't even know where to begin with someone whose father was Filipino and mother was American but of German and Irish descent, was born in America, raised in Japan, then moved back to the U.S., and now lives in the UK). Making the situation even more complicated, the group seems to be most popular in some Asian countries, especially Japan. With Jade Villalon as lead singer, the group is generally what you'd call pop, though there are exceptions and other influences; single "Addicted" sounds like it samples some piece of classical music, for example. Sweetbox has a pretty big back catalogue--the group has been in existence since 1995 and has been releasing albums since 1998.

Over And Over--this song reminds me so closely of another artist, but I just can't place who. Maybe Cascada and Natalie Horder (from the little I know of their work) if they were a little less dance or techno and a little more pop? No, that can't be it--there are loads of singers who probably fit into this genre. Regardless, this is a catchy, sweet, slightly wistful mid-tempo song that is better than I can probably make it sound to be through description. There are these cute little twinkling sound effects that are a really nice touch and definitely improve the song, but the sweet and simple-sounding melody might have been enough to make the song pretty good even without them.

To buy Sweetbox's album Addicted, go here (physical). Apparently they've got better albums out there, though.

Next up: another German group.