Mca
2001
Ultimate High
About This Album
Singer Carly Hennessy's debut album, produced and co-written by former New Radicals member Gregg Alexander and Daneille Brisebois, features '70s-influenced, radio-friendly power pop at its best. After the breakthrough success of Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too, Alexander retreated from the spotlight, deciding instead to focus on producing, and one could view this as a follow-up, with most of the New Radicals making appearances. The teasingly heartbreaking "You'll Never Meet God (If You Break My Heart)" is especially reminiscent of the New Radicals' hit "You Get What You Give," down to the shouted count-in. Similarly, Brisebois has had her own struggles attempting a solo career, with her albums receiving critical praise while being largely ignored by the public. Her presence on Ultimate High has the feel of a big sister/mentor relationship to 17-year-old Hennessy. Hearkening back to the blue-eyed soul of Hall & Oates and '80s-era Fleetwood Mac, Ultimate High often sounds like a melding of Sarah MacLachlan vocal stylings with Todd Rundgren compositions. Not as self-consciously hip or arty as Nelly Furtado, Hennessy nonetheless stands apart from her bubblegum contemporaries with a powerful voice that owes more to Pat Benatar than Mariah Carey.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 8)

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