Sony
2004
White Turns Blue
About This Album
The right time for Norway's Maria Mena to try and break America is 2004. As Britney's star falls further with each PR gaffe, Avril and fellow travelers like Katy Rose and Fefe Dobson find more and more favor. These girls, not yet women, might rock with production slickness, but self-examination, confidence, and even fear have soundly taken the place of empty objectification. Appropriately, "You're the Only One," Mena's wonderful debut single, rides its waves of emotion in the giddy first person. "You're the only one who/Holds my hair back/When I'm drunk and get sick," she sings over understated guitar and an insistent kick drum. "You're the only one who/Drags me kicking and screaming through fast dreams." Her giggly, lovestruck delivery is so wide-eyed and guileless that the lyrics are like diary entries, complete with hearts and stars doodled in the margins. "Fragile (Free)" is even more direct. Even if it sort of sounds like the acoustic verses to Skid Row's "I Remember You," Mena's tearful declaration to buck up and get over a breakup is doggone inspiring. If there was ever a time for a "You go, girl!," this would be it.
Track List (try tracks 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 11)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.