Reviews
Sixteen-year-old Krystal Meyers, who lives with her family in the Nashville suburb of Franklin, started songwriting at 10 and soon caught the attention of Essential with her peer-oriented music. Having already scored a No. 1 radio hit before the release of her self-titled debut with the catchy surrender anthem "The Way to Begin," it's fair to say that she's off to a strong start.
Ian Eskelin and Wizardz of Oz (Avril Lavigne, Eskelin) produced the album, and though Meyers has writing credit on every track, many of them benefit from Eskelin's additional mastery of melodic hooks. This candy-coated, punk-tinged rock album is a bit like All Star United (Eskelin's old band) with a female vocalist, but there's a more obvious comparison. Meyers and her team have said that they intentionally tried not to emulate Lavigne, but considering Meyers' look, style, and strong rock chick vocal, the comparison is unavoidable and more than apt. Even the central "Anticonformity" message echoes Lavigne, both musically and thematically, though here it's about rebelling against the status quo by finding identity in God.
Too bad Meyers doesn't delve as deeply into relevant teen issues as Superchick or BarlowGirl. Most of the disc relies on simplistic rockers about God's goodness ("My Savior," "Fall to Pieces," "Fire") and additional surrender confessionals ("Rescue," "Can't Stay") that lyrically befit ZOEgirl. But the young artist's lack of depth isn't too clichéd, and will only improve with time and perspective. And though the songs blend together musically, it's an overall good debut that will satisfy anyone looking for more radio-friendly pop/rock. Meyers delivers what is expected, and does it better than most with the help of her producers.
There's nothing wrong with sounding too much like Avril, but it's the difference between being your own artist and too closely conjuring the style of another. Depending on your point of view, the greatest strength/weakness of Meyers' debut is that it's too "Complicated," yet not complicated at all.
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Reviewed by Brenten Gilbert, CM Central
The Apostle Paul spoke of a pair of desires that seem to wage war against each other within us - a longing to be different and a need to belong or feel accepted. Appealing to the fleshly desires of the consumer, marketing tactics have placed these two constituents against each other in efforts to make the fashion industry and other businesses more profitable. However, when held up in a spiritual light, being unique and fitting in go hand in hand. God created us all as individuals with a need for community. Krystal Meyers breaks onto the music scene with an encouraging message for those struggling to meet these needs.
Debuting with a strong, self-titled effort, Meyers tells her audience to embrace the qualities that give them individuality and look to God to find acceptance. "The Way to Begin," which serves as the lead single and opening song on the album, introduces the theme of finding our identity through a relationship with God, rather than the media. Citing the frustrations of trying to measure up and find value in the superficial, the track addresses the issue and points towards a proper perspective, a topic continued on tracks such as "My Savior" and "Rescue." The album also includes topics like devotion for God ("Fire"), letting God shine through your life ("Reflections of You"), learning from the past ("Lovely Traces") and looking forward to the future ("Sing For Me").
For someone who speaks out against conformity, Krystal Meyers does little to avoid stylistic comparisons. Many of the tracks, including the lead single, show strong similarities to the likes of Avril Lavigne or Michelle Branch . The style consists of a thick pop flavor filled with hints of rock and attitude that rings well with radio station play lists and appeals to a large audience. When the rocky musical edges take precedence, as they do on the anthematic "Anticonformity," the album feels a lot like something from early days of Superchic[k] , complete with cheerleader-like shouts during the chorus.
Co-produced by The Wizardz of Oz and CCM veteran Ian Eskelin (who also co-wrote a majority of the songs), Krystal Meyers will certainly find its way home with many a listener. The album is done quite well with a very appealing sound and a positive message that is sure to please fans of current pop trends. The market has certainly shown that there's always room for another good pop act and this debut continues the tradition.
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Reviewed by Lauren Summerford, Review Writer of JesusFreakHideout.com
Over the past few years, several young, gifted female performers have left their mark in Christian music. Almost none, however, have been able to rock as hard as new Essential Records artist Krystal Meyers. Bearing the tag of "the Christian Avril Lavigne," Meyers' sound is remarkably similar to Lavigne right down to the angst and vocal aggression. This should be no surprise considering The Wizardz of Oz, the team who brought you the work of Lavigne, alongside artist/producer Ian Eskelin carry the production duties of Meyers' rocking debut.
From the moment Krystal Meyers' self-titled debut kicks off with "The Way to Begin," it's obvious she has no interest in releasing a shallow, overly programmed pop record. Rather, Meyers combines her guitar playing skills and meaningful lyrics to truly connect with listeners. Serving as the first single, the opening cut began making waves a few months ago when released to radio. Meyers follows that closely behind with the cool rock flavor of "My Savior," which most will find just as enjoyable as "The Way to Begin."
Throughout the record it's quite obvious this sixteen-year-old rocker has no intentions of conforming to fit in. This is particularly evident on "Anticonformity," an anthem of refusing to bow down to peer pressure and "stupid trends" but rather "going against the grain." "Fall to Pieces" is also a standout track with Meyers' voice at perhaps its most aggressive. While the record as a whole is very much angst-driven, she calms things down with "Reflections of You" and "Lovely Traces" which boast themselves as slow-tempo rock ballads. These songs aren't as exciting as some of Meyers' other work but are worth a listen. Eventually she concludes with "Can't Stay," a strong, guitar-heavy number that makes for a truly great closing track.
While Krystal Meyers' first offering is pretty impressive, it still holds a few seemingly minor weaknesses - primarily in some of the song's lyrics. The verses of "Fire" rhyme almost too well with "You make life from dark/ illuminate my heart/ it started with a spark" and "Let your fire on feed/ on all my disbelief/ cause You are all I need." Simplistic, even familiar, lyrics surface occasionally throughout the course of this ten-song record. As a result of this, listeners in search of something completely original may find themselves skipping this record altogether, despite its many highs.
Despite a few weaknesses, Krystal Meyers' self-titled effort is a great debut from this exciting up-and-coming teen rocker. While fans of Avril Lavigne's tunes may be particularly favorable towards Meyers (especially since she is a great alternative), fans of honest, driving Christian pop/rock should pick up this disc.
Reviewed by Russ Breimeier, Courtesy of Christian Music Today
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