Issue date: 10/17/07 Section: Aggielife

Media Credit: File - The Battalion [Click to enlarge]

It seems like it's been a long time for Vanessa Carlton to pump out her next album after her overplayed hit, "A Thousand Miles," from her 2002 debut, Be Not Nobody infiltrated airwaves. In reality, Carlton's 2004 follow up album, Harmonium, was a flop, but the pop pianist and singer-songwriter is back to redeem herself with her third studio album, Heroes & Thieves. While touring with Stevie Nicks, Carlton put together her most heartfelt work to date.

After being dropped from her label, A&M, Carlton was picked up by Irv Gotti's label, The Inc. Records. She is a good example of an artist who isn't afraid to stay true to herself despite of failure. Carlton could have easily revamped her image to be the super-sexy pop princess by revealing more skin or adding dancers to her act, but she stood her ground to do things her way. It's no surprise that the concept of the album is perseverance and growing despite of adversity.

In some ways, the album is more of the same minus a little bit of the annoyance. Every track features piano,of course, and other instruments from the keyboard family appear in a few tracks. Many of the tracks also feature strings played in a style similar to that of her "A Thousand Miles" single. Even though Carlton has not been heard from in several years, the music is unmistakably hers.

Although the style and general sound is familiar, the lyrics, vocals and songwriting is noticeably more mature and artistic. Many of the songs sound like they could be used on episodes of television shows that are filling their soundtracks with trendy, coffeehouse-style songs, such as Grey's Anatomy. "Home" and "Spring Street" fit that vibe almost perfectly.

However, the entire album isn't an upgrade from her previous work. The opening track and first single, "Nolita Fairytale," is fair, but it is a terrible choice for the album's first impression. It's a little immature when compared to the tracks that follow. "My Best" can also be skipped with indifference.

"A Thousand Miles" may have rubbed some the wrong way, but Heroes & Thieves is likely to surprise those who wrote off the pop artist long ago. It's Vanessa Carlton without being so "A Thousand Miles." Even loyal fans that loved her breakthrough song will enjoy the new release. It's likely to be a giant step in the right direction for Carlton's career.

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