CD/Music Review: Anastacia: Heavy Rotation

 

Heavy Rotation is the fourth studio album by Anastacia. It was released in 2008, and, depending on which version you have, contains 11 or 12 tracks. The UK and Australian editions contain a bonus track titled "Beautiful Messed Up World." This album has more slow ballads and ballad-like tracks than her previous albums, which primarily featured up-tempo dance tracks. This one does have some up-tempo tracks as well, but overall, the album showcases more of her vocal ability and range.  Like her prior albums, this one blends genres like rock, R&B, funk, soul, and pop. The CD liner contains the lyrics and production notes for all the songs, several pictures of Anastacia, and thank yous on the final page. 

While the album was not a huge hit here in the US, it contains many good tracks that are worthy of inclusion on a playlist, such as All Fall Down, Never Love Again, and You'll Be Fine. Ultimately, it is probably her best overall album (at the time of its release) and is definitely worth listening to. 

CD/Music Review: Anastacia: Pieces of A Dream

 

Pieces of a Dream, released in 2005, is partly a greatest-hits compilation album by Anastacia and partly a new release (at the time). It has 17 tracks in total and includes singles from her first three studio albums, four new songs recorded for this album, and a megamix of her biggest hits up to that point. The CD liner includes lyrics and production notes, as well as one picture of Anastacia. Like her other albums up to this point, this blends different genres, including soul, pop, and R&B, mixing slower ballads with upbeat dance tracks. Even though she hit the scene in the early 2000s, Anastacia was older than many of the female pop stars of the time, and only achieved modest popularity in the US. She was always more popular overseas than in the US, and this album was no exception. Ultimately, if you liked her first few albums, you will probably enjoy this one. 

CD/Music Review: Anastacia (self-titled)

 

This is the 2004 self-titled album by Anastacia. It is her third studio album and mixes elements of pop, soul, rock, and R&B. It was not released on physical media in the US  but is available on CD as an import. The album did very well overseas, topping the charts in Germany and the UK. The album has 12 tracks in all. Most of them fall into more of a power-rock category. There are not many ballads or slower songs. The standout tracks, in my opinion, are Left Alone Outside and Sick and Tired. The CD liner includes track listings with lyrics and liner notes, several pictures of Anastacia, and a thank-you note on the final page. The album is good. It has many good tracks, but it definitely has some weaker tracks mixed in. Ultimately, if you liked or loved her first two albums, you will probably like this one as well.