Released when she was just 13 years old, vocalist
Jojo
's 2004 eponymous debut was a bona fide hit album and garnered the young
pop
star a legion of equally youthful fans, as well as lead roles in two films, including the 2006 comedy
RV
alongside
Robin Williams
. To say that the release of her 2006 sophomore effort,
The High Road
, finds
on the cusp of superstardom is a bit of an understatement. Featuring production and songs by such in demand hitmakers as
Swizz Beatz
,
Soulshock
, and
Scott Storch
-- the man who made
Paris Hilton
sound good -- it should come as little surprise that
is a commercially oriented, radio-friendly contemporary
-
R&B
album. What may be a surprise is that it is really, really good. These are well-written, catchy
songs with a healthy dose of
hip-hop
rhythm that serve as solid launching pads for
's superb vocal abilities. Coming off as a kind of urbanized
Jennifer Aniston
with the chops of
Beyonce
is an assured and likeable performer who can somehow embody the yin-yang persona of a suburban cheerleader slinging
attitude, as she does in the video for the ridiculously overwrought and utterly addictive lead-off single,
"Too Little Too Late."
It also helps that she's matured just enough so that her somewhat sexy persona makes a bit more sense now than it did in 2004, and she easily sells the cheeky and raw
dance
funk
of such tracks as
"This Time"
and
"The Way You Do Me."
However, it's the blissfully melodic
ballads
and mid-tempo anthems that make the biggest impression here. Cuts such as the gorgeous and dreamy
"Like That"
"Anything,"
with its unexpectedly hip sampling of
Toto
's
"Africa,"
make for gleefully enjoyable guilty pleasures. Similarly,
"Good Ol'"
is the best summer anthem ever to see release in the fall, and
"'Comin' for You"
smartly borrows some of
Kelly Clarkson
rock
energy. While
may not be taking a career road less traveled,
does make time for some surprising and memorable pit stops along the way. ~ Matt Collar