Jessica Simpson’s third album, “In This Skin,” picks up right where she left off, with a few factors considered.

First of all, she’s still a pop singer. Some say pop is dead, and with Justin, Britney, and Christina turning more R&B or hip-hop, Simpson remains the same powerful pop star. There is a sense of R&B on “With You” and “My Way Home,” but she is the most effective when she sticks to the pop that she knows will work.

Second of all, her image is still similar, with one exception. Her last album was called “Sweet Kisses” and the innocent title represented her beliefs at the time. Now she’s married to 98 Degrees member Nick Lachey, and the title of first single, “Sweetest Sin,” speaks for itself. She has not pulled a Jewel however, and her image is seemingly just as unslutty as it was before.

Third of all, she still sings her best on the ballads, and as this album is mostly ballad-driven, that is a positive to the listeners. She sings her heart out on “I Have Loved You,” one of the better tracks on the album. “Sweetest Sin,” which is written by Diane Warren, shows off her wide vocal range and her ability to hold tough notes, skills that made her famous.

For the first time, Simpson adds “songwriter” to her list of credits, co-writing 9 of the 11 tracks, and although the lyrics are a bit basic, she gets her messages across. Her tribute to her father on “You Don’t Have to Let Go” and to her husband on a few songs will have them teary-eyed, but fans might not be so emotional. Luckily, she still can sing.

There is no denying that Simpson has a great voice, but her voice is relied on too much to carry this album. Some songs, such as “In This Skin” and “Be,” are boring and have weak production. It is not hard to listen to a ballad and enjoy it, but when a few of them sound very similar and they’re not amusing to listen to, they blend and the overall impression of the album suffers. That’s what happened with this album.

2.5*
Columbia/Sony






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