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Way back in 1996, young Joanna Pacitti garnered national attention after she won -- and then lost -- the title role in Annie for its 20th anniversary tour. After performing the show on the road, Joanna was fired shortly before the opening night on Broadway because she hadn't sufficiently convinced the producers of her acting abilities. Though she took the not-so-subtle clues given to her and retired from acting, that persistent spirit so imbibed in her and her former character apparently never died, and by 16, Joanna found herself nicely set up with a record deal from Geffen. Oh, how the sun came out for her! The five years it took between then and the release of her debut were allotted so that Joanna could grow and develop as an artist under the tutelage of masters Linda Perry and Diane Warren, among others. Sure enough, This Crazy Life has all the workings of a pop masterpiece: plenty of strings, haunting synth grooves, aggressive electric guitar, slick production, a romantic piano ballad, an emo cover, and warm, catchy melodies all around. Yet, despite all of this, there's something about the record that's wholly unsatisfying. Maybe it's because it seems as if it's trying to be too much. It's certainly a pop album, but because its greatest concern appears to be improving its chances of broad appeal (while still staying mindful to current, Kelly Clarkson-like trends), it gets lost in its own diversity, never quite finding its own path. The opener (and the album's first single), "Let It Slide" starts off with a dark R&B groove that turns into a barrage of rock chords by the time the chorus arrives; a formula that, by the time it's used on "Your Obsession," is not very fun anymore. "Just When You're Leaving" should be, if it's not already, incorporated heavily into one of the MTV faux-reality shows, "Tip Toe" is all organ and Wurlitzer and funk guitar, "Ultraviolet" starts with children singing -- in a very Jay-Z "Hard-Knock-Life" (taken from, gasp, Annie) move -- and the title song, probably the best on the album, doesn't mesh at all with the feel of the other songs. "This Crazy Life" is intense, more Evanescence than Pink, and the chorus, with the inevitable strings, sounds a lot like Sarah McLachlan's "Stupid," with the chorus "You can lay down, Mama/Let me be your cover/Let me be your mother" driving it along. The worst part, though, even with all these different things happening, is that there's nothing on This Crazy Life that's truly catchy, that grabs you unabashedly the way pop music can. Yeah, the songs are easy to sing along to after a few listens, but only because the lyrics are pretty simple and the melodies are familiar in that you've probably heard better versions of them a thousand times before. The album's too much and too little at the same time, simplifying where it needs to expand, and expanding when it needs to stay more basic. We already know Joanna can't act, and though her voice is good, she hasn't proved yet with This Crazy Life that she can make it as a pop star, either.
© Marisa Brown /TiVo
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Joanna, MainArtist - Christian Hamm, Producer, Recording Engineer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Alain Bertoni, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Birgitta, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Suzie Katayama, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Joanna, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Katia Popov, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Endre Granat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Matt Funes, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Derouin, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Charlie Bisharat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Erdody, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Tal Herzberg, Producer, Engineer, Bass Guitar, Co-Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - ANNE PREVEN, ComposerLyricist - SCOTT CUTLER, ComposerLyricist - Frank Wolf, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Vinnie Colaiuta, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Robertson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Robin Olson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sid Page, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Andrew Duckles, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Josefina Vergara, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Mario DeLeon, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Natalie Leggett, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Julie Gigante, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Phillip Levy, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Dennis Karmazyn, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Tammy Hatwan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Alyssa Park, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Cecilia Tsan, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Marlow Fisher, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Darrin McCann, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Barbra Porter, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Nico Abondolo, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - John Goux, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Armen Ksajikian, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Songa Lee, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - J.D. Andrew, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Becky Bunnell, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Formicola, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - GREG HAYES, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - RON FAIR, Conductor, Producer, String Arranger, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Valerio, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Mike Eleopoulos, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bruce Dukoy, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Tereza Stanislay, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Anatov Rosinsky, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2005 A&M Records
Suzie Katayama, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Joanna, MainArtist - Stefanie Ridel, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Katia Popov, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Endre Granat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Matt Funes, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Derouin, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Anthony Mazza, Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Bisharat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Erdody, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Tal Herzberg, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Wolf, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Robertson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Robin Olson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sid Page, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Andrew Duckles, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Gary Novak, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Josefina Vergara, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Mario DeLeon, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Natalie Leggett, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Julie Gigante, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Phillip Levy, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Dennis Karmazyn, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Tammy Hatwan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Alyssa Park, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Cecilia Tsan, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Marlow Fisher, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Darrin McCann, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Barbra Porter, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Nico Abondolo, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Armen Ksajikian, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Songa Lee, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Becky Bunnell, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Formicola, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - GREG HAYES, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - RON FAIR, Conductor, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Ron Harris, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joanna Pacitti, ComposerLyricist - Mike Valerio, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Bruce Dukoy, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Tereza Stanislay, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Anatov Rosinsky, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Geffen Records
Joanna, MainArtist - Charlie Bisharat, Electric Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Tal Herzberg, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Marsh, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - John Goux, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - RON FAIR, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Ender Carrabba, ComposerLyricist - Chris Carrabba, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Dan Bonebrake, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Geffen Records
Stephan Moccio, Piano, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Suzie Katayama, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Stacy Ferguson, ComposerLyricist - Joanna, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Stefanie Ridel, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Katia Popov, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Endre Granat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Matt Funes, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Derouin, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Charlie Bisharat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Erdody, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Tal Herzberg, Producer, Engineer, Co-Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Robertson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - ALLEN SIDES, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Olson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sid Page, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Andrew Duckles, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Josefina Vergara, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Mario DeLeon, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Natalie Leggett, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Julie Gigante, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Phillip Levy, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Renee Sandstrom, ComposerLyricist - Dennis Karmazyn, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Tammy Hatwan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Alyssa Park, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Cecilia Tsan, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Marlow Fisher, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Darrin McCann, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Barbra Porter, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Nico Abondolo, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Armen Ksajikian, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Songa Lee, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Becky Bunnell, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Formicola, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - GREG HAYES, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - RON FAIR, Conductor, Producer, String Arranger, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Joanna Pacitti, ComposerLyricist - Mike Valerio, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Mike Eleopoulos, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bruce Dukoy, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Tereza Stanislay, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Anatov Rosinsky, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Geffen Records
Dave Bassett, ComposerLyricist - Joanna, MainArtist - Stefanie Ridel, Producer, Additional Producer - Tal Herzberg, Producer, Engineer, Bass Guitar, Co-Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Vinnie Colaiuta, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jim Cox, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - John Goux, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - RON FAIR, Producer, Percussion, Piano, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Joanna Pacitti, ComposerLyricist - Mike Eleopoulos, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2006 Geffen Records
Joanna, MainArtist - Stefanie Ridel, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Anthony Mazza, Producer, Guitar, Programmer, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Tal Herzberg, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Ron Harris, Producer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Joanna Pacitti, ComposerLyricist - Justin Siegel, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Geffen Records
Joanna, MainArtist - Eric Rosse, Producer, Keyboards, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - David Walsh, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Joanna Pacitti, ComposerLyricist - Nathan Crow, Producer, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2006 Geffen Records
Joanna, MainArtist - Christian Hamm, Producer, Recording Engineer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Alain Bertoni, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joanna Pacitti, ComposerLyricist - James Nosanow, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2006 Geffen Records
Joanna, MainArtist - Stefanie Ridel, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Anthony Mazza, ComposerLyricist - Tal Herzberg, Producer, Engineer, Bass Guitar, Co-Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Vinnie Colaiuta, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jim Cox, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - John Goux, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - J.D. Andrew, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - RON FAIR, Producer, Piano, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Ron Harris, ComposerLyricist - Joanna Pacitti, ComposerLyricist - Mike Eleopoulos, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2006 Geffen Records
Joanna, MainArtist - Christian Hamm, Producer, Recording Engineer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Diane Warren, ComposerLyricist - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Alain Bertoni, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Susan Blackwell, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Geffen Records
Suzie Katayama, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - David Guerrero, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joanna, MainArtist - Katia Popov, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Endre Granat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Matt Funes, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Derouin, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Schermerhorn, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charlie Bisharat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Erdody, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Brian MacLeod, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Linda Perry, Producer, Guitar, Piano, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tal Herzberg, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Wolf, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Robertson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Robin Olson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sid Page, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Joseph Puig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Nelson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Andrew Duckles, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Josefina Vergara, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Mario DeLeon, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Natalie Leggett, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Julie Gigante, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Phillip Levy, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Dennis Karmazyn, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Paul III, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tammy Hatwan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Alyssa Park, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Cecilia Tsan, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Marlow Fisher, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Darrin McCann, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Barbra Porter, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Nico Abondolo, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Armen Ksajikian, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Songa Lee, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Becky Bunnell, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Formicola, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - GREG HAYES, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - RON FAIR, Conductor, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Valerio, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Bruce Dukoy, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Pat Dammer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tereza Stanislay, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Anatov Rosinsky, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Geffen Records
Album review
Way back in 1996, young Joanna Pacitti garnered national attention after she won -- and then lost -- the title role in Annie for its 20th anniversary tour. After performing the show on the road, Joanna was fired shortly before the opening night on Broadway because she hadn't sufficiently convinced the producers of her acting abilities. Though she took the not-so-subtle clues given to her and retired from acting, that persistent spirit so imbibed in her and her former character apparently never died, and by 16, Joanna found herself nicely set up with a record deal from Geffen. Oh, how the sun came out for her! The five years it took between then and the release of her debut were allotted so that Joanna could grow and develop as an artist under the tutelage of masters Linda Perry and Diane Warren, among others. Sure enough, This Crazy Life has all the workings of a pop masterpiece: plenty of strings, haunting synth grooves, aggressive electric guitar, slick production, a romantic piano ballad, an emo cover, and warm, catchy melodies all around. Yet, despite all of this, there's something about the record that's wholly unsatisfying. Maybe it's because it seems as if it's trying to be too much. It's certainly a pop album, but because its greatest concern appears to be improving its chances of broad appeal (while still staying mindful to current, Kelly Clarkson-like trends), it gets lost in its own diversity, never quite finding its own path. The opener (and the album's first single), "Let It Slide" starts off with a dark R&B groove that turns into a barrage of rock chords by the time the chorus arrives; a formula that, by the time it's used on "Your Obsession," is not very fun anymore. "Just When You're Leaving" should be, if it's not already, incorporated heavily into one of the MTV faux-reality shows, "Tip Toe" is all organ and Wurlitzer and funk guitar, "Ultraviolet" starts with children singing -- in a very Jay-Z "Hard-Knock-Life" (taken from, gasp, Annie) move -- and the title song, probably the best on the album, doesn't mesh at all with the feel of the other songs. "This Crazy Life" is intense, more Evanescence than Pink, and the chorus, with the inevitable strings, sounds a lot like Sarah McLachlan's "Stupid," with the chorus "You can lay down, Mama/Let me be your cover/Let me be your mother" driving it along. The worst part, though, even with all these different things happening, is that there's nothing on This Crazy Life that's truly catchy, that grabs you unabashedly the way pop music can. Yeah, the songs are easy to sing along to after a few listens, but only because the lyrics are pretty simple and the melodies are familiar in that you've probably heard better versions of them a thousand times before. The album's too much and too little at the same time, simplifying where it needs to expand, and expanding when it needs to stay more basic. We already know Joanna can't act, and though her voice is good, she hasn't proved yet with This Crazy Life that she can make it as a pop star, either.
© Marisa Brown /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:46:25
- Main artists: Joanna
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Geffen
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2006 Geffen Records ℗ 2006 Geffen Records
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