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Vanessa Hudgens makes a solo claim on the pop charts with Identified

Vanessa Hudgens is one of the most popular young women in Hollywood.  Her star turn in High School Musical I & II have cemented this performer in the beloved ‘Disney Kid’ category.  With her sultry, smoldering look she is not the typical female on the Mickey Mouse Channel.  Girls everywhere love her as her character Gabriella.  But, since this is Hollywood and money is the king in this town, the good people at Hollywood Records have given this girl a recording contract, trying to build on her television musical success.  The final result is a not so mixed bag of over produced synth-pop.

The work opens with “Last Night” and ode to not knowing what happened the night before.  It has a strong funky backbeat and some great Motown style handclaps.  The middle-bridge shows a higher range and some emotion in singing.  “Hook it up” is another mishmash of styles with rap a chorus and call and response that tries to be street, or as street as a Valley girl can be.  But, it does deliver a strong hook of, “hook it on up!”

The title track “Identified” is much more of a techno/ disco tune with a synthesized vocal partnering with a true vocal.  It is more of a disposable modern pop song, something known more for its beat than words.  There is a fun, dance groove going on but not much more.  The same can be said for “First Bad Habit” “Amazed”, “Party on the Moon” and “Did it ever cross your Mind”.  They are all trying to be modern club music full of computer generated sounds without any soul in the process.

Track 5 is “Don’t Ask Why” and is one of the best on the recording.  It is an up-tempo semi ballad about walking away before getting hurt.  Her reedy voice works some magic blending very well with the acoustic guitar.  “Don’t leave” is another adolescent torch song with the idea “I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost you.”  This bass heavy track has a natural funk and a driving backbeat, just a fun little tune.  The final cut “Gone with the Wind” does show the most promise of finding a persona to go with the voice.  It is just as important to be connected with the music on an emotional level than it is with a technical level.

First off, this music was never made for me, a middle-aged white guy.  It is music for young teen girls.  I put the music of Vanessa Hudgens in the same category of Lindsey Lohan or Paris Hilton.  Neither started out as pop stars, they just fell into making music. 

It is not bad music but Vanessa Hudgens is no Brittany Spears or Miley Cyrus, the respective queen and princess of this kind of music.  In a song like “Paper Cut” she nails a long sustained high note that does show promise of strong pipes and the entire recording could have used a bit more vocal gymnastics and a few less studio tricks. 

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