Issue date: 5/14/08 Section: Features

In a world of female artists like Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne and even Rihanna, there is a refreshing new artist that has emerged, Charlotte Sometimes. "Waves and the Both of Us" is the debut album for the artist (whose real name is Jessica Charlotte Poland), and is filled with Sometimes' eclectic and beautiful voice.

Sometimes, who is 20-years-old, sounds older than her years, in both lyrics and the maturity of her voice, but she pulls off sounding older very well. Her songs are about figuring out who she is as a person, dealing with her past and getting over previous relationships. She sings with passion and grace through the whole album, with music that would be pleasing to a wide variety of people because it has catchy lyrics, pleasing instrumentals and a great beat.

Although Sometimes sounds like a combination of Feist and Avril Lavigne, with a little bit of Ani DiFranco added in there for good measure, Sometimes manages to still sound unique.

Listening to the album, it feels like one that could be listened to at any time and still be enjoyable every time. This album could be listened to while sad, happy, after a break-up, or even after a bad day at work or school, and the songs could leave the listener feeling uplifted.

Sometimes has this effect because her songs are very uplifting, even though some of them are about depressing subjects, like feeling cheated on and feeling distance from a loved one.

The variety of sounds on the album also has a pleasing effect on the listener. Sometimes goes from an indie sound, to electronic, and then a fusion of the both, which could be disastrous but is a great combination when this girl does it.

The sound is also very funky and hip, which makes the album fun to listen to. The guitars and drums add another layer to this album, because they almost make Sometimes sound better.

The artist describes herself as "not so smart that you can't get me, and I'm not so stupid you're embarrassed to listen to me", and this rings very true for Sometimes. The song lyrics are very insightful and soulful, but listening to this album will not make you feel stupid because there is no deeper meaning that is begging to be found. But for those listeners who don't usually listen to female singers, and who may feel ashamed to listen to artists associated with Avril Lavigne and or even Christina Aguilera, listening to this album is nothing to be ashamed of because Charlotte Sometimes is unique and a pleasure to listen to.

Stephanie Dumm can be reached at sdumm@statehornet.com

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