Joanna Review
Joanna
This Crazy Life
(Geffen)
Philly-cum-Broadway starlet Joanna — just Joanna — wants you to focus on her “vocal talent.” And so does Geffen.
Throughout the accompanying info on Joanna are reminders of her “truly unforgettable voice,” “vocal talent,” “powerhouse pipes,” “incredible vocal ability,” and “powerful voice.” And, in all its non-varied splendor, Joanna can be heard belting tunes on This Crazy Life like, well, like they’re all the same tune. All of 16 when she was signed and 21 now, no one bothered to take her aside and tell her sometimes it’s the song, not the singer. However, with material like Dashboard Confessional’s “Screaming Infidelities” at her ready, it’s no wonder she has no restraint and must repeatedly obey her “powerhouse pipes” (not powerful enough, perhaps: her producers decided to track 20 of her on lead single “Let It Slide”). But any aspirations Joanna has of not being a teen fascimilie (a mall tour she has been on doesn’t hit the Chicago ‘burbs) haven’t been met. She, like the rest, recognizes her voice as the only instrument, not one of many.
— Kevin Keegan
