“This is no broken heart, no familiar scars / this territory goes uncharted,” declares Sara Bareilles through the second track of her new album, Kaleidoscope Heart. And uncharted this territory is. In her sophomore album, Bareilles embarks upon a whole new sound, moving away from the mellow, piano-pop feel that was prevalent in Little Voice and towards something much more grown up, much more soulful, and much more emotionally raw — something that leaves all those who were listening behind, breathless.
As much as her music has evolved in the three years since her debut album was released, there is still a great deal about Kaleidoscope Heart that remains comfortably familiar. Bareilles’s piano arrangements in many of her songs are still as fresh and precise as ever, and the tone of her voice is just as full and unique.
Her plucky attitude that was so defining in her earlier tracks like “Fairytale” remains undiminished and unchanged. We all remember her breakout single, her “Love Song” — you know, the one she’s not gonna write you just ‘cause you asked for it, In Kaleidoscope Heart, Bareilles stays just as sassy but jazzes up her ‘tude with horns, strings, harmonicas and a rich plethora of vocal harmonies.
It is her skill with those defined vocal harmonies that have many critics comparing Bareilles’s music to that of Fox’s hit musical show, Glee. However, her album actually contains a much more mature sound that should allow Barellies to be seen on the same level as some other more experienced artists. For example, the opening and title track, “Kaleidoscope Heart” immediately directs the listener’s memory to Imogen Heap and her most well-known work, “Hide and Seek”, in its determined, layered harmonies.
“Hold My Heart” has an instrumental beginning that is especially reminiscent of fellow pianist, Alicia Keys. Bareilles’s voice is especially beautiful in this song — strong yet wistful, deep yet fluid, and undeniably infused with soul. “Let the Rain” brings John Mayer’s guitar musicality, soft-spoken lyrics and continuous percussion to mind — it is easily be seen as a feminine counterpart to one of his recent singles, “Heartbreak Warfare.”
However, there are also tracks that can stand alone, separate from comparisons to any other artists except Sara Bareilles herself. For example, the second track, “Uncharted,” is much more upbeat than the song’s serious a cappella intro, with a musical style reminiscent of “Love Song” and Bareilles’s only single from this album thus far, “King of Anything.” Both “Uncharted” and “King of Anything”, however, go further than Bareilles’s previous “Love Song” as they bring in use of a wealth of voices, harmonies and various instruments, creating a new sound that is uniquely Sara Bareilles.
“Gonna Get Over You” is one of the critics’ favorite tracks in the new album, defiant and playfully seductive at the same time. It opens with a familiar boppy beat that reminds one of polka music – but somehow, not in a negative manner – before quickly melding with the percussion and piano into a snappy, doo-wop pop song.
And if “Gonna Get Over You” is Sara Bareilles singing on a bustling street corner with the bright sun beating down upon her, “The Light” is Sara Bareilles crooning onstage to a darkened room with moonlight glancing off the piano keys. It’s a slower ballad, quiet but still having this powerful emotional force.
Unfortunately, this album is not a perfect one. There are a couple tracks that are almost entirely forgettable – “Machine Gun” and possibly “Not Alone”, though the latter is actually quite similar to her earlier work in Little Voice. And the last track on the album, “Bluebird” can also be considered to be nothing special, though there are some who find it beautifully complex.
There is one song on Kaleidoscope Heart, however, that deserves special mention. By the time the listener hears the second measure of “Breathe Again,” he or she will have fallen in love. Everything from its soft, syncopated beat to the raw and honest lyrics draws the listener in. Bareilles is both sweet and strong in this piece, and there is something in her voice here that able to call to mind both the image of dancers leaping lithely across the stage.
The album is certainly a kaleidoscope color, musical style, attitude and sass. Taking her sound to a whole new level with subtle harmonies and emotionally raw lyrics, she comes back to show us all that there is much more to her than we could have suspected. Striking out over uncharted territory seems to work for this promising artist, and we now find that perhaps the music of Sara Bareilles, like her heart, is no longer simply just pure glass.
