Review: Vanessa Hudgens – Identified

After the enviable success of her post-High School Musical projects, it’s safe to say that Vanessa Hudgens doesn’t need to make much noise to get attention. The fans she’s gained over the years lie in wait for her to speak- hoping for something new that they’ll enjoy as much as they did the last. And Identified is not that.

Hudgens’ sophomore effort is noticeably energetic and G-rated. But, even more so, it’s bland, confused, and far too easy to walk away from.

The playful vibe of “Last Night” shows Vanessa delivering on her promise of funky, fun content. The beat is bouncy, her voice is big, and the mood is just right. Unfortunately, that didn’t carry over into the rest of the album.

“Hook It Up” sounds like an accident, but the rest of the tracks are either just short of entertaining, or not fitting for the artist.

It’s obvious that she was built for tracks like “Last Night” and “Don’t Leave“, where she really gets a chance to sing out and flood the speakers with her vocals, but most of Identified shows a girl who is still exploring and terribly lost.

A narrowed musical scope would greatly benefit Hudgens, but her hardcore fans are bound to enjoy the album, regardless of its many faults.

SCORE: D

KEEPERS: “Last Night”, “Don’t Leave”