Type: Lyrics are included with the album, Enhanced CD-ROM
Genre: Rock
Review
Out of all the teen pop thrushes of the late '90s/early 2000s, Jessica Simpson was perhaps the oddest. Not because she was genuinely strange -- especially compared to Christina or Pink -- but because she never seemed that comfortable with the genre. On her debut, Sweet Kisses, that awkwardness could be written off as first-time jitters, particularly because the album boasted the dynamite single "I Think I'm in Love," which is about as perfect as pop gets. On her second album, Irresistible, her awkwardness could be attributed to either the fabled sophomore slump or the fact that she was being tarted up too much, presented as a sexy tease when she's really just the sweet, curvy girl next door. Now, for her third album, In This Skin, she tones down the trashy club beats and image, staying within the contemporary dance-pop realm while inching toward the middle-of-the-road diva that she's always yearned to be. And that's the key to Simpson and her records -- apart from that brief, brilliant moment on "I Think I'm in Love," she's never seemed like she's wanted to sing pop music. She's somebody who would have been much more comfortable in an era where she could have been produced by Mitch Miller, not somebody who half-heartedly sings moderately stylish, overly calculated dance-pop. Simpson is not a bad singer, and only when she's given a show-stopping ballad in the vein of Celine Dion can she really strut her skills. The heart of In This Skin is in the mature middle of the road, while its sound is still pitched young. Simpson is still a sweet, photogenic girl with a good voice, and in her favor, as she gets further removed from her teens, she will be allowed to do more mature material -- and this CD is a tentative step in that direction. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Billy Mann (Guitar), Richie Jones (Producer), Juilan Bunetta (Strings), Brendan Kuntz (Assistant Engineer), Greg Price (Assistant Engineer), Andy Marvel (Producer), J.T. Corenflos (Guitar (Electric)), Mary Maurer (Art Direction), Billy Mann (Engineer), Franne Golde (Producer), Trina Harmon (String Arrangements), Julian Bunetta (String Arrangements), Keith Thomas (Arranger), Dan Bucchi (Mixing Assistant), Damon Elliott (Producer), Andy Marvel (Keyboard Programming), Greg Barnhill (Producer), Keith Thomas (Mixing), Greg Fitzgerald (Producer), Trina Harmon (Piano), Lee Mars (Vocal Producer), John Catchings (Cello), J.D. Andrew (Digital Editing), Julian Bunetta (Strings), Jennifer Karr (Vocals (Background)), Dave Matthews (Engineer), Keith Thomas (Keyboards), Neil Devor (Engineer), Romeo Antonio (Guitar), Chris Goercke (Guitar (Acoustic)), Kasia Livingston (Producer), Trina Harmon (Strings), Juilan Bunetta (Engineer), Damon Elliott (Percussion), Billy Mann (Drum Programming), Nick Moroch (Guitar), Bill Whittington (Mixing), Chad Cromwell (Drums), Eric Kupper (Keyboards), Andy Marvel (Arranger), Michael Spriggs (Guitar (Acoustic)), Richie Jones (Programming), Andrew Williams (Producer), Charlie Bisharat (Violin), Earl Cohen (Tracking), Victor Lawrence (Cello), Keith Thomas (Bass), Eric Kupper (Guitar), Trina Harmon (Producer), Dan Hetzel (Mixing), Franne Golde (Vocals), Hooshik (Collage), Chris Yoakum (Digital Editing), Darryl Bush (Production Coordination), Luz Vasquez (Mixing Assistant), Lee Mars (Mixing), Damon Elliott (Keyboards), Jaime Sickora (Engineer), Holly Lamar (Producer), Pablo Munguia (Engineer), Franne Golde (Piano), Tony Maserati (Mixing), Luz Vasquez (Assistant Engineer), Andy Marvel (Guitar), Billy Mann (Producer), Andy Marvel (Engineer), Andy Marvel (Drum Programming), Alison Prestwood (Bass), Rick Wake (Producer), Pat Buchanan (Guitar (Electric)), Keith Thomas (Producer), Andrew Williams (Engineer), Damon Elliott (Programming), Carlos Henderson (Bass), Dave Scheuer (Engineer), Brendan Kuntz (Mixing Assistant), Rob Fusari (Producer), Rich Balmer (Engineer), Jessica Simpson (Vocals), Tommy Harden (Drums), Dan Hetzel (Engineer), Pablo Munguia (Vocal Engineer), Anthony Kilhoffer (Assistant Engineer), Ethan Willoughby (Assistant), Jonathan Yudkin (Strings), Dave Pensado (Mixing), Billy Mann (Arranger), James Ginnetti (Keyboards), Dan Hetzel (Digital Editing), Chris Yoakum (MIDI Technician), Franne Golde (Vocals (Background)), Jaime Sickora (Vocal Engineer), Jim Annunziato (Assistant Engineer), Patrick Woodward (Mixing), Keith Thomas (Programming), Matt Snedecor (Mixing Assistant), J.D. Andrew (Engineer), Kasia Livingston (Vocals (Background)), Jim Annunziato (Mixing Assistant), Dave Scheuer (Digital Editing), Tony Duran (Photography), Bart Migal (Tracking), Juilan Bunetta (String Arrangements), David Munk (Vocal Producer), Julian Bunetta (Engineer), Kara DioGuardi (Vocals (Background)), Mark Russell (Production Coordination), Jun Ishizeki (Assistant Engineer), Andrew Williams (Instrumentation)
