Justin Guarini

Review

Common Sense Media says

An uneven, uninspired offering.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that although the album contains no parental advisory label, tracks like "I Saw Your Face" and "Inner Child" leave romance behind and suggest relationships are based entirely on physical attraction or sex.

  • Positive messages0
    In "I Saw Your Face," Guarini longs to take up with a girl solely because of her looks, calling them "a miracle."
  • Violence0
    The most violent image is of the emotional harm caused by lies and deceit.
  • Sex3
    Although some tracks extol romance, others, like "Inner Child," crassly declaim, "You got me in the mood/ So come and make your move/ ...Baby, get ready, I'm coming into you."
  • Language3
    The album earns this rating, not so much for the occasional "damn," but for concepts like two-timing boyfriends, deceitful girlfriends, and sexual references.
  • Consumerism0
    The album does not deal with popular labels or consumer products.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    There are no obvious references to drugs or alcohol.
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What's the story?

Runner-up to Kelly Clarkson on American Idol, Justin Guarini dazzled some listeners with his smooth phrasings and cheeky grin, while boring others with slick ballads and warmed-over sentiment. In an effort to win new fans, Guarini includes some hip-hop-inflected R&B and pop in this self-titled album. While these songs hint at a talent still under construction, the overall uneven results probably will appeal only to his most loyal followers.

Is it any good?

 

Tracks include "Get Here," made familiar by repeated performances on American Idol, the staccato "Sorry," and the vocally challenging "Unchained Melody," in which adroit mixing masks notes held not quite long enough. "I Saw Your Face" contains the distasteful lyrics, "I saw your legs, your thighs/ ...I can't believe my eyes/ ...You're so damn beautiful." The album's high point is its finale, the duet "Timeless," in which Guarini's voice blends amiably with Clarkson's and they sing with a breathy urgency.

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What families can talk about

Families can talk about marketing new singers. Do you think Justin Guarini would find an audience for this album if he hadn't found success on American Idol?

This review was written by Cynthea Riesenberg

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This review was written by Cynthea Riesenberg
Artist:Justin Guarini
Release date:June 10, 2003
Label:RCA
Genre:Pop
Parental advisory:No
This review was written by Cynthea Riesenberg
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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