Instigator (by Kaci Brown, Pop)

Kaci Brown is a talented young Texas-born singer-songwriter who has gotten a lot of exposure as the opening act on Backstreet Boys tours. Still in her teens on her debut CD, INSTIGATOR, Kaci is surprisingly able to handle a variety of musical styles with energy and competent vocals. Since she has yet to define her style, she gleefully bounces from one track to another, exploring hip-hop beats, Middle-Eastern rhythms, rock guitar fills, waltz interludes, and slow-ballad emoting. Her lyrics are mildly sexy ("I'm a trouble maker/One boy, Two boys, Three boys ... if he's cute then I'll take the waiter," she sings on the title track) with some heavy breathing. But there are also some attempts at depth. "Unbelievable" explores the ambivalence of a girl in an abusive relationship; "Cadillac Hotel" hints at social consciousness.

On her debut CD, Kaci tackles a variety of musical styles with perky energy and competent vocal performances. It will be interesting to see how this young artist's career and talents develop as she matures. Until then, this album is a capable-enough debut effort, showing the promise that Kaci Brown's talents may even grow to surpass those of Jessica Simpson, an artist to whom she's often compared. We're betting on Kaci.

Released on: August 9, 2005
Label: Interscope Records
Genre: Pop