Unbeautiful

Review

Common Sense Media says

Candid rock from authentic singer-songwriter.
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 this talented young musician's songs are visceral and honest, and her lyrics deal with real issues. There's a cigarette or two, a song called "Psycho Bitch," a couple of references to sexuality.

  • Positive messages3
    The real message here is about artistic integrity and being true to yourself. "Here for You Now" describes being there for a friend in trouble.
  • Violence0
    Some darkly poetic metaphors ("I feel like I'm dead but breathing"), and one memorial to a friend, but no explicitly violent language.
  • Sex0
    Nothing explicit, but there's direct, assertive sexuality in lyrics like "when I look at you, I wanna get a room."
  • Language3
    One track is called "Psycho Bitch."
  • Consumerism0
    No obvious product placement in lyrics; packaging unavailable for review.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    One tobacco reference: "Sitting in the park after dark smoking cigarettes, biting all the black off my nails."
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What's the story?

Lesley Roy's dusky, expressive vocals, along with powerful arrangements and terrific songwriting, make UNBEAUTIFUL one of the best CDs to come along in a while. Roy is a versatile performer, careening from hook-filled power pop to soaring ballads and from refreshingly assertive sexuality to insecurity-riddled questioning.

Is it any good?

 

The 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Dublin puts her songs across with rare musical integrity, talent, and taste. Provocative song titles like "Psycho Bitch" and "Dead but Breathing" unfold to reveal vulnerability, intense honesty, and loyalty. "Here for You Now" is a promise not to abandon a friend in trouble. "Come Back," the album's closer, is an emotional memorial to a friend, getting to the heart of grief and memory by way of describing one small moment in time ("Come back, come back, you've left us here alone/secrets, you've kept them, now you're lying in the stone/and you'll never come home").

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What families can talk about

Families can talk about "Unbeautiful," in which the singer is trying to figure out what's gone wrong in a relationship and blaming herself in an insecure moment ("Was it something that I said? Is it something that I did? 'Cause I gotta know what made me unbeautiful"). Have you ever felt this way? What things can you do to restore your own self-esteem?

This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Teen, 15 years old
July 17, 2009
AGE
11
 
Really Nice Song!
Lesley's voice is amazing, and the lyrics are wonderful.
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This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Artist:Lesley Roy
Release date:September 30, 2008
Label:BMG Import
Genre:Rock
Parental advisory:No
This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
 

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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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