Kate Voegeles’s sophomore record, A Fine Mess is a direct reflection of the emotional roller coaster the 22-year-old singer-songwriter has been through in the last year. Thanks to producer Mike Elizondo (Fiona Apple, Rilo Kiley), Voegele’s second record trades a more feminine, piano pop for a grittier guitar-driven sound that acts as a perfect counterpoint to her delicate vocals. A Fine Mess comes complete with the usual relationship-inspired anthems, but is reinforced by tracks like, “Sweet Silver Lining” where the singer finds hope in the darkest of misfortunes, and “Angel” where Voegele attempts to dispel any “good girl” notions listeners may have about her.
Luckily for Vogele, A Fine Mess is a lot more put together than its title would imply. Entertainment Weekly gave Voegele’s second attempt at pop-stardom a B- suggesting listener’s check out her first single, “99 Times,” where she verbally attacks a friend who is full of lies and excuses. Amazon.com also praised Voegele saying, A Fine Mess is,
“brimming with optimism, first time independence and the wisdom that comes from one too many broken hearts. [Its] the continuation of a road Voegele was destined to travel, and, like every milestone in her career thus far, she navigates it with gusto.”
Unfortunately, not everyone is a fan of A Fine Mess. People.com gave Mess two stars, claiming, there’s too much competition in today’s pop market for Voegele to stand out. Ranking her behind Katy Perry, KT Tunstall, Kate Nash and Kate Walsh, People.com wrote, “while there’s little to distinguish [Voegele’s] brand of chick pop, the One Tree Hill actress at least plays well to the CW crowd” (Kate also doubles as Mia on the CW’s One Tree Hill). It’s true, in comparison Voegele falls short of major players like Perry, but in her defense, A Fine Mess is exactly what it’s supposed to be: sugary pop virtually void of complexity that is easy to relate to, and fun to listen to. It may not be a number one record, but there’s nothing disappointing about it. So, if you were a fan of Voegele’s debut, Don’t Look Away or your iPod is chocked full of Marie Digby, Michelle Branch, or Vanessa Carlton-esque pop give A Fine Mess a listen.
