Annie – Don’t Stop (2009) [Island] // Grade: D

Five years ago seemingly out of leftfield Annie put out an Electro-Pop gem by the name of Anniemal. Unlike most Pop, Anniemal wasn’t looking to be a fleeting Summer fad, but rather endear itself with its listeners. Anniemal wasn’t merely a handful of singles sandwiched by filler, but a real album of well crafted, catchy and blissful Pop, that like Justified while contemporary, never tied to the time of its release.

While armed with a handful of catchy hooks and the same tenacity to explore every corner of Pop she can,  Don’t Stop sadly has none of the magic or charm that made Anniemal so endearing & refreshing. This time around the bounces from place to place are totally unsure of what they’re seeking to achieve, how they fit in with one another or who Annie is trying to be on this album. “I know UR Girlfriend Hates Me”tries it’s hardest to recapture the kitschy groove of “Chewing Gum” but is devoid of any of it’s charm. “Bad Times” tries it’s hand at Ladyhawke’s retro 80′s pop… and while the sound is there, the hooks and energy are not. And that’s just the way it goes on Don’t Stop over and over again… Anything that may be working for a track is always served up with one or two things severely hampering it’s success.

Hopefully this is just a sophmore slump and not indicitive of what Annie has in store of the future.

- My Pal the Crook