'Barenaked' sounds great - but it's not

Jennifer Love Hewitt has released her fourth album, Barenaked, and it is as memorable as the prior three. The album is shallow, predictable and imitative of all the female pop music that has been successful in the past year.\nHer die-hard fans know that "Love," as she is affectionately nicknamed, began her career in music before becoming a teen-idol on "Party of Five" and a scream queen in "I Know What You Did Last Summer." But she is back to her musical roots, and the album lives up to just about all its expectations -- which are none.\nBarenaked is a shift from Hewitt's last album Jennifer Love Hewitt, which had her imitating Britney and Christina and flaunting sex-appeal as much as music. Hewitt has moved to soft, bluesy, acoustic rock, and the sound is more along the lines of Michelle Branch, with Pink added in for kicks. The vocals are decent and the music is OK, but the songwriting needs work. The lyrics on Barenaked are aimed at nine-year-old "Love" fans, while the music is a bit more adult contemporary, and the album has no where to go from there. \n"Barenaked," the current single and title track, is definitely not the choicest song on the album, and there are better options for the first release. The second and stand-out track on the album, "Can I Go Now," shows promise for "Love" with its better, more mature lyrics (Love did not contribute) and cool, vibrant vocals.\nFrom there, the album continues on with little change from the pattern set by the lead tracks. "Hey Everybody" and "Rock the Roll" elevate Hewitt's status as a pre-teen revered, Radio Disney icon and are reminiscent of her days belting the "Kids Incorportated" anthem. The remainder of the album consists of song after song of bubblegum lyrics and repetitive acoustic guitar ballads. \nThe album ends on an interesting note with an a cappella rendition of Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" that flaunts Hewitt's vocal talent in the light of better lyrics. The cover is passionate, spirited and the highlight of the monotonous album. Ultimately, Barenaked proves that Hewitt's on-screen talent has not yet carried over into her music despite her four attempts at a second career. With Jennifer Love Hewitt, the cliché fits: stick to your day job.