Chemistry

"Never a stranger to belting out a song, she sings with evident passion throughout the record, giving its darkened corridors some measure of light without entirely washing away the gloom. There are just enough moments of brightness - the neo-disco "Favorite kind of high," the exuberant self-empowerment of the closing "That's right," and "I hate love," which is funny enough to warrant its cameo from Steve Martin - to make the rest of the album seem curiously stiff. Despite Clarkson's rousing performances and optimistic outlook, Chemistry feels cloistered and secluded, lacking pathways into its inner sanctuaries".

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"Highlights from Chemistry include [High Road"], "Lighthouse" and "Rock Hudson", which hammer home the end of a romance, how two people can drift apart until there's nothing left between them. Like Adele, Clarkson can create music that resonates with listeners of all ages and backgrounds, who might not personally relate to going through a divorce, but rather the incurable human condition. While it might not be her most eclectic work, Chemistry grapples with this condition in the most human ways".

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