1. The trouble with love - 4/5 - Nice, soulful song that displays her vocal range.

2. Miss Independent - 2/5 - A HORRIBLE first single. Who makes these decisions anyway? The song itself is ok, even those it operates only on "talk" and "shout." It just doesn't fit here and there are way better songs that could be first singles. There's a reason Christina didn't use this song.

3. Low - 5/5 - One of the best songs. Has a rock-pop edge to it. Very Sheryl Crow. Plus, Kelly just sounds great on this.

4. Some kind of miracle - 3/5 - Not one of Diane Warren's best. But it's decent and it gives Kelly something to sing solidly.

5. What's up lonely - 4/5 - Great R&B-pop song. This is the type of song I was hoping to hear on Kelly's CD. And thankfully, instead of filling the album with songs like this, this is the only one of its kind. (okay, maybe the first song sounds a bit like this)

6. Just missed the train - 4/5 - Another rockier edge. Good tune.

7. Beautiful Disaster - 4/5 - Guitar-driven pop. This song, "low," and "just missed the train" are not songs I would have expected to be on here, but they're great and they're perfect for Kelly.

8. You Thought Wrong - 5/5 - Definitely a pop song, but even this has both rock and r&b influences. Tamyra Gray appears here in a song about a boy that's done two girls wrong. At first I had a problem with the fact that it's hard to distinguish when Tamyra is singing and when Kelly is singing. But the song is so great it doesn't matter. Tamyra sounds great. Very "the boy is mine."

9. Thankful - 4/5 - Although Kelly sounds great on those pop songs with a rock edge, this is the type of song that was made for her to sing. Slower tempo, r&b influenced.

10. Anytime - 5/5 - This should be a single. Because it would go to #1. Another song that's perfect for her, and she's sounds great. Almost a gospel feel to it, but very much staying within its pop powerhouse kind of range.

11 & 12 - A Moment like this & Before your love - both 4/5 - I was going to give these a 3 out of 5 just because I'm so sick of them. The "new mix" isn't much of a mix (people have been expecting dance remixes... come on people, that's ridiculous, they'd never do that). But it's enough of a new mix that her voice can breathe a bit without being locked into that slick oily kind of pop sound. If you didn't like them before, you won't like them now... but if you did, they're still enjoyable.

Although similar, each song has it's own sound. Give it a try. And then another.


"Thankful" for a worthy album from this amazing star!   April 15, 2003
Matthew Zerby (Palmerton PA, USA)
36 out of 39 found this review helpful

Kelly Clarkson's debut effort blows her competition out of the water. With a mix of R&B, Blues, Jazz, Dance, and even some Alternative, this girl is the definitive pop star, and she can be damn proud of it. She is NOT to be compared to the likes of Avril Lavigne or Britney Spears, for her voice reaches astronomical levels not normally heard from young artists in mainstream pop music. Her strong, emotional voice brings to mind a young Celine or Whitney, only with it's own distinctive qualities, and the songs on this album are all worthy of her astonishing pipes.
Highlights of this album include: "Miss Independent,"the first single; "Anytime," a Celine-worthy, emotional power-ballad; "Just Missed the Train," a guitar-driven pop song with great, meaningful lyrics; "Thankful," the title track, which brings to mind Alicia Keys; "You Thought Wrong," Kelly's collaboration with fellow American Idol Star Tamyra Gray; "Beautiful Disaster," another guitar track that is reminiscent of Sheryl Crow; and my personal favorite, "Some Kind of Miracle," a beautiful, midtempo jazzy number.
Other great songs include "The Trouble With Love Is," "Low," "What's Up Lonely," and of course, making an encore performance, her stickily sweet, yet strong, AI ballads, "Before Your Love," and "A Moment Like This."
With her debut album, Kelly Clarkson has established herself as a true artist. She has not been molded by her management, but has followed her own instincts to create the most amazing debut album in years. I am looking forward to hearing from her for many years to come.


Extremely 'Thankful'   April 16, 2003
28 out of 30 found this review helpful

A fan of Kelly since the moment I first heard her, I have been waiting for this CD since September when she won American Idol. I can say that Kel sure did not disappoint me! This album is completely eclectic and every single song sounds different than the last. Except, of course, for the "supposed" mixes of AMLT and BYL.

01.) "The Trouble With Love Is" starts the album off with a familiar sound. Kelly's singing a bluesy ballad much like those she did on AI. The song focuses on the aspects of love and is awesome. {9/10}
02.) "Miss Independent" is the album's first single and is a completely new R&B sound for Kel fans. The song is off the hook, there's not much else to say! {10/10}
03.) "Low" talks of a guy that let Kelly down and has a rock feel to it. It doesn't really stand out, but is a solid track. {9/10}
04.) "Some Kind Of Miracle" is another ballad...possibly the weakest but in no way bad. The vocals are amazing, it's just the background music that's kinda ugh. {9/10}
05.) "What's Up Lonely" talks about how she's lonely and wishes heartache would find someone else to keep company. It's a more mellow song. {9/10}
06.) "Just Missed The Train" sounds kinda like a Michelle Branch song. The background music only adds to the flawless vocals. {10/10}
07.) "Beautiful Disaster" is the weakest song in my opinion. Something about the 80s feel and the lyrics kinda put me off. I like the song, but not as well as the others. {8/10}
08.) "You Thought Wrong" is my favorite song off the album. It features Tamyra Gray and has a plot similar to "The Boy Is Mine". This guy has been playing Kelly and Tamyra and they found out. The verses are kinda like R&B and the choruses are definitely ROCK. This song is perfect and should be the next single. {10/10}
09.) "Thankful" is kinda self-explanatory. It's unique and I've never heard a song like it in my life. It sounds like an extremely long interlude! {8/10}
10.) "Anytime" is the last new song on the album and is also in From Justin To Kelly. This is the strongest ballad and expresses how she feels about that special person in her life and how she wants him to know she'll be his endless support. {10/10}
Now to the pointless "mixes" of "A Moment Like This" and "Before Your Love"...personally I hear no difference. I still love both songs, but they are certainly not new mixes.

This album shows that Kelly is very versitile and has absolute staying power. It's quite the debut and is the best album I've heard in a while. It is easy to listen to and transitions smoothly. She has the voice of an angel and the songs show that off. If you don't already have this album after 19 hours of it's release...I don't know what you're waiting on!


File your tax return and then pick up Kelly's debut album   April 15, 2003
Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota)
21 out of 22 found this review helpful

I usually agree with Simon Cowell that the two biggest problems for the finalist on "American Idol" are that these kids have trouble selecting songs that work to their vocal strengths and that their performances are usually on a par with cruise ship entertainment. So in looking forward to "Thankful," the long awaited debut album from the Kelly Clarkson, the former cocktail waitress from Burleson, Texas who became the first American Idol, I was interested to see what series creator Simon Fuller and the rest of the producers would come up with in the way of songs. We already know the woman can sing (I did not join the bandwagon until after the controversy about Tamyra Gray being voted off at which point I watched the final three and immediately said, "I'm sorry, is there a question about which one of these three people can really sing?").

If the selection of the first single is any indication then the decision was to move Clarkson's musical career in the direction of Christina Aguilera. That would be because "Miss Independent" was started by Aguilera and producer Rhett Lawrence (the song was leftover from the "Stripped" album), and finished with Clarkson. Those who thought there would be more ballads in the wake of the record breaking single "A Moment Like This" need to remember that the show's producers had to come up with a song that could be sung by the other finalist, Justin Guarini, as well as Clarkson. Unfettered by this common denominator approach, Clarkson gets to totally let loose on this funky, up-tempo song with the mondo attitude that should appeal to her female fan base. Other producers on the album have worked with No Doubt, Jessica Simpson, and Avril Lavinge, which gives you an idea of the musical direction being mapped out here.

Clarkson co-wrote another pair of songs on her album, "You Thought Wrong" and "Thankful," both in collaboration with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and the Underdogs (Justin Timberlake). Both of the songs focus more on melody and harmony than power, especially "You Thought Wrong," which is a duet with Tamyra Gray, whose recent star turns on "Boston Public" were threatening to make people forget who won the concert (be honest: have you heard anybody on the second go round of "American Idol" sing anything as well as Tamyra did "I Will Also Love You" on the Fox school drama?). In other words, these songs not only play to Clarkson's strengths as a vocalist, they are showing some growth in that regard as well.

If I were going to predict the next two singles to come off of "Thankful" it would be "Anytime" (which she has already done live on "American Idol") and "Just Missed the Train," although I would not be surprised if the title track was thrown out there instead. "Low" is one of the better tracks as well. There are also new mixes of "A Moment Like This" and "Before Your Love," which should satisfy both those who picked up Clarkson's single or neglected to do so. The bottom line would be that this is a solid album and not a great album, but Kelly Clarkson is still relatively new to the big leagues. There have been too many recording artists in the last couple of decades who had great debut albums and never came close again. I would rather see somebody put together a solid foundation and build on that onward and upward. On that score we can be "Thankful" this album provides the next step up the ladder for Clarkson.

Track listings for "Thankful":

1. The Trouble With Love Is
2. Miss Independent
3. Low
4. Some Kind of Miracle
5. What's Up Lonely
6. Just Missed the Train
7. Beautiful Disaster
8. You Thought Wrong (with Tamyra Gray)
9. Thankful
10. Anytime
11. A Moment Like This (new mix)
12. Before Your Love (new mix)


"Thankful" for this great debut!   June 11, 2003
Davy Devotee
42 out of 48 found this review helpful

Anyone who bashes this CD for lack of creativity or talent must never have seen Kelly perform on AI (which leads me to wonder why the heck they bought the CD in the first place?) Since when do most young performers today write all of the songs on their albums, let alone their very first album? Let's look back at the 1960s as a previous reviewer noted and remember that many MANY "Idols" of yesterday were pre-fabricated and had successfull careers being just that. Since when is that a crime? Give the girl a break! Going into this project the whole world knew darn well what kind of CD this would be. Kelly wasn't chosen the winner for her writing abilities but for her vocal abilities. I must admit I was hesitating buying this CD. I didn't buy into the whole American Idol thing that much the first season but when I did happen to tune in and hear Kelly sing I was blown away and I kept going back. There was something about her voice that captured me and made me want to hear more. Her first album doesn't disappoint. If you're familiar with her style during AI and you actually did watch the show you'll already be familiar with "Moment Like This" and "Before Your Love" which were the 2 main reasons I bought this album. I didn't spend the dough for the single and was glad to see them on this album since that's what initally drew me in. When I heard "Anytime" during one of her appearances on AI2 it instantly became a favorite of mine and sealed the deal for me since it is also on the disk. True, Kelly will need to decide which way she goes on her next album - R&B or Pop - but the mixture of both on this one sounds okay. I feel that Clive Davis is trying to showcase Kelly's vocal diversity which is a welcome change from the popular hits that all sound the same. "Just Missed The Train" blends an intriguing sound of vocal harmonizing to make a train whistle sound for dramatic effect a few times during the song and the whole time the drive of the song is reminiscent of a train's movement. I'm a big fan of music that involves some creativity. I didn't care for the R&B tunes, not because Kelly didn't do them well, but because I'm a bigger fan of pop and hope that her next album will feature just pop. However, I do appreciate the risks she took and feel that those who know who Kelly is and what she brought to AI will be as "thankful" as I was that this CD surpassed my expectations!