Trouble
Although only nineteen years old, this precocious redhead unleashes more sass and ambiguity in her voice than a woman twice her age. Fierce and musically assured, Bonnie McKee is a pop alternative toAvril Lavigne, traversing some of the same lyrical territory as the Canadian punk thrush but with more emotional intelligence and grit--quite an accomplishment since McKee didn't employ the glossy talents of the Matrix, or anyone else for that matter--the singer penned all twelve tracks herself. With a vocal range on par withChristina Aguilera, McKee manages to go from kittenish to feral in the space of a single song, and always seems to end up on top, no matter how many times she stumbles. "When It All Comes Down" may be the sound of heartbreak, but McKee refuses to wallow in her pain and plots her own eventual recovery in the space of a single song. By rights, this should be the anthem for anyone attempting to get over a breakup--without appearing to. "Confessions of a Teenage Girl," is so winsome and engaging, it could inspire a Fox TV show. But Bonnie McKee has talent to burn, so it wouldn't be a surprise if that's already in the works. Paired withGreen Dayproducer, Rob Cavallo, McKee elevates post-teen rebellion and broken romance to high art--and this is only the beginning of what she's capable of. --Jaan Uhelszki