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| Teen star sings songs from the popular Nickelodeon series, plus five new songs. I Wanna Be, Dummy, Mexican Wrestler, Punch Rocker, New Shoes, more. |
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| 1 I Wanna Be |
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| 2 Punch Rocker |
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| 3 Say Goodbye to Jr. High |
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| 4 I Have Arrived |
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| 5 94 Weeks (Metal Mouth Freak) |
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| 6 This Is Me |
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| 7 Dummy |
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| 8 Mexican Wrestler |
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| 9 We Are Gonna Happen |
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| 10 New Shoes |
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Album Review
Half-soundtrack, half teen-pop debut album, Emma Roberts' "Unfabulous and More" features songs from the Nickelodeon series "Unfabulous" -- in which Roberts plays Addie Singer, a sensitive but sassy 13 year-old who writes songs to cope with the ups and downs of adolescence -- as well as a few new tracks. Much like Hilary Duff's first forays into pop during "Lizzie McGuire", Roberts is fresh and genuine, and the album is filled with sweet, idealistic songs sung by a young girl that sounds like a young girl instead of a pop tart. "Unfabulous and More" is just as musically eclectic, if not more so, than many of the albums by established teen divas: It spans the big, shiny pop of "I Wanna Be," the spunky rock of "Punch Rocker" and "Say Goodbye to Jr. High," a detailed look into the inner workings of the junior-high caste system set to bittersweet synth-pop, in just the first three tracks. Like many other teen-pop albums, there's a small army of writers, producers and musicians responsible for these songs, but "Unfabulous and More" actually manages to sound like the voice of one girl. Many of the best songs were written by Jill Sobule, whose work has always had a sometimes-sweet, sometimes-sharp insight into young women's thoughts. "New Shoes" captures the giddy delight of getting a new pair of kicks, while "94 Weeks (Metal Mouth Freak)" nails the prison-like feeling of putting your teeth in a cage. Though the song is more than a little self-pitying, and much like having braces, goes on a little too long, it's still kind of remarkable that this teenage rite of passage and the worries surrounding it (will you still like me if I have braces?) hasn't had a song dedicated to it before. Songs like "Mexican Wrestler" and "Dummy" -- a kiss-off song dedicated to a friend who's becoming a poser -- also add some quirky but perceptive twists to teen angst. "Unfabulous and More" may be too earnest and innocent for fans of glossier, more glamorous teen-pop, but based on these songs, it's easy to hear why "Unfabulous", and Roberts, strike a chord with teenage girls. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
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• Biography
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