Breakaway

It was the Evanescence connection.

Ben Moody and David Hodges co-wrote quite a few songs with Amy Lee for the “Fallen” album and they also co-wrote “Addicted” and “Because Of You” with Clarkson.

So I was interested to hear. And of course, Ben Moody was also the original guitarist and co-founder of Evanescence.

I still would have picked it up, because the album was huge in Australia, certified 7x Platinum,.

Apart from Moody and Hodges, it’s a who’s who of songwriters. All of them different and diverse, yet it sounds like one cohesive pop rock album. Max Martin, Dr Luke, Avril Lavigne and John Shanks are just some that come to mind.

The Max Martin and Dr Luke penned “Since U Been Gone” proved to be a massive hit. And they backed it up again with “Behind These Hazel Eyes”, a co-write this time with Clarkson.

And the Clarkson, Hodges and Moody cuts “Because of You” and “Addicted” do not disappoint at all.

My December

Then came “My December”, 3 years later and the powerful “Never Again” blasts out of the speakers with her Alanis inspired lyrics.

But it didn’t get the same numbers as “Breakaway” in Australia. This was Clarkson being a singer and a songwriter. Even a proposed offer of $10 million from label boss Clive Davis, to remove 5 songs from the album and replace those songs with more radio friendly pop songs from Max Martin, couldn’t get Clarkson to bite.

This album was personal.

Because when you write about your experiences, its therapeutic, it keeps you sane and it satisfies a need.

Check out the other tracks like “Sober”, “Judas”, “Haunted”, “Maybe” and album closer “Irvine”.