At first glance, Kelly Clarkson's new single, "Mr. Know It All," seems to be a sequel to one of her first hits, "Miss Independent." In reality, the song represents a very different point in Clarkson's career, and unfortunatly it's a bit of a step back for the original American Idol winner.
The singer who brought us super catchy loud hits such as "Since U Been Gone" and "I Do Not Hook Up" as well as softer, slower classics like "Breakaway," has always been a master at knowing when to pump up the noise and when to tone it down and let her voice shine. Yet on this track, the balance is off. Softer instrumentals are paired with a Pink-esqe tone to Clarkson's vocals, and the mix just doesn't quite click.
When listeners get to the chorus and the gruffness in her singing is dropped (for the most part), the song gets a whole lot better. As Clarkson sings, "You think that you know me/That's why I'm leaving you lonely," it's difficult not to groove along.
But that's another problem with this song: It doesn't exactly lend itself to blasting in the car and screaming the lyrics at the top of your lungs (whether or not the windows are rolled up on down, that depends on you). It's frustratingly close to being a mega-hit; if the instrumentals and the vocals matched more consistently, there'd be no stopping Clarkson yet again. Instead, we're left with a track that won't be remembered as one of Kelly Clarkson's Greatest Hits but that is close enough that it won't disappoint most fans.
What do you think - do you love it? Hate it? Couldn't care less? Listen below and sound off!
