I'm not exactly sure why on one of my many trips to the local library to check out some new music I decided out of the blue to give Vitamin C a chance. Those of you who have read my previous reviews on the current roster of popular pop music performers (I refuse to call them "artists," at least the ones who really aren't artists) probably are shaking your head as well. I guess it was because I had heard that it wasn't your normal current era "pop" music, that it was smarter, while remaining catchy and fun.

Vitamin C is actually Colleen Fitzpatrick, formerly the lead singer of modern rock band Eve's Plum, a clever play on the name of the actress who played Jan in the original Brady Bunch series.

Fitzpatrick is very smooth vocally, she has a voice that draws you in because it sounds so, well, for lack of a better term, nice. There's a hint of reassurance in her voice on many of the songs here, and, when necessary, a good amount of attitude as well. No one's going to confuse her with Mandy Moore.

There were two singles on this album that absolutely, positively blew up. The first, simple called Smile, I didn't even know was by Vitamin C until I first listened to this CD. Most of you have heard it, with the ultra catchy reggae style "whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do" refrain going on in the background while Fitzpatrick begs you to "put a smile on your face." It's odd, because normally radio friendly pop stuff like this would just annoy me, but with Fitzpatrick's voice makes you smile, you just cannot help it. Her lyrics cut deeper than that on this song though, pointing to a deeper message that just doesn't quite come through, unfortunately.

The other single may be the sappiest song ever written. Graduation (Friends Forever) will still be played 10 years from now at proms, dances and other high school functions. It is inevitable. I don't really buy this song at all, to me it just comes off as cheesy and completely unrealistic. Sure, I still hang out with some people from high school, but there are a lot I haven't seen since then either.

What sets this record apart from the rest of the female pop singers out there today is the variety and quality of the album tracks that weren't commercially released. There are at least 2 more bona fide hits on here had they been released. The first one would be a cover of a previous hit, Split Enz' I Got You. When I saw the title on the back of the CD, I immediately passed it off as something that just couldn't be the old Split Enz song from the early 80s. Or maybe I just didn't want to believe that anyone but Pearl Jam covered this song. Whatever it was, I have to stand up and salute Fitzpatrick here. She has made a fabulous rock song into a fabulous dance pop song that still stays very true to the original. Rather than mess with the basic structure of the song, she decided to keep a lot of it the way it was, and that's why it is such a great success.

The other is the sly, sleek, and sexy Not That Kind of Girl, a song that just drives it's way into your head and won't let itself out anytime soon. Her voice here is much more coarse, aggressive, and, well, it's just damn cool.

Fitzpatrick even uses a Clash sample (!!!) on Fear of Flying. She successfully makes an interesting pop album that will appeal to both teenyboppers and one that varies enough to interest non pop fans like me. If you're disgusted with the current crop of pop stars, give Vitamin C a chance.

Recommended: Yes