So Real

12/07/1999 3:00 AM, LAUNCH
Mike Lipton

Over a lite synth pop groove, new sensation Mandy Moore coos, "I'll take you up, I'll take you down. I'll show you what real love's about. C'mon and try it." Not exactly the stuff you'd expect from a 15-year-old--but, to paraphrase Lou Reed, "these are different times."

One thing's for sure, Moore is the new girl on the block and, faster than you can say Brittany-Spears-Spice-Girls-Janet-Jackson, she's comped the styles of the current pop elite with a sultry voice and more than a little savvy. "So Real," a sparse and infectious dance track, and "Candy," the first single, begin the record with a healthy nod to Prince's sugary funk-pop. The material runs the gamut from the undulating ("What You Want") and sappy ("Quit Breaking My Heart") to the dance-friendly ("Let Me Be The One") and teen themes ("Not Too Young").

Moore handles the lion's share of the vocals/harmonies (she's been recording jingles and themes for years) while the production/songwriting team of Tony Battaglia and Shaun Fisher are responsible for all the backing tracks, most of which are generated by synths. While there's no chance of mistaking her music for art, Moore's carefully designed package has already made her a heartthrob.