Artist: Donna Summer Album: Crayons

Year: 2008
Duration: 55:52

Don't Miss Out on the ART-POP Brilliance in Donna Summer's Crayons

Donna Summer may have passed on, but her musical legacy lives on with her 17th studio album, Crayons. This album is unique in its genre, a blend of pop and dance music, which has a splash of retro disco. This album left fans both satisfied and heartbroken. Satisfied because the album delivers memorable tracks such as Stamp Your Feet that has a mixture of pop grooves that you can't help but dance to. Heartbroken because fans knew that this album was going to be her last. Here's a critical review of Donna Summer's Crayons.

A Brief History of the Artist

The legendary singer, songwriter, and performer, Donna Summer, was born in Boston in 1948. Donna Summer made a significant impact on the music scene during the disco era in the 1970s and beyond. She was a five-time Grammy winner and is considered the Queen of Disco. Donna rebelled from her church upbringing and started in music by joining a Blues/Rock band before getting her big break singing on a touring production of the hit musical Hair. Donna Summer's diverse music background allowed her to excel in the funk, soul, and pop genre - a sound that truly came to the forefront on her Crayons album.

Music Genre in Crayons

The album has everything from funk, pop, rock, to dance music. It was her first album in 17 years and an attestation to her popularity and artistic legacy. The music blends modern synthesizers with retro beats to create a unique sound that can't be passed up. Her voice reflects not only the mature sound of someone who’s been in the industry for so long, but also someone who still had much more to give.

Best Songs on Crayons

The first track Stamp Your Feet brings you back to the disco era and is a standout track on the album. It's a toe-tapping and a head-bopping track that displays the diva's impressive range and provocative performance. Crayons allow Donna Summer to showcase her vocal prowess, with smooth yet powerful vocals on display in tracks such as Fame (The Game) and Slide Over Backwards. The song I'm a Fire is a pop banger that keeps the energy up throughout.

Innovative Parts of the Album

The album is innovative for the way it seamlessly blends genres. Blending genres is the norm these days, but back in 2008, it was still not very common. The album's freshness comes from the combination of horns, strings, and electronic elements, all combined into the genre-bending art-pop sound found in Crayons.

Critic to the Album

While Crayons is a solid album, there are moments where it fails to live up to Donna Summer's iconic sound. The album has a few weak tracks that seem to be repeating a few ideas. The album's adult contemporary tracks, like Sand on My Feet, a slide guitar driven tune, is a bit too forgettable in comparison to other tracks on the album. At fourteen tracks, a few songs are worthy of being passed over.

While Crayons is a solid album, there are moments where it fails to live up to Donna Summer's iconic sound. The album has a few weak tracks that seem to be repeating a few ideas. The album's adult contemporary tracks, like Sand on My Feet, a slide guitar driven tune, is a bit too forgettable in comparison to other tracks on the album. At fourteen tracks, a few songs are worthy of being passed over.

Donna Summer's final album, Crayons, is a love-letter to art-pop. It impressively showcases the iconic talent's vocal range and her musical versatility. Critics have labelled this album as one of her best, and fans could not agree more. It's disappointing to know that this was the last album Donna Summer released before she left us, but it's always a pleasure to listen to and remind ourselves of why we loved her and her music.