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Release Date: August 16, 2005 Label: Hollywood Records Related Sites: · Official Website Grade: B-

Aly & AJ are Alyson and Amanda Joy Michalka, 16- and 14-year-old sisters who are the latest pop sensation churned out of the Disney machine. Aly co-stars in the hit Disney Channel series, Phil of the Future and plays the lead in the Disney Channel original movie Now You See It.... AJ has acted on HBO's Six Feet Under, WB's Birds of Prey and has had recurring roles on the CBS drama The Guardian, the Fox-TV comedy Oliver Beene, and the soap opera General Hospital. But together they have been playing piano since the age of six, and their compositions make up the bulk of their debut album.

For reasons beyond the scope of this review, I had Hilary Duff's Most Wanted queued up after this album and I was several tracks into the latter's album until I realized I wasn't listening to the sisters anymore. This should give you some idea of the musical territory covered in this pop confection. Their vocal talents far surpass Duff's, but that's a group that could arguably include everybody. They aspire beyond their pop trappings by tackling subjects relevant to their age group. "Protecting Me," speaks of the vulnerability of being a kid, and "I Am One of Them" addresses child kidnappings. While admirable, the songwriting leaves a little to be desired, as evidenced in the latter: "It's hard to look outside my door/With all the news reports and more/Yet I would do my part and stay alive/For all the kids out there who are getting hurt/It could have happened to me/Can you make me believe/This could have a happy end/Cos I am one of them."

Their gifted vocals open the album before the track launches into its rocking chorus. "Rush" was previously featured on the compilation Disney Girlz Rock and sets the album's tone of encouragement. It is one of many tracks with grammatically-challenged lyrics ("Don't let nobody tell you your life is over") and English teachers everywhere could fill an entire course dissecting its inaccuracies. The next track, "No One," was featured in the movie Ice Princess and at times sounds a bit like Avril Lavigne, a similarity hinted at throughout the rest of the songs. There's a nice blend of loud and soft music, with the sisters' guitar and piano playing evident in the mix. The album concludes with their hit cover of the Lovin' Spoonful's "Do You Believe In Magic" and an energetic take on Katrina and the Waves' ultimate feel-good "Walking on Sunshine" (which also makes an appearance on the Herbie: Fully Loaded soundtrack). This album is being released in Christian retail stores with a bonus song called "Never Far Behind," a tale of a friend's unconditional love that concludes by imparting that God is that same kind of friend.

Aly & AJ have obvious talent although their songwriting needs to mature. They try, but in the end the album lack any real depth, though their willingness to talk about tough subjects and shed a positive light on them notches them above their vainglorious teen pop peers.