Just as star quarterback Aaron Rodgers plays in the shadow of a star every Sunday, Selena Gomez (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) has been continually compared to Disney star Miley Cyrus (“Hannah Montana”).

With the release of Selena Gomez & The Scene’s first album, Kiss and Tell, Gomez is looking to come into her own by adding a musical dimension to her career. Although Gomez’s status is nowhere near that of Cyrus’ quite yet, her new album features pop-rock and dance styles that promise to strike a chord with her audience.

Unfortunately, Gomez’s upbeat songs like “Kiss and Tell,” “I Won’t Apologize” and “Falling Down” are so heavily distorted that it’s impossible to tell if she has any vocal talent. Instead of highlighting the voice she legitimately has, these songs consist of whiny, high-pitched layers that successfully mask any melody — or lack thereof. Despite the adolescent vocals, these songs provide a wide variety of rhythms and sounds, evoking an overall picture of middle school sleepover jams.

The more relaxed songs, however, are surprising. “I Promise You” and “The Way I Love You” are positive additions that highlight Gomez’s depth and truly display her voice. Although she’s no prima donna — her voice proves to be average — the courageous vulnerability sounds beautiful and deserves respect.

Despite the variety of sound, Gomez’s lyrics revolve around the same clich?d subject: boys. “Boy, you screwed up when you left me,” “Boy I am better off without you” and “Boy I love you” may as well be the words for every song. These themes may ring true in Gomez’s life and with a portion of her teenage audience, but she has a younger audience as well who benefit from role models who have interests other than juvenile relationships. Gomez would be more successful at being a true role model had she thought about more things to sing about other than boys.

“Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” stands out lyrically and is a bit satirical, paralleling Gomez’s struggle with the media comparing her to Cyrus, although, according to Wikipedia, Gomez did not write the song and does not claim any personal ties with the lyrics. The song includes a rap-like bridge, setting it apart from the rest of the album stylistically. The lyrics discuss people who crush her dreams and tell her the high odds of failure, ending with the message “I know I’m gonna get there someday/ It doesn’t help when you say/ It won’t be easy.”

Is Gomez Superbowl bound? Just as Rodgers methodically proves that he deserves the Packers’ love, Gomez’s Kiss and Tell is akin to a few short first down passes. Gomez has put herself out there cautiously and slowly. It’s no 60-yard touchdown, and chances are that people over 13 will not enjoy it, but it reaches her audience as a legitimate start from which a young musician may grow into a star.

2 1/2 stars out of 5.