Review: Season Five Idols Compilation Album

[Guest guest]

What has this to do with Alternative Answers ????............

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

AMEN !!!................

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

[Kudoes to poster flkofcguls at american-idol newsgroup....shg ]

 

As you all know, the Season Five Idols Compilation Album was released

today and I had the chance to hear an early copy of it. Here's my

review, song by song and Idol by Idol. Enjoy, if that's possible. The

tracks are in order of the CD.

 

What About Love by Melissa McGhee- Several mini-melismas dot this

rendition which shows more the limitations of McGhee's voice than any

kind of embellishments. Dull rendition shows she never deserved to

make it into the Top 12 over a superior singer such as Ayla Brown.

However, it reminded me that Heart had some great songs that have gone

forgotten. C-

 

Superstition by Bucky Covington- Wow, we get to hear Bucky's voice

without it being drowned out by the band and backup singers. It's not

bad. Of course, I can't compare it to his live performances since I

could barely hear those, but Bucky definitely mumbles less and he has a

pleasant growl to his voice. I don't know if it's enough to get him a

recording contract, but with the right material, he could make a

splash. Unfortunately, singing a Stevie Wonder song in rock style does

little to showcase any potential country roots and Bucky might have

done better singing something like " Oh Boy. " Still, it was enjoyable.

B-

 

I'm Every Woman by Mandisa- This is suprisingly bland and dull with a

dreadful backing track that sounds terribly manufactured. Mandisa is

no stranger to wailing, but plays it very vocally docile here, letting

the back-up singers do most of the heavy lifting. She doesn't approach

Martha Wash territory until the end of the song and she doesn't hold up

well in comparison. The live version was much better. Doesn't bode

well for a future recording contract. C

 

Wanted Dead or Alive by Chris Daughtry- I didn't expect to like this as

much as I did, as this is not a favorite song of mine to begin with.

Chris keeps both the shouting and the shaky vibrato calmed (though you

can really hear the vibrato at some places and it could spell trouble

down the road) Daughtry also does his own backing vocals and when

they're multi-tracked together, they sound really great. This makes me

almost want to hear what he could do with Fuel and a great songwriter

like Carl Bell. Way to go, Chris. B+

 

Father Figure by Ace Young- I'm surprised Ace didn't insist on singing

" Butterflies " for this compilation since he was so enamored of his own

performance of it. You can tell this voice was worked on in the

studio, but Ace's nasal quality still manages to shine through. If you

really want to be entertained, get to the middle of the first chorus

where Ace " improvises " over the backup singers. I promise you, it's a

good laugh. Plus, Ace telling anyone he'll be their daddy is good

enough to split a seam. He gets in some trademarked falsetto, but the

song goes on much too long for someone like Ace and I found my mind

wandering during it. C

 

Takin' It to the Streets by Taylor Hicks- Well, I finally got the

benefit of hearing Taylor without the disturbance of polyester rubbing

together and the verdict is.... Simon & Clive have their work cut out

for them. Perhaps because this is a Doobies song that the Michael

McDonald comparison would rear its ugly head more urgently, but the

song is such a copy of that version that you may as well just seek out

the original, as it's miles better. Taylor does this awful, growly

thing with his vocals that I've noticed Katharine does, too. I'm

guessing it's because they can't hit the note and to me, it really

sounds like he can't sing and is trying to cover that fact. It pops up

in spades on this song. Terrible saxophone interlude on the song,

also. 19E and J Records are gonna have to buy up a lot of copies of

Taylor's CD to fudge the numbers based on this. D

 

Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Lisa Tucker- Yikes. I imagine this is

what those Kidz Bop CDs must sound like. Tucker is so multi-tracked

and buried under back-up singers, but when her vocal stands on its own,

it's really amateurish. She'd have been a great guest vocalist on

" Saved by the Bell. " Let's hope for her sake that lioness costume

still fits. F

 

Walkin' After Midnight by Kellie Pickler- I would have preferred

" Fancy " but, oh well. Oh wow, this is already a mess and Pickler

hasn't even started singing. They've turned the song into a bluesy,

slutty, strippery honky tonk number that should probably be sung while

dancing on a pole. Pickler doesn't stand a chance with this

arrangement. I hate the way she pronounces the word " searching. " It

sounds like See-iiirching. It's bad Tanya Tucker and multi-tracked to

the teeth. I hope the tour figures in a pasties budget. D

 

Moody's Mood For Love by Elliott Yamin- Wow. I knew this would be

great, but it's wonderful to hear the full version. Yamin is in fine

vocal form, sounding just as amazing as he did live. My one complaint

is this version is too R & B. Elliott has the chops to be a terrific

jazz vocalist but I know he has stated that if he gets to make an

album, he wants it to be in the R & B vein. The problem is that no one

buys or plays or listens to that style of music these days. R & B has

morphed into hip-hop and rap and I fear Elliott would get lost in the

shuffle. Still, anyone hearing this track would have to agree who the

best singer this season is by a wide mile. A

 

Think by Katharine McPhee- Or should I call it " Thank, " since that's

how McPhee is pronouncing it. I feel the same way about this as I did

the first time I heard her sing it on the show. She's a milky white

girl trying to be funky and fails miserably at it. Her vocals are

decent and she keeps the melisma on a short leash until the end but if

I wanted to hear Doris Day sing Lady Marmalade, then I'd have pulled

her ass out of retirement and paid her to record it. You can hear the

backup singers snickering " phony white bitch " as they outsing McPhee.

Katharine is not every woman, so she needs to stop singing like she is.

C

 

Midnight Train to Georgia by Paris Bennett- Why they wouldn't have

Paris sing " These Foolish Things, " is a mystery, since this was a

dreadful performance live and it's even worse on record. Paris sounds

like she's not so much singing than voicing a cartoon cow for a Disney

movie. She also has no clue as to what she's singing about here, just

oversinging, shrieking and dirtying up the melody with melismas and

shouting. Paris is no Gladys Knight, but she could have a great career

in a few years as a jazz singer. Let's hope she realizes her potential

and doesn't subject us to the many wigs of Paris Bennett. D

 

When I Fall in Love by Kevin Covais- There isn't quite the disconnect

here as there is in other songs by the younger contestants, but it has

a slight high school production of Grease quality to it. That being

said, Covais acquits himself nicely on this song, outdoing many of the

contestants that outlasted him on the show. I don't know that he's

ever going to do anything in the business with his poindexter looks,

but he's got a good voice for stage and I could see him carving out a

nice musical theatre career with some vocal training. This was a great

way for him to go out of the show and hearing this, I'm sorry he won't

be getting to go on the tour. He'd be a much more welcome addition

than Lisa Tucker. B

 

So there you have it. Is the disc worth purchasing? Not really, but

in this day and age when you can buy individual tracks, digitally, why

not choose your favorite Idol and support them by purchasing their

tracks singularly. That might send a message to the producers where

the money really lies.

 

In order from 1-12 Best to Worst

 

1- Moody's Mood for Love by Elliott Yamin

2- Wanted Dead or Alive by Chris Daughtry

3- When I Fall in Love by Kevin Covais

4- Superstition by Bucky Covington

5- What ABout Love by Melissa McGhee

6- I'm Every Woman by Mandisa

7- Think by Katharine McPhee

8- Father Figure by Ace Young

9- Takin' It to the Streets by Taylor Hicks

10- Walkin' After Midnight by Kellie Pickler

11- Midnight Train to Georgia by Paris Bennett

12- Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Lisa Tucker

 

--

---------------------

The best lawyers in America

http://www.best-lawyer.org

 

American Idol Predictions - 85%+

accurate - go to www.super.nu, scroll

down to Link6

 

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---------------------

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Am I missing something here? We were told to keep chatting outside of the

group that was not related to Alternative healing. Where does this Idol

chit-chat fit in with this? So we can talk about Idols, but not harmful

sweetners?

 

Tint~

 

----

 

Steve Gunnels

05/24/06 10:30:23

undisclosed-recipients:,

Review: Season Five Idols Compilation Album

 

[Kudoes to poster flkofcguls at american-idol newsgroup....shg ]

 

As you all know, the Season Five Idols Compilation Album was released

today and I had the chance to hear an early copy of it. Here's my

review, song by song and Idol by Idol. Enjoy, if that's possible. The

tracks are in order of the CD.

 

What About Love by Melissa McGhee- Several mini-melismas dot this

rendition which shows more the limitations of McGhee's voice than any

kind of embellishments. Dull rendition shows she never deserved to

make it into the Top 12 over a superior singer such as Ayla Brown.

However, it reminded me that Heart had some great songs that have gone

forgotten. C-

 

Superstition by Bucky Covington- Wow, we get to hear Bucky's voice

without it being drowned out by the band and backup singers. It's not

bad. Of course, I can't compare it to his live performances since I

could barely hear those, but Bucky definitely mumbles less and he has a

pleasant growl to his voice. I don't know if it's enough to get him a

recording contract, but with the right material, he could make a

splash. Unfortunately, singing a Stevie Wonder song in rock style does

little to showcase any potential country roots and Bucky might have

done better singing something like " Oh Boy. " Still, it was enjoyable.

B-

 

I'm Every Woman by Mandisa- This is suprisingly bland and dull with a

dreadful backing track that sounds terribly manufactured. Mandisa is

no stranger to wailing, but plays it very vocally docile here, letting

the back-up singers do most of the heavy lifting. She doesn't approach

Martha Wash territory until the end of the song and she doesn't hold up

well in comparison. The live version was much better. Doesn't bode

well for a future recording contract. C

 

Wanted Dead or Alive by Chris Daughtry- I didn't expect to like this as

much as I did, as this is not a favorite song of mine to begin with.

Chris keeps both the shouting and the shaky vibrato calmed (though you

can really hear the vibrato at some places and it could spell trouble

down the road) Daughtry also does his own backing vocals and when

they're multi-tracked together, they sound really great. This makes me

almost want to hear what he could do with Fuel and a great songwriter

like Carl Bell. Way to go, Chris. B+

 

Father Figure by Ace Young- I'm surprised Ace didn't insist on singing

" Butterflies " for this compilation since he was so enamored of his own

performance of it. You can tell this voice was worked on in the

studio, but Ace's nasal quality still manages to shine through. If you

really want to be entertained, get to the middle of the first chorus

where Ace " improvises " over the backup singers. I promise you, it's a

good laugh. Plus, Ace telling anyone he'll be their daddy is good

enough to split a seam. He gets in some trademarked falsetto, but the

song goes on much too long for someone like Ace and I found my mind

wandering during it. C

 

Takin' It to the Streets by Taylor Hicks- Well, I finally got the

benefit of hearing Taylor without the disturbance of polyester rubbing

together and the verdict is.... Simon & Clive have their work cut out

for them. Perhaps because this is a Doobies song that the Michael

McDonald comparison would rear its ugly head more urgently, but the

song is such a copy of that version that you may as well just seek out

the original, as it's miles better. Taylor does this awful, growly

thing with his vocals that I've noticed Katharine does, too. I'm

guessing it's because they can't hit the note and to me, it really

sounds like he can't sing and is trying to cover that fact. It pops up

in spades on this song. Terrible saxophone interlude on the song,

also. 19E and J Records are gonna have to buy up a lot of copies of

Taylor's CD to fudge the numbers based on this. D

 

Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Lisa Tucker- Yikes. I imagine this is

what those Kidz Bop CDs must sound like. Tucker is so multi-tracked

and buried under back-up singers, but when her vocal stands on its own,

it's really amateurish. She'd have been a great guest vocalist on

" Saved by the Bell. " Let's hope for her sake that lioness costume

still fits. F

 

Walkin' After Midnight by Kellie Pickler- I would have preferred

" Fancy " but, oh well. Oh wow, this is already a mess and Pickler

hasn't even started singing. They've turned the song into a bluesy,

slutty, strippery honky tonk number that should probably be sung while

dancing on a pole. Pickler doesn't stand a chance with this

arrangement. I hate the way she pronounces the word " searching. " It

sounds like See-iiirching. It's bad Tanya Tucker and multi-tracked to

the teeth. I hope the tour figures in a pasties budget. D

 

Moody's Mood For Love by Elliott Yamin- Wow. I knew this would be

great, but it's wonderful to hear the full version. Yamin is in fine

vocal form, sounding just as amazing as he did live. My one complaint

is this version is too R & B. Elliott has the chops to be a terrific

jazz vocalist but I know he has stated that if he gets to make an

album, he wants it to be in the R & B vein. The problem is that no one

buys or plays or listens to that style of music these days. R & B has

morphed into hip-hop and rap and I fear Elliott would get lost in the

shuffle. Still, anyone hearing this track would have to agree who the

best singer this season is by a wide mile. A

 

Think by Katharine McPhee- Or should I call it " Thank, " since that's

how McPhee is pronouncing it. I feel the same way about this as I did

the first time I heard her sing it on the show. She's a milky white

girl trying to be funky and fails miserably at it. Her vocals are

decent and she keeps the melisma on a short leash until the end but if

I wanted to hear Doris Day sing Lady Marmalade, then I'd have pulled

her ass out of retirement and paid her to record it. You can hear the

backup singers snickering " phony white bitch " as they outsing McPhee.

Katharine is not every woman, so she needs to stop singing like she is.

C

 

Midnight Train to Georgia by Paris Bennett- Why they wouldn't have

Paris sing " These Foolish Things, " is a mystery, since this was a

dreadful performance live and it's even worse on record. Paris sounds

like she's not so much singing than voicing a cartoon cow for a Disney

movie. She also has no clue as to what she's singing about here, just

oversinging, shrieking and dirtying up the melody with melismas and

shouting. Paris is no Gladys Knight, but she could have a great career

in a few years as a jazz singer. Let's hope she realizes her potential

and doesn't subject us to the many wigs of Paris Bennett. D

 

When I Fall in Love by Kevin Covais- There isn't quite the disconnect

here as there is in other songs by the younger contestants, but it has

a slight high school production of Grease quality to it. That being

said, Covais acquits himself nicely on this song, outdoing many of the

contestants that outlasted him on the show. I don't know that he's

ever going to do anything in the business with his poindexter looks,

but he's got a good voice for stage and I could see him carving out a

nice musical theatre career with some vocal training. This was a great

way for him to go out of the show and hearing this, I'm sorry he won't

be getting to go on the tour. He'd be a much more welcome addition

than Lisa Tucker. B

 

So there you have it. Is the disc worth purchasing? Not really, but

in this day and age when you can buy individual tracks, digitally, why

not choose your favorite Idol and support them by purchasing their

tracks singularly. That might send a message to the producers where

the money really lies.

 

In order from 1-12 Best to Worst

 

1- Moody's Mood for Love by Elliott Yamin

2- Wanted Dead or Alive by Chris Daughtry

3- When I Fall in Love by Kevin Covais

4- Superstition by Bucky Covington

5- What ABout Love by Melissa McGhee

6- I'm Every Woman by Mandisa

7- Think by Katharine McPhee

8- Father Figure by Ace Young

9- Takin' It to the Streets by Taylor Hicks

10- Walkin' After Midnight by Kellie Pickler

11- Midnight Train to Georgia by Paris Bennett

12- Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Lisa Tucker

 

--

---------------------

The best lawyers in America

http://www.best-lawyer.org

 

American Idol Predictions - 85%+

accurate - go to www.super.nu, scroll

down to Link6

 

Do you sincerely desire to be and stay rich?

http://www.richcash.net

---------------------