He likes the nightlife, he likes to boogie.

There are two or three reporters at the St. Petersburg Times who absolutely hate Taylor Hicks with the passion of a thousand burning suns. So the Times, because it cares about its credibility (I’d assume; it could have been because the others walked out in protest) sent its only neutral reviewer — a guy who’d never really heard Hicks sing before — to last night’s show. Aaaaaaand? He kinda liked it.

He strapped on a guitar (he wasn’t terrible) for about a third of the set and played his own songs “Hell of a Day” and “The Deal.” You could tell he was having more fun playing his own material. Indeed, Hicks was at his best when he felt free enough to let his salt and pepper shake, and produce enough facial contortions to spook Joe Cocker. His goofy signature dance move – I call it the Jive-Walking Hunchback – is just dorky enough to make you grin…If Hicks wants to blossom, he might do well to let loose a little more often. He’s not a bad showman, but he’s a surprisingly solid musician. There’s no shame in being a modern standard-bearer for the white-bread blues; just ask Huey Lewis or Michael McDonald. Indeed, Hicks’ finest moment was the closing song that’s become his anthem, McDonald’s “Takin’ It to the Streets.” It was energetic, even dynamic, and Hicks’ harmonica work – outstanding, by the way – was really fun. The crowd loved it all. Me, I could have used more of the bluesy stuff. But his career will be fine either way. The Soul Patrol will see to that.

I could use more bluesy stuff, too. Ahh, maybe next time.

So were you wondering last night how it was that de facto Season Five winner (as far as TPTB are concerned) Chris Daughtry had his song “Home” selected to replace Bad Day? According to Variety, it wasn’t part of an evil plot to erase all memory of Taylor Hicks from the collective Idol consciousness:

Unfortunately for the “Idol” producers, Powter was signed to Warner Bros. As a result, his record label reaped big coin, while the “Idol” camp got bubkas. It’s no surprise, then, that this year’s exit song comes from Daughtry, a band fronted by 2006 “American Idol” contender Chris Daughtry — and signed to RCA/19, the official “Idol” record label. But Iain Pirie, head of 19 Entertainment U.S., said the song’s selection wasn’t a matter of keeping things all in the family. Back in October, Pirie had a meeting with “Idol” exec producer and 19 exec Nigel Lythgoe. Given Lythgoe’s role in helping launch Daughtry, Pirie figured he’d want to hear some tracks from the group’s upcoming album. “I brought a rough version of ‘Home’ and played it for Nigel. He called up Simon Fuller right away, and they both agreed right away that the song had the sentiment to be the perfect ‘Idol’ exit song,” Pirie told Daily Variety. “It seemed to fit perfectly.”

The yin and the yang.

Seems like for everyone who loves Katharine McPhee’s music, there’s someone who hates her, too. I think at this point in time, from what I’ve seen, Taylor Hicks actually got the generally more favorable reviews…though I’d have to go back and check to be really sure. Oh well. You can’t please all the people all the time. And like I always say, no matter what critics or I personally think of her, the important thing is that she’s making music for her fans to enjoy.

From PrideSource.com:

[Katharine] McPhee. McDonalds. What’s the difference? Well, Mickey D’s at least offers a value meal. Meaning, maybe a limp batch of 99-cent fries leaves you disgruntled, but you can always ask for some fresh ones. Or something else. With Katharine McPhee’s debut, though, we…are left with this nagging ripped-off feeling. We can’t pay the “American Idol” runner-up another 99-cents for a new set of songs. Though we would give up our fries for them. The limp ones, of course.

Jillian: Gawd, this music is cotton candy.
Chris: Ha-ha! I feel the same way. Her voice is pretty good on it, but some of the cuts are just overly slinky and syrupy.
Jillian: Her voice is average. I mean for the singers that are out right now she doesn’t stand out at all.
Chris: I remember this all-girl group Dream from years ago, and this album reminds me of them.
Jillian: The third song is a total Xtina rip-off!!!!
Chris: It’s too bubble gummy.
Jillian: This is killing me.
Chris: I bet it’ll blow up on radio – sadly.

Mornin’.

Be sure to check out the new Top 24’s official American Idol questionnaires — the link is in the sidebar.

From The Ithacan Online:

Katharine McPhee, the first runner-up from season five, has released a self-titled debut that is overproduced and personality-deficient, falling short of fans’ high expectations. What McPhee lacks in control of her voice, she makes up in depth and flavor. R&B tracks like “Open Toes” and “Everywhere I Go” showcase her personal vocal style, making up for the confusion caused by sad, Clarkson-esque attempts like “Over It” and “Better Off Alone.” “Dangerous” is one of the best pure pop songs on the album, with a great hook and killer vocals. The lyrics, unfortunately, land somewhere between corny and cringe-worthy… (two out of four stars)

From the Ohio State University Lantern:

McPhee’s self-titled debut album is confusing and immature. The 22-year-old has a lot of growing up to do before she can become the next Kelly Clarkson. The album definitely shows she is struggling between being a fun and sassy college girl and an adult. Some tracks are mature ballads, while others are girlie-club hits. While an album should have variety, it should not sound like a homemade mix. It was like listening to Celine Dion, Jessica Simpson and even Britney Spears all in one album. The worst is the silly, unnecessary track, “Open Toes.” Yes, we all know that the four-inch heel Steve Madden open toe shoes were very “in” this season, but there is no need for a song about it.”

Better late than never.

From rocknworld.com:

…This album is not a laid back chill out CD, it is meant for fun, rocking out, dancing and singing along. The album opens with the fast paced “The Runaround”. The marching drums catch your attention and things don’t slow down until the last song. Taylor Hicks’ self-titled CD shows that Hicks is the real thing and not just some karaoke wanna-be. Recent reports stated that the sales of R&B music have declined significantly in the past couple of years; but if more albums like Taylor Hicks album were released then album sales would make a quick recovery. (four stars)

A late-breaking Hicks review.

Nineronline.com is a little slow on the uptake, but we won’t hold it against them.

Mixing his soul roots with rock rhythm and pop melodies to create his own sound, [Taylor Hicks] adds his strong vocal performances that carry him from the low to high range effortlessly and his gravelly accent that makes you feel the music down in your bones…His music also speaks to the romantic in all of us. In the song “The Deal” (which he wrote) he talks about looking for love and choosing when it’s time to move on. The song paints a picture of someone looking for love in someone who doesn’t love them back. Though you don’t want to deny your heart, sometimes you have to move on and see what else is there. In this case, the person makes one last plea for love before moving on. This is relatable for most people, as many of us have found ourselves in a one-sided love-fest. His words are encouraging in that they remind us that while letting go can be hard, you may find someone you truly love and who loves you back. This is an inspiring song with a great message. Overall, this CD presents great messages with driving vocals and rhythms, making it a must for any soul fans or just fans of the Soul Patrol (the nickname for Hicks’s fanbase).

Apples and bananas.

From Philly.com:

The long-delayed debut from last season’s American Idol runner-up is a feisty but failed attempt to position [Katharine] McPhee as the next Mariah Carey. The problem: Her flawless fairy-princess vocals don’t really go with these bold, bottom-heavy tracks. For much of the CD, it sounds as if McPhee is holding on tighter than a bull rider. The more balladic entries such as “Home” and “Ordinary World” (her most impressive vocal display) are more accommodating to her rangy but light voice. McPhee’s first release is full of good material, smartly produced, but it never accomplishes the first imperative for an Idol alum: establishing a viable identity. (two and a half stars)

From BlogCritics.org:

What’s funny is that this girl from American Idol who many probably won’t take seriously for years to come, showed up and outsang most of the pop and R&B divas of today with halfway decent material. Her voice has the soul of Kelly Clarkson, with a tone that could potentially rival the great Whitney Houston’s (another track from the album, “I Lost You”, was originally recorded for Whitney’s upcoming comeback album) with enough work, yet the emotion and phrasing of greats like Eva Cassidy and Barbra Streisand. She’s got lightyears to go as a live performer, and it’ll be interesting to see if she steps up the plate and really takes creative control on her next album with both a new direction and doing more of the writing herself. (three and a half out of five stars)

From SputnikMusic.com:

Whether she finished thirty-second or first, music executives would have no trouble selling Katharine McPhee. And so comes the eponymous debut record – safe, predictable, unoriginal, but marketable in every sense. To give McPhee her due credit, she is a very good singer. But she’s so unremarkable in every way, that she fails to put a stamp on any single track. Any song here could be sung by Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Jojo, Nelly Furtado, insert pop singer here – and with much more distinction. Brooke Hogan could breathe more life into these songs. Instead, McPhee sings them, they come, they go, and nothing much comes of it…McPhee’s writers take no risks or chances, refuse to step outside of a vendible mold, and this is perhaps the worst part of the entire venture. If they had attempted to piece together a record that didn’t sound like a sorry little sister of everything that’s selling at the moment, they would at least earn points for stepping outside of the box.

A conglomeration, a mishmash, a menage, if you will.

Hey, Taylor Hicks has got some new stuff up at rehearsals.com! Be sure to check out Taylor adding a new break-down ending to “Hold Onto Your Love,” wrapping his beautiful, bluesy tenor around…lyrics about methadone and soul fires, as far as I can tell. You never know. Anyway, check out all of Taylor’s rehearsals.com appearances here…and don’t miss “You Are So Beautiful.”

So Idol is accepting coronation song submissions from the public this year. That means instead of hearing shit like “My Destiny” from professional songwriters, you’ll likely be hearing worse songs from people who can’t hack it. Hey, Idol loves an underdog, am I right? Anyway, Uncle Nigel (Lythgoe) has pitched to FOX an Idol All-Stars show, where past winners (which, according to Nigel, would be Kelly, Ruben, Fantasia, Carrie and Chris) would come back to sing songs in the running for the final pick before viewers vote on them. Also, Uncle Nigel had this to say about Simon Cowell’s much-maligned “bush baby” comment:

A bush baby isn’t even a monkey… .A bush baby has beautiful, big eyes… .I don’t find it derogatory.

Hey, thanks, Nigel, for proving once again that you have no soul.

Want to listen to the full version of Elliott Yamin’s “Movin’ On”? Check it out at AOL’s First Listen. (You can also find snippets of “A Song For You,” “You Are the One,” and “Find a Way.”) If I had to find something wrong with the song (and you knew I would), it would be that, once again, I am completley unimpressed by the production. I learned these same three chords on my Casio when I was, like, six. I think the song is better suited either for a beautiful piano (the delicacy of the piano combined with the funky power of Elliott’s vocals would be an interesting textural contrast) or a full-out funkified workout, but here it just kind of sounds like they fell short on the budget. And hey, maybe they did. But you know what? Elliott’s vocals are superb here. I mean, we’re talking nearly flawless. (Taylor reaches this level too with “The Right Place” on his CD, and Katharine gets her technically, but still soulless, impeccable performance on “Ordinary World.”) But still, Elliott sounds much, much more interesting than he ever did on Idol, because I have to admit, while he was on the show, I never quite got his appeal. But now I do. And I’m eagerly awaiting this CD.

In Katharine McPhee news, The Advocate takes the same tack on her album that most reviewers are taking–beautiful girl, beautiful voice, one or two redeeming ballads, and the rest is commercialized crap:

McPhee sings darker and lower than her singing heroines, which allows her some individuality despite the conformity that surrounds her. The multi-tracked McPhee stacks enough harmonies to be a one-woman Destiny’s Child. The instrumental arrangements around her contain the usual electronics that fill contemporary hip-hop and R&B music, but the overall production echoes Whitney Houston and Madonna in their ’80s dance-pop glory. There are a few nods to Gwen Stefani and soul classic Aretha Franklin, too. McPhee’s talent is best expressed, in fact, by the Franklin-like “Better Off Alone.” Otherwise, the marketplace rules.

Shake it up, baby.

From Monsters and Critics (yes, it really does say “defiantly;” I don’t know if it was meant to say “definitely” or not):

What I’ve been able to learn is that [Katharine] McPhee was known for her old school rendition of “Over the Rainbow.” Those expecting something along those lines on this album will be disappointed…The album starts off with the bouncy “Love Story,” continues with the typical break up song “Over It.” The next track is downright silly and called “Open Toes.” … “Home” is the next track and is more of a power ballad and is the first song that captured my attention. McPhee is a hottie (see the provocative picture on the album cover) and is very talented. I liked her voice, but I thought most of the songs didn’t really differentiate her from the current crop of Britneys. Her debut is not bad, but it just seems like more of the same bugglegum. Whatever the case, her fans will defiantly love it.

From Rolling Stone:

…You could imagine McPhee following Kelly Clarkson’s lead and doing big-ass pop that makes both Middle America and big-city types happy. But McPhee’s debut doesn’t render her halfway interesting. The album’s twenty-two songwriters mostly avoid schlock but can’t come up with an alternative, which makes ballads like “Better Off Alone” and tepid, McPhunky dance pop such as “Do What You Do” just bland. The upbeat “Love Story” and the decent ballad “Everywhere I Go” mix pop and R&B and provide some relief, but most of Katharine McPhee is politics as usual. (two and a half out of five stars)

From The Richmond Times-Dispatch:

She’s luminous and vocally gifted. So why does Katharine McPhee look like she just finished the late shift at the Golden Nugget in Vegas on the album’s cover and sound like a cut-rate Jessica Simpson on her 12-song debut?…Sure, it will blend seamlessly with the rest of the unsophisticated sound-alikes on Top 40 so some might call that success but someone with such a supple voice deserves better than this Kool-Aid. “Not Ur Girl” is the only track with a little meat behind it….But for the love of Simon Cowell, who allowed something as stupid, drippy and embarrassing as “Open Toes” on a record vying for respectability? (two stars)

Start spreadin’ the news.

Katharine McPhee nets herself a lovely review from the New York Times this morning. She should be proud of this one.

American Idol” still hasn’t conquered the most mainstream genre of all: the show has yet to produce a true dance-pop star. Now Katharine McPhee is trying to change that…And part of what makes her debut album work is its brashness. “This is sick,” she says, as the beat for a Gwen-Stefani-ish song called “Do What You Do” kicks in. Then she alternates between whispering and letting her big voice loose…A few moments are pretty silly, regardless. As you might have feared, “Open Toes” is indeed about shoes, and never has anyone sung those two words so vehemently. (Or, by song’s end, so incessantly.) But silliness is hardly fatal for an aspiring dance-pop star. And in any case, as “Idol” viewers already know, Ms. McPhee can deliver a show-stopping love song. In “Home,” one of six songs partly written by Kara DioGuardi, a great songwriter for hire, Ms. McPhee nails the inspirational chorus. As the piano builds, she asks, “Does anybody know what it’s like to feel larger than life?” Apparently she does.

The Winnipeg Sun, on the other hand, was not so kind.

On her latest single, Katharine McPhee proclaims herself “so over it.” Funny, we feel the same way about pointless, unoriginal albums like this disappointing debut from American Idol’s fifth-season runnerup. Her tunes come in three cookie-cutter shapes: 1) Sassy, Beyonce-style hip-hop strutters; 2) Paper-thin pop-chart baubles; 3) Wrenching Christinafied ballads. Sadly, the latter dominates. And OK, she can sing them all. But like most Idol performers, she never makes the songs her own. She keeps this up, the fickle Idol hordes will get over her faster than Justin whatshisname.

Got soul?

According to the New York Times, everything soul is new again:

Many of the contemporary pop and R&B acts among this year’s Grammy nominees — including John Legend, Gnarls Barkley and Corinne Bailey Rae — are also drinking from the wellspring of classic soul music. Some, like the British revivalists James Hunter and Joss Stone, are updating the styles of their forebears. Others, like Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige, work more in a neo-soul vein, employing studio musicians and samples of older recordings to create a new hybrid. Of course the myriad tributes to the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, who died on Christmas, have also put soul on the radar. And the performances of recent “American Idol” standouts like Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard and Fantasia further illustrate the reach of the music.

Does EW’s Henry Goldblatt (he of Taylor-hating fame) think Katharine McPhee has soul? Uhh, no.

Great voice — better than it sounded on American Idol — but wow, McPhee is working with some poor material. There’s the painful rapping on ”Open Toes,” which also has the dubious distinction of adding to the catalog of Idol Odes to Random Footwear (see Kellie Pickler’s ”Red High Heels”); the single ”Over It,” which sounds like a JoJo leftover; and some midtempo ballads that Mariah would’ve deemed too banal in 1991. Only on the Babyface-penned ”Everywhere I Go” does a snapshot of an intriguing Toni Braxton-esque pop star develop. (Grade: C+)

Every time I see “Henry Goldblatt,” I think “Harry Goldenblatt.” Evan Handler is sex-ay. Henry Goldblatt, on the other hand, thought “Dream Myself Awake” was the best song on Taylor Hicks’ album. NOT sex-ay.