Clay Aiken - Measure Of A Man
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Free Music Notes for Measure Of A Man
Free Music Review: Measures up... boy does it ever!
Hit: 5 Stars
First of all, I would like to preface this by saying that I truly don't believe critics are actually listening to this album with an open mind. Most reviews talk about American Idol, and go on to insult half the buying public for their lack of taste. They are letting preconcieved notions write their reviews for them. Don't listen to them. I don't believe they're listening to the same album.This is a spectacular first effort for what it is: a pop CD. It is not boy band, or bubble gum pop. It is honest to goodness pop/rock done correctly, and made all the better by a singer with a true set of pipes on him. There is enough variety in the songs to keep you interested. The production is high quality and even creative. There's honestly not a song on here that I want to skip. And that? Is saying alot. Here's my rundown of each individual song:
Invisible - Uptempo and catchy; good choice for a first single. Clay loves this song, and it shows when he performs it live. What's especially interesting is the way they layer Clay's vocals throughout (he does his own backup singing). The parts after the three minute mark are particularly interesting to listen to because of this.
I Will Carry You - Soaring and gorgeous. It actually reminds me a bit of a Cranberries song. EXTREMELY difficult song to sing, but Clay pulls it off like it was made for him. The bridge is particularly nice.
The Way - Clay's favourite song on the album :-) More simply produced, more emphasis on vocals. Sounds like "Lady in Red" at the first line. Just a really, really beautiful love song.
When You Say You Love Me - Written by Darren Hayes from Savage Garden. Upbeat; makes you want to dance around your house and sing along. Nothing fancy by way of vocals, but it does center around an attractive part of Clay's range. Reminds some of country; the opening music reminds ME of the Cure.
No More Sad Song - Minor chords and piano galore! Clay really puts alot of emotion and angst into this one, and it really shows his versatility. Lyrically very good.
Run to Me - From the opening we get to hear some of the warmer, deeper tones of Clay's voice. What's so interesting about this song is the last minute or so of it. The bridge makes an okay song outstanding. Clay's voice really soars at the end, and the final line, when all the instrumentation drops is really gorgeous.
Shine - Probably my least favourite song musically, but one of my favorites lyrically. "Like a broken angel on the ground. Like a symphony without a sound." Very nice. Something in the instrumentation reminds me of the band Oasis.
I Survived You - Could probably be Clay's life story. Lots of guitar, very well written, and Clay's vocals are gorgeous.
This Is the Night - I'm glad they put this on here. It's where it all began.
Perfect Day - Really awesome. Everything about it, the production, the way Clay sings it... everything. Good midtempo pop/rock song, inspiring and positive. Slight Eddie Mercury vibe.
Measure of a Man - Oh my God. This song had me in tears. It's the closest to Clay's old demos that we get to hear on this album. His voice is pure and strong. The lyrics leave an imprint on you: "Would he walk on water, would he run through fire?" One of the best on the album, and certainly very close to Clay's heart.
Touch - One of the coolest upbeat songs I've heard in a while. There's some funky guitar work going on in the background for sure. Not exactly Latin... but very unique. Some won't be able to believe Clay pulls this of, but does he EVER. However, I'm not surprised that it's the last song on the CD, kind of hidden away from the rest. It's probably the song Clay is the least comfortable with. The lyrics are pretty sensual. It's okay Clay! Show us what you've got! ;-)
If I did have one critisisms of the album it would be that the production, while I think is actually a strong point, could be a little less pretentious at times. Clay has a big voice, so does the production. It would have been nice to hear a song with very little instrumentation just showing off the richness in Clay's voice. Solitaire would have been nice, but maybe next time, when they've perfected it!
All in all a great first effort by everyone involved, expecially considering the short time frame they had. Is there still room for Clay to grow? Absolutely. It's what being an artist is about. But in the meantime... this album? Rocks. Congratulations Clay.
Free Music Review: CLAY MEASURES UP!!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
The album as a whole is very main stream and not exactly what I had hoped for. I think the suits behind Clay are determined to keep Clay far from the Money Notes (long drawn out notes we've all come to love in his live performances). While the Claymates might have to patiently wait for the Clay we all really, really want, this album will help him gain mass appeal from a whole new audience. This will give him credibility with many markets and will hopefully widen and strengthen his fan base so he can be around for a long, long time!The male Celine Dion hasn't exactly arrived, as we had all hoped and prayed for. But its easy to say that its in there and just waiting to come out. Can't wait to hear these songs live where I know he'll really stretch out those high notes and give us all what we really want. Maybe his energy/persona just can't be fully appreciated on an album. (Kind of like Garth Brooks in that way...his energy/persona is a huge part of his appeal.)
1. Invisible: This is a sure hit! Great beat and already has a huge following from Clay's live performances during the AI Concert series. He sings the heck out of this song live! In style, this song shows that he can go toe to toe with any Boy Band tune on the radio.
2. I Will Carry You: I think this song would have had an even bigger response had we all not already heard it weeks earlier on the net. A feel good song that really showcases his voice and curls my toes! Will be a classic Clay song for sure!
3. The Way: If this is the future of Clay, we are in for a looooooooong wonderful ride! Watch out Enrique, Justin T., and all those other heartthrobs...Clay is HOT on this song! Can't wait for the radio play/video of this one! This is a very close second to my favorite song on this album. I'll just die when he performs it live!
4. When You Say You Love Me: When my hubby heard this song he asked if Clay had gone country. I think it has a catchy beat and it is a cute song. Probably won't be a hit, but does show he can do Country/Christian Contemporary. John Michael Montgomery ain't got nothin' on Clay's pure voice!
5. No More Sad Songs: Reminds me of Elton John in lyrics and sound. Probably my least favorite song on the album, but still better than a lot of other artists out there! (I'm not a huge Elton fan, so I'm probably biased on this one.)
6. Run To Me: Ahhhhhh another song that is sure to be a classic. Great ballad that gives us all the Clay yearning we can possibly stand! Me want more Clay! Another one that would have been even bigger had we not already heard it all over the net!
7. Shine: Another cute song that will probably just fade into the background over time.
8. I Survived You: A triumph song that will be blaring in the radios of all heartbroken girls around the globe!
9. This is the Night: Can't ever get sick of this song. It sounds good on this album. Nice to see that the AI hopeful we all voted for is staying true to the image we fell in love with. From what I've seen so far, we can't say that about the "real" AI from Season 2.
10. Perfect Day: I am sooooo jealous of the girl that finally wins his heart. Can you imagine him singing this song to you? This is a "celebrating the girl I love" kind of song!
11. Measure of a Man: In less than 18 hours, (and a few of those hours were spent sleeping last night), I have probably listened to this song 30 times or more. I absolutely LOVE this song and it is without a doubt my new favorite song! This is a perfect song for his voice, his persona, his image, and his FANS!!!! Sure to be a classic for Clay. I've got my little lighter ready for when he sings it live in concert.
12. Touch: Another song that proves he can do anything! This is a R&B beat that reminded me a lot of Justin G.'s Album. But Clay does this genre sooooooo much better! It wasn't an immediate favorite when I first heard it on the net, but after hearing it on the album several times, its really grown on me.
100 YEARS FROM NOW, CLAY'S "HITS" CD SHOULD INCLUDE:
Invisible
I will Carry You
The Way
Run To Me
This Is The Night
Measure Of A Man
Touch
Out of these 11 "debut" songs, any combination of these 7 could easily find their way onto a "Hits" CD. That is really saying something about how Clay Measures up! It's a great time to be a Claymate!
Free Music Review: If you told me this is what heaven is, well, YOU'D BE RIGHT!
Hit: 5 Stars
First let me start by saying that either the critics need a Q-tip or two, or they are mostly still stuck on the conventional pop star. This album IS different than what they're used to hearing, but it's a GREAT different!! And it doesn't really all sound the same. There are a couple of surprises here that I think show off Clay's versatility and his ability to take risks and pull them off. And the rest of the album is the pure, awesome Clay Aiken that I love. Here is a breakdown of the tracks:1. Invisible 5/5 The very first time I ever heard this song, it was from the tour, and believe it or not, I cried that day. I was so proud of him! listening to it here, it's just as awesome as the live version (well, minus an improvised glory note or two). I didn't shed tears this time, but I sure wanted to jam to it! Clay's a rocker!!
2. I Will Carry You 5/5 I really really like this song. It has a great hook and melody, a good message, and I sense a Steve Perry/Journey influence here. Clay's voice really shines through nicely. The beat is great, too. Another head-bopper
3. The Way 5/5 Wow! This is the first song here to make me cry!! The melody is beautiful, and Clay sings the heck out of it! The lyrics are a little cliched in places, and it's reminiscent of Lady in Red, but I don't care. I love it!!
4. When You Say You Love Me 4/5 This is one of the surprises on the album. First of all, if I didn't read the production notes, I would never have guessed this is the song that Darren Hayes from Savage Garden wrote. I didn't quite feel that influence here. However, it's a nice, catchy song that sticks with you. It doesn't show off Clay's voice as well, but it does bring a slight country flavor to the album, which shows off Clay's versatility a little. I liked it.
5. No More Sad Songs 5/5 Here we get to hear Clay rock out again with this really cool mid-tempo ballad. It's a rather bitter song, and you can really feel the emotion in Clay's voice. Very, very solid track
6. Run to Me 5/5 This one starts out sound a little "safe" vocally, but really picks up after the first verse. It's definitely a power ballad with more Journey flavor. It is a teeny bit too powerful in a spot or two, but I still felt Clay delivered another beautiful vocal performance. Great song!
7. Shine 5/5 This is a ballad with a definite spiritual side to it. It has a great message ( I can sense Clay's strong faith), and I really fell in love with the melody. And once again, Clay's voice shines...:)
8. I Survived You 5/5 Very, very powerful song!! Clay's voice soars on this one, and the lyrics are really gut-wrenching. Also, I did feel a Savage Garden-type flavor to it, even though Darren didn't write it. And I did shed a couple of tears.
9. This is the Night 5/5 When I saw that this was a "Bonus Cut", I got a little nervous. I was afraid that they had remixed it or something. Thankfully, they didn't, and they don't need to. I still love it. A well-deserved #1.
10. Perfect Day 5/5 This song is remarkeably unique. It starts out sweet, and becomes really powerful. I felt my lip tremble, but I was able to fight the tears. It was hard, though. Oh, and I really enjoyed the pounding piano.
11. Measure of a Man 5/5 Two words: I. CRIED. This song is flat out incredible. It's so perfect for Clay!! I absolutely love the melody, Clay soars again vocally, and the lyrics are phenomenal! Goodness, just thinking about it makes me cry! Why a lot of critics call it "schmaltz" is beyond me. They really need to listen again and absorb what Clay is trying to say here. It's real, it's beautiful....it's Clay.
12. Touch 4.5/5 This is the other surprise of the album, and the biggest departure for Clay. It's definitely not something he'd normally sing. Nevertheless, it has a great up-tempo dance beat, and Clay's vocals are really super. It's a "curve ball" that he hits really well. Plus, it shows more of his versatility. Great job, Clay!
Overall, I was very pleased. If I were to really nitpick, I'd tell the writers to not use as many cliches on a couple of songs, but Clay's superior vocal talent make up for any writing flaws. I definitely recommend this CD, and hope to hear more from him in the future. You will not be disappointed!!
Free Music Review: For those who enjoy this type of music in the first place.
Hit: 5 Stars
(Brief intro: Even though this says "Kid's Review", I really am 18 and a sophomore in college, so don't let that give you prejudices for the following long review)
I am looking at the other reviews, and I notice that lots of the negative ones say that Clay is too commercial, too shloppy, whatever. Of course, don't expect to like this CD if you don't like Adult Contemporary. Because you won't.
I for one love Pop music, and it gets my parents crazy. Their comments: how can you love this CD so much, it's so commercial, he doesn't even write the songs.
True, he doesn't, but they are beautiful songs, so why should I care if he didn't write them? If they're nice, and he sings them beautifully, that all that counts. Why should I boycott him because he didn't write them? That fact remains, old Clayton Holmes Grissom is still extremely talented.
Here is an overview of the CD tracks:
1) Invisible - the tune is catchy, and even though it was released as a single, you never hear it on the radio anyway. It's a good song, if you see Clay live you can tell it's his favorite to sing too. Sure, the lyrics are kind of dumb, and they missed "the" grammar mistake which is now glaring at me every time I listen to the CD. Why such a mistake??!!?? 9/10
2) I Will Carry You - When I first got the CD, this was my favorite song right from the start. Now, I still love it and (try) to sing along whenever I hear it. Great pop ballad. 9.5/10
3) The Way - Actually this isn't the best song of the CD, I wonder why they chose to release that one as a single. Also, the video clip is just dumb, Clay looks stupid while singing it. Definitely not one of the best songs, still good, but not... great. 7.5/10
4) When You Say You Love Me - This song moves a little more, you can actually *attempt* to snap your fingers to the rythm on that one. Decent, catchy, but once again not very "umpf-y" 8/10
5) No More Sad Songs - Despite the Elton John feel of that song, it is my least favorite of the CD. I just don't connect to it so well, I guess. 7/10
6) Run To Me - Alright Now the CD picks up again. Run to Me is an honest song, it fits Clay's personality and you can tell he means the lyrics as he sings them. A very nice song indeed 8.5/10
7) Shine - Decent song, but forgettable, unfortunately. 7.5/10
8) I Survived You - Clay gets mad in that one! He growls when he sings it live too... don't ask. Very catchy, one of the best of the CD in my opinion 9.5/10
9) This is the Night - Great rendition of this beautiful song. The background music is very nice, probably the best of the CD if you want to learn it on the piano. Great job. 9/10
10) Perfect Day - Decent Song, on the same level as Shine or The Way. Sweet, but forgettable. 7.5/10
11) Measure of a Man - With a high religious connotation, at first I refused to let this be one of my favorite songs (I'm an atheist). However by the end of the chorus, I couldn't resist. Very sweet and honest song, soothing, the type of song you would want Clay to sing to you (that or I Will Carry You). 9.5/10
12) Touch - Even though it's a good song, this song feels out of place from the CD. It has a little more latin influence and more "descriptive" lyrics than any other song of the album. Not as descriptive as Christina Aguilera, but still, a little more. Ex: "I've imagined the feel of your body and how it will be when we move" (!). Not expected after the simple, I love you, yadayadayada from the earlier tracks. It is a good song though, don't get me wrong. 8/10
So technically, according to my statistics, the average of the CD would be 8.37. So why am I still giving this album a 5/5? Namely a 10/10? It's a complicated thought process but I'll say it anyway - Clay is an awesome singer and even though some of the songs of the album are just bleh, he sings them wonderfully and that's what counts. 10/10. This grade is for Clay's album, not Clive Davis's album.
Free Music Review: Wonderful CD!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
1. Invisible:I really like the studio version of this song now. The ending is great, I liked how they mixed that all up. It really sounds neat. I still envision the clutch during the second verse teehee
Fave lyric: 'I saw your face in the crowd/I called out your name/You don't hear a sound'
2. I Will Carry You:
I love the bridge to this song. 'You should know now that you're not alone/Take my heart and/we will find/You will find/Your way home' This has been one of my favorites since the 5 songs were out however long ago. The lyrics are wonderful.
Fave lyric: 'Yeah I know you're scared/Walking down the road that leads to who knows where'
3. The Way:
I just LOVE the chorus to this song. Not to mention the rest of the lyrics. And they way that Clay sings it. Just wonderful!
Fave lyric: 'There's something about the way that I whisper your name when I'm asleep'
4. When You Say You Love Me:
GREAT song all around. I can totally relate to this song. Clay sounds amazing. I absolutly love the chorus. I could listen to it all day.
Fave lyric: 'And when you say you love me do you mean it/Baby when you hold me do you feel it/Should I believe the magic in your eyes/I will wait until the end of time/To here you say you love me like you mean it/Baby when you hold me make me feel it/All I wanna do is make you mine/I've been hurt way too many times'
5. No More Sad Songs:
Great great great song! I don't really know what else to say about it. Just wonderful (I'm using that word a lot, huh? Well, it fits!)
Fave lyric: 'Haven't you heard, you are no longer respected/You are formally rejected from the one your hurt'
6. Run To Me:
Gets stuck in my head. LoL. Not a bad thing. Its an awesome song.
Fave lyric: 'How can I be brave enough/To say goodbye/I'd die inside without you'
7. Shine:
I closed my eyes and listened to this song. What an amazing experience. The music is very good and Clay sounds outstanding. The lyrics are *wonderful*
Fave lyric: 'Like a broken angel on the ground/Like a symphony without a sound'
8. I Survived You:
My favorite song since the 5 were out. I absolutly love it. I can really relate to it.
Fave lyric: 'When you wrote me off like I was doomed/I survived you'
9. This Is The Night:
Clay Classic. A great cut of the song. I really really enjoyed it.
Fave lyric: 'This is the night where we capture forever and all our tomorrows begin/After tonight we will never be lonely again'
10. Perfect Day:
This song literally gave me goosebumps. I could listen to that entire song over and over and over and never get sick of it. I just absolutly loved it. Clay's range is awesome. And I love the music during the chorus. It really adds a lot. As of right now, this is my favorite song (it is likely to change with every listen to the CD lol)
Fave lyric: 'You could tell me tonight/That maybe the world would end/That the sun wouldn't rise/It was gonna rain again/Just as long she's in my arms/Its gonna be a perfect day!'
11. Measure Of A Man:
This is also a great song. Wonderful lyrics. I just really love this one. It basically describes Clay. He is the Measure of a Man. (wow, that's getting to be a really cliche thing to say...but its true!)
Fave lyric: 'If one day you discover him/broken down he's lost everything/no cars, no fancy clothes to make him who he's not/the woman at his side is all that he has got'
12. Touch:
I love to listen to this one. Its great. The chorus is great. The verses are great. Bridge is amazing. Just a good song all around.
Fave lyric: 'Blue is the ocean in your eyes/Blue is cool september sky/As a lonely waterfall/Red is the fire in your heart'
All in all, this CD was well worth the wait. Absolutely amazing. I'm so happy for Clay. And then the Thank You's. It makes me love him even more. You know, you know the artist quite well if you understand a lot of what he talks about in the Thank You's. LoL Its great. And the poster!!! Can you say THUD??? My favorite picture, however, is the one on the back of the sleeve. Where he looks like he's laughing. Its adorable.
***** out of *****