Katharine McPhee
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.95 You Save: $4.04 (45%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.25 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Katharine McPhee
Free Music Review: Coming From A Non-Biased Fan
Hit: 5 Stars
I voted for Katharine McPhee during American Idol, but I don't believe in losing objectivity for any person, and have never been one to shy from criticizing her just as I've always been one to recognize when she deserves praise. Please beaware that there are sometimes posters on Kat's amazon product pages posing as fans and writing negative reviews. Katharine is like Howard Stern -- the people that dislike her most spend the most amount of time on her. Here is my Review:
No matter what type of music you listen to you, this album has something for you. It's greatest strength is it's diversity, which music critics also can use as ammunition to say it lacks a consistent theme. As someone who listens to many types of music -- as long as its GOOD music -- I was happy to here many genres on this album to match my mood. It's also surprising the lack of "filler" songs there are, but it's really because they produced at least 22 tracks for this album and RCA had her work with a ton of producers all trying to provide the songs that would shine on the album.
I'd categorize the CD into the following genres, and I'll provide a summary and grade of each song:
OLD SCHOOL FUNK/R&B (think trumpets and whoo-whoo hoooos) (1)
Love Story (B+) -- A lot of people will love this, more than its overall grade might indicate. A creative, original throw back mixing new and old music. The first half of the song is great. The second half has a bridge and the song becomes something else briefly. It's a very good, but not great track for this reason because IMO the change of gear doesn't entirely work)
PURE CANDY POP (1)
Over It (A-) -- This song is a better version of the JoJo song it reminds many people of (it had the same producer). There's a lot of synth. It's solid in the first half of the song, but it really gets good at the 2 minute mark until it goes into a bridge at 2:15 and finally Katharine let's loose at 2:30. It's really the type of song I can picture a group of teenage girls belting to in a car like college guys might for "Take On Me".
R&B/DANCE/URBAN (3)
Open Toes (B+) -- This song starts out just okay for me. It's an ode to footwear, a slightly cheesey girls anthem, as Katharine has called it. But the beauty of it is how it becomes a serious dance number that will have some straight guys resisting the urge to dress in drag by the end of the song. At the 2:30 mark, the song is HOT, HOT, HOT! In a club, forget about it, everyone is getting down. It lasts through the final 50 seconds of the song.
Not Ur Girl (B-) -- I hated the name of this thing, but whatever. LOL. Anyway this song has a lot of layering in the production, and sounds great with a good set of headphones. In mono, I am not impressed. This song is the type of song that gets you nodding your head back and fourth to the music. It also has some ear worm to it.
Do What You Do (B) -- This song constantly changes tempo, and has so many different back and forth feels, but the exchange repeats itself, so you eventually can anticipate them and it gets you hooked. It's also very produced, as well as the one song on this album that has the "I'm So Hot, I'm So Great" theme that is constant in albums today, but thankfully Katharine's almost entirely avoids on her album. I'm tempted to give this song a B+ because I really like one of the repeating parts, and I know many will to. Nevertheless, some fans who don't like this genre may reject it.
SOULFUL POP (2)
Better Off Alone (A) -- If there's any song on the album that completely works, it's this one. I'd venture to guess this might be the favorite on the album if everyone rated each song. It's just this beautiful soulful song with hook and direction, and a nice ending. Her vocals are terrific as well, and it's perfect for her voice.
Neglected (A-) -- Katharine has mentioned this is one of her favorites. It's got a haunting quality to it, and some moments where the music stops and she can belt. It's got a haunting chorus with some good moments on the background vocals. You really feel Katharine feeling this song more than any other on this album, and it might not be a coincidence because this might be the only song, to my knowledge, based on a real event.
BALLADS (2)
-------
Home (B) -- Many people compare this to a Christina song, Beautiful, and an element of it is very similar. It's a somewhat vunerable song ... "does anyone know what it's like..." This is the type of song that works when you are in that particular mood where you need a song like this to speak to you. That's the beauty of Kat's album. I wouldn't say it has a great hook, however. It's a good song for a certain mood and she does a great job vocally on it. Music critics have given this one a lot of love, so I may be underestimating it.
Ordinary World (A-) -- This song is clearly on a different level than the others, in terms of its sophistication, and it shows off Katharine's vocal talent better than any other. It has a really beautiful moment toward the beginning in which Katharine sings "Close Your Eyes". As the song moves, Katharine climbs higher and higher. One word of note -- the words "Ordinary World" are usually sung softly in this song. Basically, every "Close Your Eyes" after the initial one are the ones when she goes for the "shine moments." My only criticisim of it is that the melody wanders, so it doesn't have the repetitive quality that people normally need to get hooked.
MARIAH TYPE R&B (2)
Each Other (C+) This song reminds people of "We Belong Together" but is definitely inferior. There are some big fans of this, but it is just blah for people like me. I hate the beat in the beginning. I am not crazy about the chorus. There are two moments when I believe Kat shines... Around 1:30, when the lyrics begin "I Don't Know How You Did It But You Turned Me Into A Believer" she spouts out a series of lines beautifully, fluidly and it shows off her talent. There's a change in beats at around 2:10 that's also really nice and ends with Kat going for glory, and then into the chorus.
Everywhere I Go (A-) -- Babyface produced this one, and he's always hit and miss, so I didn't know what to expect. He did Katharine right on this one, to the point that some fans have communicated the desire that he do more tracks. At the 2:10 mark, there's a bridge where Katharine shines and the middle part of the song is the best part. The chorus is very nice, layered and sophisticated but not overdone.
CLUB/DANCE (1)
Dangerous (B+) -- This song is hot... it's definitely got a "Promiscious Girl" type chorus thing going but with G rated lyrics. It's the type of song that comes on in a club and all the girls start dancing with each other, mouthing the lyrics. Guys might feel stupid singing to this one, like Open Toes, but they will like it (without admitting it to their guy friends).
Free Music Review: Katharine McPhee's Grand Debut
Hit: 5 Stars
After watching American Idol, Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee battled it out for the top spot. In my opinion, Katharine should have won but lost gracefully. I was anticipating an album from her and when time rolled around, here we are at her debut album. I listened to the previews for the songs on iTunes and they weren't at all what I was expecting. I was expecting a more R&B/Soul type of thing instead of a pop album but I was pleasantly surprised. Now, onto the actual review of the album track by track.
1. Love Story: This track is a great opener for the album. In this pop track, Katharine talks about a relationship that started off as friends to more than friends. I had read a review once that said it's not very original and I must admit that it reminded me of K.T. Tunstall because of the "whoo-hoo." However, I felt that Katharine pulled it off without sounding too much like "Black Horse And The Cherry Tree" with a better pop sound. I would be thrilled to see this as a single. 4.7/5
2. Over It: This is the lead single from the album and honestly, I'm not that thrilled with the decision. This song is more of a ballad in which Katharine says she's through with an ex-boyfriend. While the track is okay, I feel that is doesn't bring enough fire to it that will make it stand out to everyone but I could be wrong. 3.8/5
3. Open Toes: Katharine returns back to the pop sound with this track. In this pop firecracker, she talks about wearing her open-toed shoes and going out (she refuses to stay home). I do think that this is single-material and I think that it is possible that this could make the single block. I think the only problem with the song is the tempo of the verses is too quick. It's not one of he talk-rap-kind of things but if they slowed it down, it wouldn't fit the song well. I'm not sure how they could have fixed this, but overall it's a good track. 4.3/5
4. Home: Once again, Kat comes with a ballad. Unlike the first one, she pulls this one off extremely well. If you listen to the song, you can see an amazing message. She talks about how she's found somebody that makes her feel at home even when she doesn't feel beautiful. If you've found your special someone or even if you haven't, you can really relate to what she is saying. This is definitely one of the album's highlights. 4.8/5
5. Not Ur Girl: I would classify this track as up-tempo, where Kat talks about a situation she is having. From the title, it should be obvious that she is telling a guy that she is not his girl. The thing I most like about this song is the beat. This hotness comes from producer Danja (who produced other great tracks such as Lose Story and Open Toes). To end the song off, she giggles a bit, which doesn't sound annoying or anything. A good song but it could be better. 4.2/5
6. Each Other: In a mid-tempo song, Kat tells us that she's got someone that makes life better. In my opinion, this is the song that has the most meaningful and heart-felt lyrics. You can really picture and feel the words she says as she sings them. This would make a great single. 4.5/5
7. Dangerous: This is another pop song that seems like it would be at home in the U.S. This is the type of song that is becoming popular these days. The beat is pretty good for this one and the vocals are also pretty good. However, I feel the song doesn't bring her hottest fire. Still, I think the song would fair well commercially. 4.1/5
8. Ordinary World: Kat returns to another ballad with this one. Once again, the lyrics are very deep as she talks about love. I can't put my finger on why but this song sounds like something she would sing on American Idol if she got to choose an original song. So naturally, I assume that this track would be one of the fans' favorite songs. I think the track is okay but it's not amazing. 3.9/5
9. Do What You Do: This song is more hi-hop influenced and the beat kind of switches throughout the song. The chorus has a different beat and it's pretty good. The most addictive part is the hook where says "all the boys in the club wantin' me and all the girls in there tryna be like me". The verses also have a great beat to them and the third verse shows a different range where the beat is slower and her vocals are shown off. On the album jacket, it has an asterix next to this (possible single?). It wasn't what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised. 4.7/5
10. Better Off Alone: Back to ballads, Katharine shows emotion in this song in which she declares she's tired of the relationship that isn't working and she's better off alone. The music accompanies her voice very well and it makes the song that much better. This is a great ballad that would make a great single. 4.4/5
11. Neglected: This song has a kind of a dark beat to it and it works well for it. She sings that she knows "[she] will not be respected, just neglected." Her vocals are also strong on this one. This one has great single potential all over it. 4.5/5
12. Everywhere I Go: This is the mid-tempo album closer. While it's not the album's strongest moment, it does shine. The piano playing is a nice addition to the song. Overall, the song does get the "thumbs up" for a good song. 4.1/5
After listening to this album, I feel like she really deserved to win American Idol. Maybe she didn't win but I can see this album fairing better than Taylor Hicks' album. If this album flops, I will be seriously disappointed because in my opinion, this is the strongest American Idol album.
Free Music Review: A Little Sumthin' Sumthin' For Everyone!
Hit: 5 Stars
I have loved listening to Katharine since I saw her audition on Season 5 of American Idol, but I'll admit I was.. nervous... when I heard that she chose to go the "Pop/R&B" route for her first album. It seemed to me she was a prime candidate to follow in Kelly Clarkson's footsteps doing the pop/rock thing, and I was afraid it might be difficult to market "Urban Kat" to the Idol fans that were hoping for an album reminiscent of her Idol performances. However, that being said, I am extremely impressed, and relieved that this album delivers in so many ways. I have listened to it at least 7 times all way through, and really gotten to know the songs and... unlike what the reviewer before me said, it is FAR from forgettable.
I will say though that after reading some of the harsh reviews on here (and I'm not talking about the "biased" ones I've already dismissed that appear to be from the bitter fans of other Season 5 contestants [check their review history, you'll see what I mean], who it seems would have rated this album 0 stars if they could, without giving it an honest, open-minded listen).... I understand why some of her Idol fans may feel a little alienated by the fact that she came out with an album in a genre that is different and more contemporary from what she did on the show - and I'm sorry that you are disappointed. I personally have what I would consider pretty diverse musical taste, and like everything from R&B/soul, pop, alternative, urban/hip hop, jazz, standards, rock, new age, electronica, classical, some rap, and some country - and I'm one of those who loves listening to entire albums over and over - until I've memorized them - and finding the "hidden gems," the great tracks that never see the light of day, much less radio... so take it from me that even if you were expecting something more like Celine Dion, Joss Stone or Norah Jones, there really truly is something for everyone on this album.
Of course there's the three sexy, fun, upbeat urban-sounding dance songs: Open Toes, which is hot from the get-go and gets hotter about 2 minutes into the track (think Usher's "Yeah", except he wasn't singing about shoes, haha); Do What You Do, which has a great beat but also has a smooth jazz-inspired bridge that takes you back to the early 90s old school R&B (this is the most "Britney-esque" of all the tracks, but so refreshing because Kat can sing!); and Dangerous (my least favorite of the three) - for those who want to sing along in the car in vain (admittedly, like me), or get their groove on.
Then there's the three sweet, girly, "authentic pop" songs, all mid-tempo with their own flavor and sure to be a hit with Kat's younger demographic: Over It, her first single and interestingly one of the weaker tracks on the album in my opinion; Love Story, a fun song that has a retro R&B feel that reminds me of the 70s; and Not Ur Girl, a light song that sounds like a fresh-take on something pulled straight from the 80s. I guess I'd also throw Each Other into this category, and agree that it reminds me of Mariah's "We Belong Together."
But if these more "commercial" songs aren't your thing, please don't let that keep you from listening to ALL the tracks openly. If you really listen to Home (others have compared this to Christina's "Beautiful" but I only agree in that it has similar commercial appeal and Kat is vocally at her best), Ordinary World (the sound reminds me of Kelly Clarkson's Because Of You), Better Off Alone (she's the most conflicted in this song and it kills me every time, and gets my vote for overall BEST TRACK), Neglected, and Everywhere I Go (written/produced by the one and only Babyface), I think you will find that the Katharine you knew and loved from Idol does shine through. I find that these are the songs that are the most worthy of Kat's talent, and all are original and very beautifully written, both musically and lyrically. With the exception of maybe Neglected (the most deep, troubled, haunting of these tracks), they are hardly "produced" (as I've heard many reviewers on here criticize)... in fact Ordinary World and Better Off Alone are primarily piano ballads. It is on these tracks where Katharine's gorgeous, unedited voice and amazing talent is completely evident. Her vocals are so rich, it's chilling, and you FEEL IT.
All in all, this is a solid debut from another Idol finalist who will go on to be very successful. Katharine is on the road to discovering who she is as a recording artist and a young woman (she's only 22!), and after hearing her freshman attempt, I'm definitely coming along for the ride. Thankfully, while they may disagree about the genre, style, song choice, production-quality, and her image... the majority of the reviewers on here so far do seem to agree that Kat sounds amazing, especially on the ballads. To those who ever loved her voice but may be unsure of her genre, give it a chance, and let it grow on you - you will find charm in each and every one of these songs.
STANDOUT TRACKS, in this order:
1) Better Off Alone
2) Home
3) Neglected
4) Do What You Do
5) Ordinary World
6) Open Toes
7) Not Ur Girl
8) Everywhere I Go
9) Love Story
Free Music Review: The Best Pop Debut Album in Years
Hit: 5 Stars
One of the best pop debut albums I've heard in years, "Katharine McPhee" has something for everyone: Catchy pop numbers, club anthems, power ballads, and powerful blues ballads.
Throughout, the strikingly beautiful runnerup to the talented (and underrated) Taylor Hicks in the 2006 American Idol competition is in top vocal form. By the time you are halfway through the album, she's delivered several potential hits, and given you more than your money's worth.
And the second half is as good as the first. In the process, she demolishes any suggestion that her talent is limited to singing syrupy ballads while her dad tears up in the front row.
Track-by-Track:
1. "Love Story" is a rousing, if somewhat routine rocker that opens the show with a sign this singer has gone in a new direction.
2. "Over It," the co-released single, is an early candidate for the year's top pop song. With several solid hooks embedded in an intricate vocal arrangement, the song connects with countless thousands of teenage girls as Katharine declares her freedom from a dominant boyfriend. "I'm over your hands, and I'm over your mouth, trying to drag me down and fill me with self-doubt." The song is undeniably catchy.
3. "Open Toes" is a delightfully uninhibited celebration of airheaded teenage materialism, and the joys of --- shoe-shopping! Eminently danceable, the song isn't meant to be taken seriously, in fact I can't imagine why a nation of erudite reviewers hasn't at least speculated that Katharine is engaging in some self-deprecating humor. By the time she announces, almost deleriously, that "If I'm feelin down, then I go out, and shop 'til I drop everywhere that I want. Nothing feels better than spending my treasure on me, finally, I'm where I'm s'posed to be", I think the Kat *should* be out of the bag.
4. "Home" is a solid power ballad, and Kat sings the lower notes, which occasionally tripped her up on American Idol, with conviction and artistry. Like Mariah, but somehow more convincing.
5. "Not Ur Girl" is another of those "girl power" anthems ("I'm not your girl,and I'm not leaving with you just because you asked me to"), delivered with a driving rhythym.
6. "Each Other" is what (eons ago) used to be called a "cheek to cheek" song -- perfect for slow dancing, with a nice melody and nicely arranged background vocals.
7. "Dangerous" is a strong pop number. "He'll steal your heart away, and run away," she announces, lamenting that "I wish I knew what I know now, I swear it never would have went down". She doesn't ramp up the intensity quite as much as I'd like, but overall it's a solid effort.
8. "Ordinary World" is, in Katharine's hands, quite extraordinary. If you think her performance is routine, write down the lyrics, listen to the melody, and imagine Christina Aguilera singing it. Then listen again. You'll realize how much extra Katharine brings.
9. "Do What You Do" may seem contemporary, but to me it sounds like countless songs I danced to in packed clubs in the crazy 80's. I can't go back, but this song almost got me there. It's OK.
10. "Better Off Alone" is a blues ballad. Kat powers into it, very convincingly. Of all the songs in the album, this fits her vocal range best.
11. "Neglected" is one of the best songs on the album. Instrumentally and vocally, the arrangement is simply superb, and the chorus line has a hook that could make this one a hit single. The melody simply stays around, and won't leave. Also great "cheek-to-cheek" material.
12. "Everywhere I Go" is a Mariah Carey type number. But Mariah Carey is no McPhee. Carey has greater range and self-assurance, but McPhee delivers more of the elusive emotional connection that sells a song, rather like Karen Carpenter or, a generation before, Connie Francis. Something in the warmth of her voice, the timbre, gives her that special edge. Her youthful willingness to take chances makes her more unpredictable and occasionally erratic, but for this listener, vastly more appealing.
This album is a rarity. There are several potential hit singles, no truly bad songs, and only one, Dangerous, that sounds like the artist is holding back anything.
With her rare combination of unaffected likability, great pipes, almost supernatural beauty, and growing artistic range, Katharine McPhee is clearly positioned to become America's next pop superstar.
Free Music Review: A debut pop album with something for everyone...
Hit: 5 Stars
You may have noticed a section on this page called "Customers tagged this product with"--and you'll notice some interesting keywords people used in tapping what they instantly thought of Katharine McPhee. A lot of those keywords say "talented", "beautiful", "gorgeous", "best music" and "amazing voice." (All of those are more than true, yet the last two at least finally paying attention to her music.) As useful as keywords can be sometimes--don't let keywords about Katharine's debut album in some media sway your opinion about whether you should buy it or not. While some media outlets say the album themes are merely a 'Girl's Night Out' theme or as a catharsis for only teenage girls...this album, in reality, has something for either gender or young and old alike. Yes, some of the songs are related to girls out having fun or young women's issues. But that's mostly on the first quarter to half of the album. The rest of the album will take you into much more diverse fare that anybody can relate to on many levels.
It's an understatement to say that Katharine's debut album is one of the best pop albums done since the arrival of Christina Aguilera. Perhaps arguable, but even Christina's debut album in the late 90's didn't have nearly every song as a potential hit single that this album does. When you sit down and play this album on a good sound system, you realize that the production, songwriting (very earworm-worthy) and Kat's vocals are the best the music industry has to offer in the pop and R&B arena today. Grammy nominations should at least go toward the production end as well as Kat's vocal performances. But I'm here to remind you that Katharine's vocals are mainly the star attraction here. She makes the songs work on a higher level with her appealing vocal timbre that most people who desire a uniquely pleasant (and sometimes sexy) voice will instantly warm to. If you're not a fan of urban beats, then don't be concerned...despite this album being called 'Rhythmic Pop.' Even if you don't like urban types of sounds, just focus on listening to Katharine's vocals and thank me in the morning (well, just thank her in a letter ;) ). While Christina and Mariah are great technicians in singing...Kat's focusing on the quality and art of voice here and in every performance she's done so far. Here, she stays mostly in the lower to middle vocal registers, which is where her voice truly shines and grabs hold of your soul.
If you're not a fan of girl-themed, urban dance songs--then give the album a chance to get to the second half. You won't regret hearing the more emotionally-expressive (and maybe slightly morose) ballads later on. `Home', `Ordinary World', `Better Off Alone', 'Everywhere I Go' (produced and written by Babyface) and especially `Neglected' will show you the side of Katharine you may have remembered from "American Idol." Katharine's performance of 'Ordinary World' alone shows you a perfect example of how profoundly emotional Kat's vocal performances can be...regardless of critics saying she never emotes when singing. But I think you'll still find the dance tracks loads of fun, even if you're not a fan of that type of sound. There's a couple there that will be more accessible to any age or gender...particularly `Do What You Do' that even has some funky jazz chord progressions in the chorus. The same could be said of the first track: 'Love Story.' No wonder this album ended up (some might say inexplicably) on the jazz charts here on Amazon at the time of this writing.
You should also know that Katharine co-wrote some songs on this album. 'Neglected', in particular, is one you'll realize she'll be glad to have her name on. This is one of the most haunting pop ballads written in the last decade or more. Even if you don't like much of the other material, you'll want to hear Katharine's performance of this song as something completely different. It's likely to become timeless as is Katharine the artist will someday become.
What should the true keywords for this album be? "Something for Everyone"; "Powerful Ballads Relatable To All"; "Fun, Seriousness And Joy of Life/Independence Rolled Into One." If you have a big family with diverse musical tastes, sit down and have a listening party together with this album. Afterward, I can guarantee you that most to all of your family will fall in love with Katharine's singing and where she's heading as a musical artist.