Taylor Hicks - Taylor Hicks
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Free Music Notes for Taylor Hicks
Free Music Review: Taylor Hicks - Self-titled Debut Album
Hit: 5 Stars
Taylor Hicks emerged as the favorite in Season 5 of American Idol (AI), wanting only to have his voice heard. To that end, he was heard - being coronated the victor in May, 2006.
Since Season 5 ended, Taylor has been on a whirlwind roller coaster ride--
* promoting the obligatory winner's mini-CD,
* preparing for and then touring the US (via tour bus - a dream come true for Taylor) on a coast-to-coast [expanded] 60-city lineup with the other AI Top 10 contestants, and then
* (as he stated himself) sleeping on the floor of the recording studio to record his music, his way.
Pushing the release back a month from that originally expected (from November to December, 2006) allowed Taylor to do just that - record his music, his way.
What is the end result of all the hard work?
Not surprising - and to the delight of his fans, Taylor stays true to himself and delivers thirteen handpicked tracks - some new, and some 'old soul' revisited - of "whomp" music - a blend of soul, funk, jazz, and blues.
The delay in releasing the album was a smart move, and it proves to the industry what the fans already knew - Taylor can deliver the goods. Taylor has stated he was fortunate to have a wealth of songs to choose from, and handpicked those to be included, creating speculation that it is, indeed, Taylor who is in charge of his path to success - not management trying to mold him into something he's not (as was done with previous AI winners). By forging a collaborative approach, this offering showcases exactly why Taylor won in the first place - his versatility and likability.
Throughout the album, Taylor (et al) infuses a dynamically full spectrum of sound to compliment the whiskey tenor voice and styling unique to his passion - 'old soul' - simplistic, feel it in your bones funk, with a dose of good ol' southern groove - sampled in Heaven Knows, Gonna Move, and Give Me Tonight.
In addition to the unreleased and cover material, Taylor has included three new versions of his own compositions - Soul Thing, The Deal, and a bonus track - Hell of a Day.
Highlights:
The Runaround - The first track on the album, it's an upbeat, energetic "whomping" good time that sets the tone for the rest of the album. Dynamically filling the ears with heavy drum and bass lines, and complete with a horn section and dixieland barroom piano, it'll get the feet tapping, moving, and even stomping. Those familiar with Taylor's style can just picture him on-stage dancing around with those happy feet of his - and infectiously want to join him and share that energy. Although the lyrics indicate he's getting an education in love and heartbreak, the listener is going to get an education on how music should be fun. Whomp on, baby! Soul Patrol!!
Dream Myself Awake - penned by Rob Thomas, Taylor slows the pace down a little with a pop ballad showing some of that versatility he's known for - and appealing to 'mainstream estrogen'. Dream is a nice mix of 60's go-go and 90's pop.
Wherever I Lay My Hat - a cover of Marvin Gaye's 1964 version, Taylor updates the original, delivering a 90's style pop performance reminiscent of a Rod Stewart song (maybe Rod inspired this one?), but it works.
Just To Feel That Way - Although this could be deemed an "American Idol" power ballad, I project this will be the song to be the biggest hit from the album. Opening with a melancholy piano strain, lyrically and musically this song is a hit. And Taylor nails it, pouring himself into the song with feeling, delivering a powerful vocal performance with an impressive mix of soulful gruff and pleading crescendos. Emotionally, through the ebb and flow, the highs and lows, and tugging on the heartstrings - the listener feels the pain, feels the open wounds as he sings the chorus:
Let's walk on the wire,
I won't let you go -
We'll follow the street lights
down this jagged road
We'll break it all open,
finding our way,
We might end up broken and wounded,
but baby it's worth it -
For even one day
just to feel that way.
If this doesn't leave you with goosebumps, you're cold-hearted.
To end this review, I close with the lyrics from Just To Feel That Way. Taylor's journey - to date - has been broken and wounded, and now he's emerging as a formidable force to be reckoned with; ready to set the industry on their feet - whomping his way. Whooo!
Free Music Review: Eclectic, Intelligent, and Soulful -- A Winning Debut for Taylor Hicks
Hit: 5 Stars
Taylor Hicks won the 2006 American Idol Championship by delivering solid performances week after week under the most severe pressure, all the while accepting barbs from cynic-in-chief Simon Cowell with an endearing combination of humility and good humor.
In this debut album, Hicks continues to deliver consistently strong performances, drawing on the strengths that become more and more evident the longer and more carefully you listen:
1. An instantly recognizable whiskey tenor voice that is reminiscent of other excellent blues singers, but which has its own unique timbre.
2. An ability, very underrated in my opinion, to find the "emotional heart of a song." In that respect, I consider Hicks to be a songwriter's singer. Even with mediocre material, Hicks finds the particular lyric that exemplifies the songwriter's most important message, and then reads it with a phrasing that I find consistently insightful. Hicks clearly thinks very carefully about his performances.
3. A controlled intensity that he unleashes at just the right moment of many of his best performances. It is a focused intensity, that grabs the listener emotionally, but is always driven by a keen musical intelligence. The result is that, after listen to a Hicks performance, you feel involved, gratified, and filled with a sense of "that performance was RIGHT".
Hicks is typecast somewhat from American Idol as a "white soul man," but even a casual perusal of his songbook shows that he far more eclectic than that. Surely blues and soul predominate, but one listen to numbers like "The Maze" and "Just to Feel that Way" and you'll be convinced that this artist has broader sensitivities. Perhaps the strongest evidence of this is a song he wrote, "The Deal". A whimsically melodic piece, it conjures up memories of some of Jim Croce's better songs.
Hicks clearly has been influenced by Croce, Bruce Hornsby, and Van Morrison. I consider this to be a very good sign of where he might go in the future --- and Hicks's future looks very bright. With a solid fan base numbering in the hundreds of thousands, his concerts will draw for years to come, as long as he keeps delivering albums of this caliber.
Now for some particulars:
I actually like every cut on this album except "Soul Thing," which I think was done better on the artist's self-released cd, "Under the Radar."
Some personal highlights:
The Runaround - An old style blues/rock number that will take you back to the 1980's and get you out of your chair.
Heaven Knows - Starts off with a sample from Ray Charles's "What'd I Say," and builds into a solid rocker.
Wherever I Lay My Hat - A wonderfully moving rendition of the Marvin Gaye standard. Crank up the volume and listen carefully to the wonderfully subtle variations of tone Hicks uses throughout.
Just to Feel that Way - With this very contemporary ballad, Hicks announces that, in no uncertain terms, he can deliver a strongly emotional pop sound as well as wrap himself around soul numbers. An excellent choice for the first single release.
The Deal - See my comments above. Taylor's lyric writing is not quite up to the level of Jim Croce, even if his melody here is. Overall though, the song clicks, partly because of the superb musical backing, and partly because Taylor comes through with his trademark intensity when it matters most.
Give Me Tonight - A disco club anthem song right out of the glory days of the `80's. If it had been released then, it would have been a chart-buster. As it stands, I defy you to listen to this without getting up and dancing.
Overall, I give the album 4.5 stars out of 5.
Taylor Hicks is the real deal, and has released a very impressive debut album.
Free Music Review: How could they leave out "Heart and Soul"?
Hit: 5 Stars
I'll never figure record producers out. 63 million+ Americans voted for Taylor on American Idol because he's a retro soulman and a much needed breath of fresh air in a sugar-coated, cookie cutter, pop world. So why in the world did his record producers try to put him in a pop star mold? Why can't they trust his fans? Taylor deserves 10 stars for his talent, but this CD is a strange mix of soul, pop, and 80's music. I find myself both loving and hating the songs. I love the ones where Taylor is himself, and I hate the poppy ones. Here is my breakdown of each song:
1. The Runaround
I must admit, they got this one right. This song leaves me snapping my fingers, tapping my feet, and singing along. Seeing Taylor perform this song live is amazing. 5 stars
2. Dream Myself Awake
Oh my. A song by Rob Thomas. You've got to be kidding me. I hate the cheesy chorus, "I can't get enough of you baby". However, Taylor takes this song and works it. I love the chuckle after the line "I remember back when we were babies.." 4 stars
3. Heaven Knows
Wow. Sexy and catchy. What more can I say? This is the Taylor we know and love. 5 stars
4. Gonna Move
This is the standout song on the CD. I love, love, love, love this song. I couldn't stop playing it over and over from the first time I heard it. The lyrics sound as if they were written about Taylor's life as we all know how he struggled between listening to his parents and going to college and listening to the muses in his head. I'd give this song 6 stars if I could... 5 stars
5. Wherever I Lay My Hat
Oh my. The 80's gave us Reaganomics, big hair bands, and Milli Vanilli. Please, please, please, let's not go back there! 3 stars
6. Give Me Tonight
Huh?? Is it disco? Pop? Who knows. This song is bizarre. 1 star
7. Just To Feel That Way
Wow. I LOVE this song. It gives me chills when Taylor hits the high notes on this one. Wow. Another song deserving of 6 stars if the ratings went that high. 5 stars
8. The Maze
Taylor describes this song as "groovy, soulful, and romantic". I agree. They got this one right. 5 stars
9. Places I've Been
Nice song for a Backstreet Boy. Again, what were the producers thinking? 3 stars
10 Soul Thing
This song was originally performed on Taylor's "Under the Radar" CD. This is another standout song. It just leaves me shaking my head, wondering why the producers didn't trust Taylor to be himself. THIS IS THE TAYLOR WE WANT! THE REAL ONE! 5 stars
11. The Deal
Another great song from "Under the Radar". Awesome choice, but how could the producers have omitted "Heart and Soul" from the same CD? 5 stars
12. The Right Place
This song leaves me sweating and tingling. WOW. This song is the right place for Taylor, definitely. I have one word for you: SOUL. 5 stars
When I divide the numbers I come up with 51 divided by 12 = 4.25 stars. OK, I'm rounding up for Taylor. So not bad, overall. I just wish the record producers would let Taylor be Taylor. Here is my Taylor dream CD:
1. Georgia
2. Son of a Carpenter
3. Somehow
4. Heart and Soul
5. Hell of a Day
6. Soul Thing
7. The Fall
8. The Right Place
9. Gonna Move
10. The Runaround
11. Just to Feel That Way
12. Try a Little Tenderness
Anyone agree?
Free Music Review: A golden nugget shining brightly--straight from The Silver Fox!
Hit: 5 Stars
Taylor Hicks creates beautiful music with great lyrics that are catchy; every song on this CD will hold your attention as well. Taylor's voice is strong, full of energy and self-confident. This CD proves that he will go far in his career.
The CD opens up with the song entitled "The Runaround." This song is not merely pop; it pushes forward as a rock song would with an aggressive, rousing and passionate beat to it. Taylor sings this number with all his might and just one listen will prove it to you. The musical arrangement is flawless and the chorus is beautifully written.
The CD takes a turn for the somewhat more pensive, slower paced ballad entitled "Dream Myself Awake" written by Rob Thomas. Another song that honors another great artist is "Heaven Knows." Taylor admires the late great Ray Charles so much that "Heaven Knows" even includes a portion of "What'd I Say" by Ray Charles. This is a great song about a love going wrong and the tribute to Ray Charles is equally touching. Impressive!
Another song worth special mention is Taylor's cover of a song written partly by Marvin Gaye called "Wherever I Lay My Hat." Taylor tells a lady who has feelings for him that he's not the kind of man who's ready to settle down. The musical arrangement includes Taylor on harmonica, too! Very good!
Other great songs on this CD include "Give Me Tonight" which starts off with a brief hip-hop arrangement and then switches to more of a rock and roll beat. This song deals with the strong physical attraction between two people. In addition, "Just To Feel That Way" is a beautiful love ballad; and "The Maze" captures the thoughts of a man whose relationship with his woman is far from perfect anymore. "Places I've Been" expresses the pure love of a man for his woman--this is another love ballad delivered flawlessly by Taylor and the musicians.
The CD ends with a tender, pensive ballad entitled "The Right Place." Taylor assures the special woman in his life that he will always be there for her no matter what may happen--even if she initially needs time to think it over. This song about unconditional love brings a strong ending to the album!
People complain about the fact that "Do I Make You Proud" is not on this CD. I was surprised, too. Oh sure, the song is available but it would have been better to have it already on this CD.
Taylor possesses another incredible strength: Taylor appears equally comfortable whether he sings his own songs including "Soul Thing" and "The Deal" or whether he performs covers of songs including "Places I've Been" written by Diane Warren and "The Right Place" written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance. Excellent!
The liner notes display excellent color photos of Taylor Hicks, the Silver Fox. With looks like Taylor has I know that the girls must be going crazy for him! The song credits are there. There are no lyrics in the liner notes; but Taylor sings so well and so clearly that you almost certainly won't need them. The quality of the sound is excellent.
Taylor Hicks clearly deserves a bright future because of his talent and his passion for music. When Taylor Hicks sings he throws himself into the song and even thought you can't see him on this CD you can tell he's acting out each song as a story. Each song becomes a little story with a beginning, a middle and an end. I highly recommend this for Taylor's fans and for fans of rock and blues/soul popular music.
Free Music Review: Oops 4 stars - not 5 - A young clone of Michael McDonald & Bob Seger. LOVE this guy!!
Hit: 5 Stars
UPDATE 1/17/07 - WHY AREN'T THEY PLAYING ANY OF HIS SONGS ON RADIO??
I just don't understand the record industry. Instead they'd rather play the same ole songs over & over. If his music had rap or hip hop in it, it would be plastered all over top 40 radio. It pisses me off. At work I listen to an adult contemporary radio station - and still nothing. And I thought for sure he would be played on adult top 40/contemporary radio format. There are quite a few radio friendly tracks on his CD & nobody is playing them. I'm so annoyed!!!!! If he had airplay he would be selling more albums. By the way, I'm 36 & like everything in the musical spectrum from r&b, classic r&b, pop, rock, classic rock, some hip-hop, dance/freestyle, contemporary country, easy listening.... you name it....I'm a huge music fan. I live in the NYC/NJ region and have access to several radio stations - and absolutely nothing from Taylor. GRRRR!! Michael McDonald, Bob Segar, etc. got airplay in their musical prime and Taylor is their clone. I just don't understand. There is a market out there for his genre.
Previous review:
From the moment I saw Taylor on AI I knew he was something special. He is a refreshing sound for today's market. As a huge Taylor fan it is hard to admit that I have to agree with one reviewer "Steven Hirsch". Although its still a good CD, it is obvious that Taylor did not have free reign of the music and the soulful sound doesn't really shine through as expected. Too many hands in the pot trying to mold a very talented artist into a manufactured pop star. The management and production team needs to back off and let Taylor take control. Hopefully, in his next project he will be given full control, and when that happens it will be a gem. AI provides great exposure and it has proven its legitimate in discovering talent and making them stars. The downfall is that the winners are under the control of the AI machine, and therefore are not given the power to control the project. It's all "fluffed" up by the MACHINE. Kelly Clarkson broke away, so there's a chance for Taylor. It's still a good CD, and he reminds me of a young version of the legendary Michael McDonald and Bob Seger. This cd is far from being a failure, however it would have been more authentic if there was no "fluff". Taylor will go far, but only if he finds a way to break loose and take ownership of his talent and career. Still love this guy though. If any of you saw his performance at the New York Christmas Tree Lighting broadcast - it was absolutely phenominal. He had so much energy, sounded great, and got the crowd going. He is such a charismatic performer. The album is a mixture of blues, jazz, rock/pop, but the real soulman is somewhat lost behind the "fluff". I still recommend the CD. Furthermore, it annoys me that there has not been any airplay or promo. Perhaps if he was a gorgeous woman with a gorgeous body he would. Katherine McPhee's cd will sell like hot cakes because of her younger fan base, which are more likely to buy the cd, and also because of her looks. There is nothing wrong with that because she is beautiful, and I myself will buy her cd. It's just a point I needed to share. Unfortunately, Taylor has an older fan base, which are less likely to buy the album. I think "The Maze" should be the first single.