Katharine McPhee

Katharine McPhee has a cloudless voice and a warm, wide-eyed Alice in Wonderland quality that won her swarms of fans on American Idol's fifth season--if Simon Cowell had a ready antonym for "ghastly," there's little room for doubt about which contestant he would have applied it to. While debates over whether McPhee's considerable grace and talent should have won her the TV competition rage on across the Idol-viewing landscape, one thing's certain: she's made a debut album good enough to render such determinations meaningless. Katharine McPhee is an R&B-leaning pop disc that pulls the urgency and tenderness out of her voice and pins it smack in the center of each song. The slickly produced opener "Love Story" displays a certain swagger, and "Not Ur Girl" and "Open Toes" follow it up with still more spunk and attitude (something some McPhans asked to see more of on AI). If there's a crisp, smartly maneuvered Christina Aguilera-meets-Beyoncé-and-Mariah sensibility at work in those songs, the ballads belong to McPhee alone. "Somewhere over the Rainbow" made her a star on TV; "Ordinary World" and "Better off Alone" have the staying power to make her a star in music. --Tammy La Gorce Amazon.com

It was okay

"Ordinary World" and "Better Off Alone" were my favorites in the album. "Love Story" and "Over It" was okay but the rest sounds like your typical songs you heard already. Vocally she was Great sounded better than anytime she sang. I know Katherine Mcphee could have made a better album. She just needed to sing better songs and know what she is good at singing. Hopefully if she makes another album, she should change her style November 26, 2008

Katharine Sings

Katharine has a beautiful voice and she is a beautiful girl. I don't care for the songs that are on the contemporary side. I don't like singing with to much voice fluctuating (or rungs). The slower songs are very good. I hope the next album is less contemporary. I would just get songs I like. July 12, 2008

I don't like this feeling anymore

I could see Katharine McPhee falling into the same path Kelly Clarkson fell into. Katharine's debut isn't amazing by any means but you end up liking it a lot simply because her vocals are so strong (much like Kelly's debut). And with each further CD she'll realize who she is musically more and more and come into her own. For her first outing, though, she could've done so much worse.

The first two songs, Love Story and Over It, are pretty much just average pop fare. Nothing special but easily listenable. Open Toes is where the CD actually starts for me. After Open Toes you have only a couple songs that are so-so and quite a few that hold their own.

For the most part the lyrics aren't great. Perfect example, Open Toes. I love that song but the lyrics are so cheesy. Love Story is the same way, its your typical romantic comedy condensed into three minutes. Probably the only two good songs lyrically are Home and Neglected, the latter being the better of the two. Yet another thing she has in common with Kelly Clarkson...anyone see a pattern here?

For all the bad things you can pin on this CD, you have to admit that it's oddly enduring. For no reason--if you're anything like me--you'll feel compelled to listen to it. I figure any CD, or artist, that can do that deserves some type of bonus.

My favorite songs are Over It, Open Toes, Dangerous, Ordinary World, and Neglected. Anyone merely looking for pop music with no desire to be anything it's not, look no further than Katharine McPhee's self-titled debut. July 5, 2008

LOUSY PRODUCTION!

Who produced this album? It sounds like it was recorded in a trash can. Horrible production!!! I like Katharine, but this is a horribly produced album! June 15, 2008

wow!!

I just love this cd...
being french, i did not even know her and never saw her prestations in american idol
i happen to hear from her on the web and this cd is a pleasant surprise...
a wonderful warm voice and pop songs at their best
it's pleaseant to hear a pop album with such talent and high quality songs that stay in your head constantly especially 3 songs of this cd that are my special favorites and that gives me chills everytime i listen to them : over it (the lead single with its haunting chorus), neglected (such a powerful and emotional song) and everwhere i go.
the rest of the cd is very good too
Hope to hear from her very soon with further music.

May 16, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...