Taylor Hicks - Taylor Hicks

Good, not great

I liked this album but didn't love it. I really enjoyed watching Taylor Hicks on American Idol, and I think I might enjoy watching him live than listening to a recording. Something is missing from this studio recording, the soulful voice and aura that I know Taylor Hicks has does not shine through on this recording.

Taylor is, however, one of my favorite idols, but I don't think that this album does him justice. There are a few good parts, but for the most part, it sounds rather karaoke-ish and there are many parts that just make me want to skip to the next track. April 10, 2008

Great music

Great first CD from the American Idol Season 5 winner. Just gotta love his bluesy-soul. April 2, 2008

Taylor Hicks is a true artist

I must confess, dear readers, that I am not enamored with the American Idol phenomenon. I used to work in the music business (managed a mid-level rock band, I'd rather not mention names) and I just never thought Idol was more than amateur hour.

Taylor Hicks intrigued me, however, because he couldn't fit the American Idol paradigm less if he tried. He stands out - for all the right reasons. His voice has a gruff, lived-in quality that perfectly suits the material he obviously loves. He possess an intense, focused stage presence - when he sings a song, he truly means it. Friends of mine sold me on Mr. Hicks via early recordings he released independently prior to his victorious run on Idol. Anyone who has doubts about his artistic validity needs to check out his stirring performance of "Georgia On My Mind" (the closing track on his first independent release, "In Your Time"). Throughout it's 7-minute-plus duration, Mr. Hicks displays a truly impressive array of emotion and power. His 2005 CD, "Under the Radar," is even better - seven original songs that demonstrate a lot of songwriting maturity from 1997's "In Your Time."

It should be noted that his major label debut, "Taylor Hicks," is not really in line with those earlier recordings. I'm sure most of the differences can be chalked up to making him "more commercial." There is a glossy, over-produced sheen to this album that is (thankfully) not present on "In Your Time" and "Under the Radar." As a musician, Mr. Hicks is a capable rhythm guitarist and a fine harmonica player - though you wouldn't know it from this album. His musicianship is limited to a couple of cameo appearances from his harmonica. As for Mr. Hicks the songwriter, he is restricted to a pair of rerecordings carried over from "Under the Radar."

In fact, it is on these holdovers that the weaknessess of this album become apparent - especially so if we look at a third rerecording, "Hell of a Day" which is a bonus track on some editions. Without exception, the original versions on "Under the Radar" are much more authentically soulful than the busier arrangements found on "Taylor Hicks." Don't get me wrong - these songs ("Soul Thing" and "The Deal" are the others) - are strong enough to survive the reworkings. But honestly, the producers of the new album didn't do him many favors.

Since Mr. Hicks was unceremoniously dumped from his label, there seems to be a surge of people rushing to say he had no talent to begin with. This album was underpromoted by Idol standards - there was no official single released to radio stations until months after it's release. Where were the supporting music videos that have been a standard part of music marketing for decades? They don't exist. Clearly, they didn't know quite what to do with Taylor Hicks and ended up doing as little as possible. Despite all this, the album was certified Platinum and spawned a pair of modest Adult Contemporary hit songs.

I like this album because Taylor Hicks manages to shine through it all - even though he was saddled with a fair amount of poor material. The opening track "The Runaround" is an energetic pop/soul number that is one of the best tracks here. The closing track "The Right Place", written by Bryan Adams for the late Ray Charles (who passed on before being able to record it), showcases Taylor's voice perfectly. Of course, I mentioned the Hicks originals earliers, "Soul Thing" and "The Deal" - both of which would have made ideal single choices (particularly the upbeat "Soul Thing").

"The Maze" would've made a good single choice - it is contemporary sounding, with a sort-of Maroon 5 vibe. Not necessarily the best type of song for Taylor, but not a bad way to bridge Taylor's 'old school' approach with something more current. The Rob Thomas-written "Dream Myself Awake" is a decent pop song. Most of the rest is a mixed bag. I've heard pre-Idol live versions of Taylor performing Paul Pena's "Gonna Move" that are far better than the smooth studio version found here - but that doesn't render it useless, covering this type of material suits Hicks well. Actually, I caught one of his shows from his tour last year. In every single case, the songs he performed from this album fared significantly better in concert.

Taylor Hicks was an unusual winner for American Idol. I hope he can overcome the stigma he is currently saddled with (first Idol winner dropped from label after only one album). He is far too talented to fade into obscurity. March 3, 2008

Also Ran...

"Dream Myself Awake" is a great track here but overall I am disappointed with this effort. Why have remakes on a debut, especially when you are supposedly a decent songwriter? Stick to the originals with the remakes. Paul Young's "Hat" is the perfect remake of that song. This one is not. I expected more. Should this cd have done better than it did? Probably not. Last count season 5 runner-ups #'s 3, 4, 6, and 8 had higher selling CDs and each was better. February 15, 2008

He's my favorite male "idol"

I loved his sould from the first time I saw him on "Idol" & I still do. Sounds great! February 9, 2008

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