Katharine McPhee debut not ‘Over the Rainbow’
If you were expecting to hear a more “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Katharine McPhee, forget about it. That certainly isn’t the sound the runner-up of last season’s “American Idol” brings to the table with her self-titled debut.
The CD, which was released today, is a mix of all things pop and R&B. The music — almost from start to finish — is the kind of stuff you can expect to hear while shopping at the mall. In other words, it’s the kind of music that easily can be forgotten.
Maybe I’m a little frustrated, because I wanted to hear a ballad-heavy release from McPhee. Instead, bubble-gummish pop tunes such as “Not Ur Girl” and “Dangerous” sound more like the early work of Christina Aguilera and, dare I say, Britney Spears. It’s almost like McPhee is trying too hard to fit in somewhere, somehow.
And it sounds almost like she showed up a few years late. Or that she was a member of a Diddy-created girl group that decided to create an independent solo project.
But McPhee’s voice still is sweet. It’s just not the McPhee that led us to catch McPheever. Seriously, the only song that will give you faith in having supported this girl — at least if you were in it for the ballads — is “Ordinary World.” Another attempt, though it also falls short, is “Home.”
This definitely is not the strongest start for McPhee, but, then again, you never really know what radio will pick up these days. And, judging by the crazy amount of production that went into creating this sound-and-image combo, something just may stick.
Let’s just hope the best is yet to come from our sweet little songstress.
January 31st, 2007 at 2:16 am
Hey, that’s too bad.
I was looking forward to a good CD from McPhee, but I guess that’s not to be.
I’m willing to accept her a pop star, but she seems a bit mature for that. Guess that’s why everyone loved her ballads.
I was thinking of buying it just out of curiosity. Maybe I’ll wait until I hear a single on the radio or something.
January 31st, 2007 at 2:32 pm
I have only been involved with platinum artists and I am sorry to say that you will have to be satisfied with platinum status for now. She has the chops to do even more on the small and big screen but for now, be satisfied. Not everyone can put out a blue-haired grammy release. Especially when AI is involved in the first project. It “is” a business you know. Personally I would remix half the CD. A few singles will probably be done for radio that way. This is certainly better than anything that has been fielded by Clay, Ruben, Fantasia, or Taylor. McPhee will be in the class of Kelly, Carrie, or Chris. She already is.
January 31st, 2007 at 6:29 pm
It is composed of the most stupid poppy songs I’ve heard in a while. You can feel your brain cells dying as you hear one of the songs. I started saying “it’s hot” and became a valley girl after hearing McPhee’s CD. Do you have an enemy, but him this CD…
January 31st, 2007 at 8:06 pm
I never really liked McPhee….she reminds me too much of this girl i grew up with…and didn’t like.
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