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| December 13, 2006 |
| Taylor Hicks' debut |
Taylor Hicks, "Taylor Hicks" (Arista)
Why did Taylor Hicks win "American Idol"?
Well, it wasn't just his soulful voice or Clooney-esque silver hair. It was his unbridled, passionate delivery and goofy charm (plus those spastic dance moves, of course).
Hicks still has that amazing voice — somewhere between gruffness and sweetness. But the quirky appeal and fiery performance style that led him to be the unlikely king of this year's "Idol" unfortunately is in rare supply in his overproduced, self-titled debut.
Hicks, an Alabama-bred crooner with a penchant for soul, attempts to cover the hallowed ground of his forefathers: legends like Ray Charles and musicians such as Ry Cooder, Michael McDonald and Joe Cocker.
Does he succeed? Yes ... and no.
Sleekly produced in L.A. by Matt Serletic (Santana, Willie Nelson), Hicks' album plays on typical themes entrenched in the soul-blues tradition: heartache, journeying, more love loss.
He pays homage to Charles on such songs as the funky "Heaven Knows," which samples a riff from Charles' "What I'd Say." |
posted by viraks @ 11:05:00 PM  |
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