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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 9 2009, 01:39 PM (1,664 Views) | |
| mouser | Mar 9 2009, 01:39 PM Post #1 |
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American Idol’s Taylor Hicks May Have A HitFebruary 23, 2009 10:00:04 by Christine Navratil http://www.realitytvmagazine.com/blog/2009/02/23/american-idols-taylor-hicks-may-have-a-hit/ On March 10, American Idol champion Taylor Hicks releases his first single to his new album which is going to have a completely different sound than his freshman album did which was released shortly after his big American Idol Season 5 win. Taylor Hicks hopes that this single and album will make him more than just a one hit wonder or fleeting memory for fans. The CD is titled “The Distance” and the single that is being released is titled “What’s Right Is Right”. American Idol admits that he didn’t take much part in the creation of his first post-American Idol album and explains how this one is going to be much different than what people heard before. “When I wrote this record, I really tried to put myself outside of the box and look into the project as a music fan. I tried to use that perspective as a measuring stick for my music. I think, on this particular record, my voice is a common thread, and my love for different styles of music is really apparent.” We liked Taylor Hicks on the show but realize that he is one of those that sadly has been almost forgotten since winning American Idol. We really hope that this album does what it is supposed to do in making him once again a household name and shows what a great singer he really is. What do you think of “What’s Right Is Right” so far? Let us know! -------------------------------------------------------- Monday, March 9, 2009 Taylor Hicks CD Review: Proud to Say I Like It It’s not a popular sentiment these days, what with Simon using him as an insult and “Entertainment Weekly” calling him “worst Idol ever,” but I’m going to say it anyway… I like Taylor Hicks. I still contend that “Taylor Hicks” was a great CD, so I was actually excited to hear his long-awaited follow-up, “The Distance.” And, yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to say I liked it. And having read some of the other reviews, I know that’s not a popular sentiment either… The minute I heard the opening notes of “The Distance,” which Taylor co-wrote, I had to smile. It’s classic Taylor with soulful verses and a gospel-sounding chorus… The first single, “What’s Right Is Right,” is as smooth as butter as Taylor glides through the simple but sweet chorus… With lyrics like “New found freedom/gonna spread my wings and fly,” you can’t help but think that Taylor had something in mind when he co-wrote the next track, “New Found Freedom.” Those lyrics get a little hokey with too much repetition, but it’s still pretty good… “Nineteen” is Taylor’s first story song on the CD. It’s about an all-American boy who joined the military after 9/11. I think this one will get a big reaction during concerts because it is a good one… But then the CD comes to a little bit of a halt with “Once Upon a Lover,” which goes for a different kind of sound—calypso, I think—that just doesn’t work for me, even with Taylor’s excellent vocal… The CD gets back on track, though, with “Seven Mile Breakdown,” which gives us that harder Southern soul sound… Then, it’s back to a ballad with “Maybe You Should,” a gorgeous breakup song that I think Taylor should seriously consider taking country. I can see the video already… “Keepin’ It Real” is another story song meant to be a whimsical look at fame, but it just doesn’t quite work for me—probably because it doesn’t really show off Taylor’s vocals… “I Live on a Battlefield” was originally recorded by Nick Lowe. But when I saw that Paul Carrack co-wrote it with Lowe, it made me realize just how much of a Carrack quality Taylor has to his voice. So this song completely works for him. I hope he’ll consider covering “Tempted” for his next CD… “Wedding Day Blues” is meant to be a fun song about a guy getting his woman back on her wedding day to another man. It’s so-so on the CD, but I think it will work much better live… To close out the CD, Taylor gets a perfect singing partner in the form of his fellow season five “American Idol” contestant Elliott Yamin on the Bobby Womack song “Woman’s Got to Have It.” It’s a good song and it makes you think of the possibilities if these two ever decided to join forces on a tour… I have to admit I was a little disappointed about one thing. I kept waiting for Taylor to throw it down and give us a real rocking number like he did on his last CD with “Heaven Knows” or “Soul Thing,” but that song never came. That disappointment isn’t enough to make me dislike the CD, though, it’s just something I missed a little bit… It may not be cool to be a fan of Taylor Hicks, but I am proud to say I am one anyway. And besides, when have I ever been cool? “The Distance” hits stores Tuesday, March 10th… http://media.herald-dispatch.com/blog/idol/2009/03/taylor-hicks-cd-review-proud-to-say-i.html Edited by mouser, Mar 23 2009, 04:24 PM.
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| mouser | Mar 10 2009, 09:51 AM Post #2 |
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Music Review: Taylor Hicks - The Distance Written by Sherry Lipp Published March 10, 2009 Taylor Hicks’ new album, The Distance is a surprising mix of soul, rock, blues, country and even a little Bossa Nova. The Distance is the first album to be released on Hicks’ own label, Modern Whomp Records. The album features an array of notable musicians who have long history of recording with rock, blues and country artists. Producer Simon Climie boasts an extensive list of credits and has recently produced albums for Eric Clapton, Chaka Kahn and Michael McDonald. The Distance boasts several stand-out tracks. Two of the most notable are the southern rocker “Seven Mile Breakdown,” and the piano soul ballad “Maybe You Should.” “Seven Mile Breakdown” is a re-working of a blues track written a few years ago by Wynn Christian. Christian previously worked with Hicks on some of Hicks’ pre-Idol independent tracks. Hicks shares a writing credit on this updated version, which is an Allman Brothers styled blues rock song that has great country crossover potential. “Seven Mile Breakdown” should be the next single. It’s a memorable song that exemplifies Hicks’ blues style that has been forgotten by many of Hicks’ critics. “Maybe You Should” is an emotional track about lost love. The song is genuine and mature, and has a nice raw feel with its minimal piano accompaniment. Though Hicks is attempting to incorporate several different styles of music on this album, he manages to keep most of the tracks within a sphere that suits his style. “Wedding Day Blues” is a comedic fantasy about winning back an ex-lover on her wedding night. One of the more interesting tracks is the Latin/Soul “Once Upon A Lover.” It’s an unexpected sound from Hicks who sings the song in a seldom heard upper range. “I Live On A Battlefield” is a cover of a song originally done by Nick Lowe. It’s a nice catchy tune well sung by Hicks. The song that opens the album, “The Distance” (the album’s title track) an upbeat Springsteenesque rock tune that is fun listen. One of the albums highlights is the final track “Woman’s Got To Have It” featuring fellow Idol contestant Elliott Yamin. The song was written and recorded by legendary songwriter Bobby Womack in 1972. Hicks and Yamin complement each other well on the track, and it’s great to hear them together. There are only a couple of missteps on the album. The most head-scratching of which is “Keepin’ It Real.” The verses share a similar melody to the much maligned country hit “Achy Breaky Heart.” But even more bizarre are the lyrics, which seem to be about Britney Spears’, Paris Hilton’s and OJ Simpson’s lives in the spotlight. Strangely this is the only track to feature Hicks’ trademark harmonica playing. It’s the one track I wish someone had talked Hicks into leaving off the album. The only other notably weak track is “New Found Freedom.” It is a bit of a generic rock song that is somewhat clichéd lyrically. Hicks is credited as a writer on seven the eleven tracks on The Distance. One of the songs not written by Hicks is the country ballad “Nineteen.” The song has been floating around the country music world for a couple of years but has not had any impact as of yet. It’s a nice patriotic song about a young man who sacrifices everything to serve his country. I’m not sure the straight country style suits Hicks as well it could, however, Hicks sings it with a sincerity and conviction that ultimately makes the song work. The album’s first single,” What’s Right Is Right,” was written by album producer Simon Climie. It’s an okay song, but lacks any real excitement. However it is a pleasant listen and well sung by Hicks. Overall The Distance is a solid album with plenty to please Taylor Hicks fans. There are several memorable tracks that show off Taylor as a serious musician and singer. The album does have a “please everybody” type of feel instead of a more raw sound that would be better suited for Hicks’ talents. It would also be nice to hear a lot more of Hicks’ harmonica playing. It’s a bit of a puzzle as to why Hicks would not want to emphasize something he is so good at. But the albums strengths lie in Hicks’ strengths. He is an engaging and strong vocalist who clearly cares about his music. The Distance is well worth the listen. http://blogcritics.org/archives/2009/03/10/091359.php |
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| mouser | Mar 10 2009, 10:40 AM Post #3 |
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The USA Today IdolChatter : By Brian Mansfield Track-by-track: Taylor Hicks, 'The Distance' Before I get into the track-by-track of Taylor Hicks’ The Distance, I have to 'fess up and say that Taylor doesn’t do a whole lot for me. That has less to do with him, I think, than the style he’s working in. A lot of talented people work in the blues/old-school blue-eyed soul fields, but those fields have been plowed so heavily and for so long that it’s very difficult for anybody to bring something new to them. I hear a lot of music stylistically similar to Taylor’s, both by people more famous than Taylor (Michael McDonald) and less (Geraint Watkins), and I have a hard time finding things to recommend to anybody who’s not a devotee of those styles. I mean, I kind of like it, because I like that sort of music, but I’m not beating down my friends’ doors to make them listen to it. That said, I admire Taylor for the career path he’s taken since Idol, since he seems to be doing exactly the kind of music he wants to do and enjoying himself in the process. While I’m not nuts about every song on The Distance, parts of it are quite good, and I can absolutely understand why somebody who’s got more emotionally invested in Taylor than I do would find it positively thrilling. 1. The Distance. For starters, Taylor has surrounded himself with impressive songwriters and musicians on this album. His core band includes a fine rhythm section in bassist Nathan East and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr., as well as Texas guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, who adds some tasty slide work on this track and elsewhere. Taylor collaborated with two well-known Nashville songwriters who have a strong blues influence, Gary Nicholson and Kenny Greenberg. On this song, which has a brotherly-love/we’re-all-the-same message, Taylor reminds me of Paul Carrack, the journeyman British singer who sang Ace’s How Long, Squeeze’s Tempted and Mike + The Mechanics’ The Living Years. We’ll revisit the Carrack comparison later in the album. 2. What’s Right Is Right. Hicks slows it down for the single, which has a steady, soul-pop groove with electric piano. The song, about each person sharing the loads in a relationship, comes from the same songwriting team that wrote Aretha Franklin’s I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me), Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan. Those who need to hear lyrics like “What’s wrong with you is wrong with me/What’s right is right” will probably latch right on to this one, but it sounds like such a throwback to mid-'80s AC radio that I could also see people automatically tuning it out. 3. New Found Freedom. Positive, uptempo gospel-pop song with Taylor leaning a little more toward the Michael McDonald side of his sound, especially on the chorus, which have those dark, throaty background vocals that McDonald loves so much. 4. Nineteen. One of the emotional high points of the album, this ballad tells the story of a high-school football star who joins the armed forces in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Singer-songwriter Tom Hambridge wrote it with Nicholson and Jeffrey Steele, arguably the hottest songwriter in Nashville right now. Every time I hear this song I can’t help but think of electronic musician Paul Hardcastle’s 1985 British hit of the same name, based on the age of the average soldier during the Vietnam War. (I guess some things don't change.) But here’s where it gets weird: I thought the two songs couldn’t possibly have anything to do with each other (and I don’t know whether Taylor or any of the songwriters are aware of the earlier song), but guess who managed Hardcastle at the time he had his hit? Idol creator Simon Fuller. Wanna guess where his company, 19 Entertainment got its name? That’s right. 5. Once Upon a Lover. The bossa nova groove is a change of pace for Taylor, with flute and trumpet/flugelhorn added to the band. Another Hicks/Climie/Morgan composition, it pushes Taylor to the high end of his register for most of the song and has anything but a storybook ending. 6. Seven Mile Breakdown. Probably the oldest original song on the set, this is a blues-rock number – featuring more of Doyle Bramhall’s slide work -– that Taylor wrote with Spoonful James guitarist Wynn Christian. It was the title track for an album that band released in 2001. 7. Maybe You Should. This one’s probably my favorite song on the album. I’ll be honest and admit a bias toward one of the songwriters, Mike Reid, whose name doesn’t get seen on credits nearly enough these days but who wrote a number of big records including Ronnie Milsap’s Stranger in My House and Bonnie Raitt’s I Can’t Make You Love Me. This song’s very much in the vein of the latter. In fact, it’s easy to imagine Raitt singing this song. 8. Keepin It Real. Taylor brings in Delbert McClinton as a co-writer on this song about not letting fame go to one’s head (you’ll hear allusions to Britney Spears and O.J. Simpson as examples of how not to behave in the spotlight). Propelled by New Orleans stride-piano rhythms, Keepin It Real is the first song on the album to feature Taylor playing harmonica. 9. I Live on a Battlefield. This is where we come back to Paul Carrack. He wrote this song with British singer/bassist Nick Lowe, who originally cut it for his 1994 Impossible Bird album. It’s since been covered by Carrack, Nanci Griffith and Diana Ross. It’s an extended metaphor for a decimated relationship (first line: “I live on a battlefield, surrounded by the ruins of the love we built”). Taylor gives it a suitably somber soul-pop reading. 10. Wedding Day Blues. Sly, frisky acoustic blues played for chuckles –- imagine Garth Brooks’ Friends in Low Places with a happy ending for the singer. 11. Woman’s Gotta Have It. Idol soul heaven – Taylor and Elliott Yamin grooving together on a Bobby Womack joint from the early ‘70s. Posted at 09:38 PM/ET, March 09, 2009 in Taylor Hicks | http://blogs.usatoday.com/idolchatter/2009/03/track-by-track.html |
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| mouser | Mar 10 2009, 01:17 PM Post #4 |
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Just a short one : http://amiestreet.com/blog/post/new-music-tuesday-61 Best known as the winner of American Idol Season Five, Taylor Hicks is back with his second album, The Distance. Produced by Simon Climie (Eric Clapton), the album showcases Hicks's raspy, energetic voice over a variety of soulful pop, country, and gospel tunes. Whether or not you're a fan from his days on Idol, The Distance is a smooth, easy listen that'll convert many new fans to his loyal fan club, the Soul Patrol. Make sure to tune in to his performance on Ellen on March 11th! For fans of: The Doobie Brothers + Michael McDonald + Bo Bice --------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist of the Week: Taylor Hicks March 09, 2009 02:08:13 GMT Working with producer Simon Climie, Taylor Hicks is set to drop a new album titled 'The Distance' on March 10 under his newly-formed record label Modern Whomp Records. After being released from his contract with Arista Records, Taylor Hicks refuses to back off from music industry. Believing that "this is turning the page on a new chapter" in his career, he forms a record label Modern Whomp Records. Taking the advantage of "artistic freedom," he is back to studio, making music for his new album "The Distance" and plans to release it across U.S. on March 10. In the new album, Taylor steps behind songwriting table, co-penning several songs including "Wedding Day Blues", "Seven Mile Breakdown", "Once Upon a Lover of Mine" and "Woman Gotta Have It". Teaming up with producer Simon Climie, who has recorded songs for Eric Clapton, Faith Hill and Carlos Santana, he also works with guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, bassist Nathan East and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr to provide the album's sounds. "What's Right Is Right", the lead single off the new record has been available for digital purchase since January 27. Driven by funky keyboards and sax work, the mid-tempo song about love and commitment peaked at number 25 on Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. A music video for the track has also been debuted, providing a look into the crooner performing in a dark lounge with his trademark soulful sound. "I wanted to create that alone, James Dean feel, and get across my point of what true love is," Taylor says when referring to the romantic set behind the moody, and mature lyrics in the song. "There's a couple with something to overcome, an obstacle. But when you know it's real, what happens with one person happens with another. It also brings out the idea that there might be a little bit of longing for true love in me. I know true, real love is out there." Since becoming the winner of the fifth season of "American Idol", Taylor Hicks has dropped self-titled debut album, which was certified platinum and peaked at number two on Billboard Hot 200. He has also toured through Asia, performing with Willie Nelson, Widespread Panic, The Allman Brothers Band as well as Jackson Browne. In the beginning of 2009, he embarks on a national U.S. tour with Grease. Fans can log on to MySpace to check his complete tour dates. http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00022618.html Edited by mouser, Dec 28 2009, 06:58 AM.
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| mouser | Mar 10 2009, 01:54 PM Post #5 |
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Taylor Hicks Duets with Elliot Yamin on New Record by Harris Neither Taylor Hicks nor Elliot Yamin, both American Idol disciples with marginal post-Idol career success, are exactly what you would call sex symbols. But maybe it was a smooth move for Hicks to invite Yamin to sing on the new album, The Distance, which goes on sale today. The duet, loftily titled Woman’s Got to Have It, is a high-energy Prince-esque barnburner complete with a spoken word intro. “You got make her feel it every time boy” Hicks sings. This just sweeps me back in time to the legendary Celine Dion/Barbra Streisand duet Tell Him. Well, both gentlemen can sing, at least. Before I hit play on The Distance, I would have guessed that Hicks was heading into gospel, Christian rock territory on the new set. I wasn’t completely wrong, though Hicks isn’t quite as blatantly playing to the Christian crowd like say, Jessica Simpson’s foray into God’s country. This is closer to soul music, but the kind where dirrty is hinted at more than expressed directly, and almost every song could be a jilted love story. Certainly Hicks, American Idol’s inexplicable season 5 champion, has had little success as a straight-up jazz or rock musician. Now he’s found a balance between the jazz sound he favors, a rock flavor, and a sprinkle of gospel harmonies. Nothing here screams “mainstream” but it’s a respectable release for diehard fans. It’s just not going to catch fire like former Idol alum Kelly Clarkson’s new album, also released today. For as badly overproduced as Clarkson’s album was, at least the songs were catchy. You won’t find yourself singing anything from The Distance tomorrow. From the opening, it would be understandable if you mistake The Distance for a Christian rock album. The first three tracks, the title track and the song New Found Freedom especially, are those kind of songs that could be about lovers, or someone in love with God, depending on your interpretation. After that, (and after sitting through the putrid track Nineteen) the rest of the album falls into a comfortable groove of jazzy rock that made Hicks, yes I said this already - inexplicably, a household name. The best way to enjoy a Taylor Hicks album is, apparently, to ignore the lyrical confusion and just sit back and absorb the vibe. A song like Seven Mile Breakdown works way better if you don’t think about what he’s singing about, as does the languid, piano-heavy Maybe You Should. On the other hand, Wedding Day Blues, written with the same formula, is flat and weirdly disturbing to listen to even if you ignore the words. Hicks’ album needs a better mix of tracks to find total success. There is no sustained energy from start to finish, no catchy tunes hidden at the end as a saving grace. Trust me, only Hicks’ true fans got to have this one. Rating 3.00 out of 5 http://smartremarx.com/1402/taylor-hicks-duets-with-elliot-yamin-on-new-record/ |
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| mouser | Mar 11 2009, 01:53 PM Post #6 |
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Taylor Hicks - The Distance Coherent Artistic Statement By Bill Lamb, About.com Taylor Hicks Music Taylor Hicks' self-titled debut album suffered primarily from a lack of coherent musical focus. That problem has been cleared up here, and The Distance, while it may not gain a significant number of new fans, will definitely please his faithful fans. With a strong assist from veteran producer Simon Climie, the man behind Michael McDonald's Motown albums, these song have Taylor Hicks' musical signature all over them. Soulful Charm The Distance kicks off with songs such as the title song and "New Found Freedom" that rest comfortably in Taylor Hicks' musical ancestry of southern soul. They also practically bubble over with an optimism that has served him well since he first auditioned for American Idol. Unfortunately, when he veers into tearjerker territory with the ballad "Nineteen," he sounds somewhat less convincing. The soul man who tells us every cloud does indeed have a silver lining is the comfortable niche for Taylor Hicks. A Special Moment Those who are committed American Idol fans may purchase this album for one reason. Fellow AI alumnus Elliott Yamin joins Taylor Hicks for a cover of Bobby Womack's classic "A Woman's Got to Have It." Despite an intro that feels a bit comical, there are moments of vocal magic as the two contestants play comfortably off each other. Top Tracks on The Distance "The Distance" "What's Right Is Right" "New Found Freedom" "Maybe You Should" "Woman's Got To Have It" The Entertainer Has Returned Taylor Hicks' biggest asset as an American Idol was his connection with the television viewers and sheer joyful attitude as an entertainer. With a more coherent focus to the music here, this quality of Hicks is allowed to truly shine. He may veer a bit off track with the Latin shuffle of "Once Upon a Lover" or sillinesss of "Keeping It Real," but the earnestness of Taylor Hick's efforts to please an audience never fade. The Distance is a solid effort. http://top40.about.com/od/albums/fr/taylorhicksdist.htm |
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| Kris | Mar 11 2009, 08:17 PM Post #7 |
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Not good at writing reviews, so here goes: LOVE IT, LOVE IT, WOOOOOOOOOOOO. THUD!!! Love every song, will take a while to pick a favorite, loved the duet with Elliott. |
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| mouser | Mar 13 2009, 04:40 AM Post #8 |
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There is a poll on this site that asks us to grade The Distance: See what you can do : http://www.shakefire.com/reviews/cd/taylor-hicks-the-distance A103 (93%) B4 (3%) C2 (1%) D0 (0%) F1 (0%) A- (3.84 Out Of 4.00) Taylor Hicks: The Distance (2009)Submitted by AJ Garcia on Friday, March 6, 2009 - 9:01AM Artist: Taylor Hicks Album: The Distance Members: Taylor Hicks Genre: Rock Label: Modern Whomp Tracks: 11 Type: LP Release Date: March 10, 2009 Discs: 1 Rating: 4.35 (out of 4.00) Grade: A+ Official Site A lot of people know Taylor Hicks as the 2006 American Idol winner but what they don’t know is that Hicks had quite a music career before then. A self made musician Hicks bought himself a harmonica at the age of 16 and taught himself to play blues harp, by 18 had written his first song, and by 19 had taught himself how to play guitar. This guy was no slouch when it came to music before Idol and winning the competition proved himself to the world. Having a moderately successful independent career before winning a record contract with American Idol Creator Simon Fuller on his Arista record label may have had some adverse effects on Hicks’ performance here on his newest album, The Distance. For the most part the album is surprisingly good, I say surprisingly because I expected far less from Hicks then this. There is a powerful sense of gospel to his voice, a country/folk narration behind his every word, but a working class rock and roll feel running down the core of the album. Its all respectable in the sense that most of the album doesn’t feel like the opportunity is being taken advantage of. The adverse effects of his earlier career, becoming more apparent my second time around, is that Hicks comes at a few songs as a musician who has been here before and is within a comfort zone that allows him to have maybe a little to much fun. There is a certain sense of homage to his inspirations embedded there in those tracks and even though he hit’s the music head on its feels less like he’s really playing an homage but more an inside joke for himself and the people whom he shares a love for the music with. Sounds like a wonderful premise but the album has a fluidity that is undeniable that falters due to this. In any case contemporary rock fans will love this album even with the few flaws that it possess. My complete dislike of American Idol aside this is one artist I’m glad got himself a shot because he’s making the most of it and he’s doing it extremely well. Definitely an album worth checking out. Enjoy. |
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| mouser | Mar 14 2009, 10:27 AM Post #9 |
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This guy on youtube.com has 75 subscribers: He doesn't appear to be a guy who would like Taylor at all. Listen to him comments . Surprise , surprise !!!!! I am shocked !!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWTcThr8Htg |
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| mouser | Mar 14 2009, 01:46 PM Post #10 |
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PEOPLE MAGAZINE REVIEW: Ignore the first sentence and it 's pretty dang good!!!!!!! 3 1/2 stars out of 4.
Edited by mouser, Mar 14 2009, 01:47 PM.
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| mouser | Mar 16 2009, 06:21 AM Post #11 |
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Music Maven A spot where music is hotA Tale of Redemption…Going “The Distance” First, let me say that Taylor Hicks owes me nothing. Nada. Not a thing. I used to think that he did, but let me say here (clearly), that I was wrong. You see, four years ago when I rabidly followed Taylor on the cheese fest that is American Idol, I was envigorated by a young man who appeared to beat the odds, defy “the man” and strike a blow for the every day music lover. He was a refreshing throwback to good, “old” music that was pure, un-synthesized, and “real”. He was the everyday musical hero who came to save the day. After AI, I expected Taylor to remain “all about the music” and continue to defy the musical ogres who control content and dole out the uninspiring pablum derived from electronic manipulation. It was evident from Taylor’s first post-AI release, Taylor Hicks, that there was more influence from those writing the checks than any of us would have preferred. Through the whole time, Taylor seemed to be impersonating some character in a play and while fans largely supported the record, it rang hollow on the charts. It seemed that the daring, soulful style and smokin’ harmonica accompniment was largely absent from the record, leaving listeners, including me, wondering just where Taylor Hicks went. His live tour was very successful and likely garnished Taylor enough dough to break away from J Records (whether mutual or not), start his own label, and take time for the next record that, maybe…just maybe, would more closely represent what fans so desparately want to hear from the soul man. There have been some detours along the way, including the Broadway role of Teen Angel, that I simply did not agree with because it’s not my vision for the dude. But, really…what do I know? Oddly enough, Grease appears to have been the catalyst that provided some public acceptance and a bit of a springboard for, perhaps, a redemption of “America’s pick”. Even though I still cringe at the notion of Taylor crooning out Beauty School Dropout, I can’t deny that it’s been good for his career. Hey, it’s a mean to an end, I guess. I have said all along, if the music is good, people will listen and all of the other extra-cirricular activities won’t mean a thing. That brings us to the release of Taylor Hicks’ new CD, The Distance. I’ve been listening to it for a few days along with some other new music that I’ve been recently turned on to. I wanted to give it a few days to simmer before I commented. First, let me quench your curiosity and say that overall, this CD is MUCH better than the first release. There’s a definite ease on this record that was absent on Taylor Hicks. While that effort was frenetic, disjointed and a bit out of control, The Distance is thoughtful, balanced and comfortable. It is very reminiscient of his pre-Idol work and shows that Taylor seems to be going “back” to his core, which is exactly what most people loved about him in the first place. This should have been his Idol release, had they been smart. The arrogance of greedy people who believe their “formula” for making a record and maximizing its profit never ceases to amaze me, but we continually see these dinosaurs take unique and genuine talent and turn them into something that is the opposite of what actually makes them appealing, and then scratching their head at its failure. But, I digress…back to the review. As I previously detailed, the first single, What’s Right is Right, is a simple, pleasing tune with a great video. It’s currently doing well on AC radio and seems to be a happy medium between what’s expected from fans and what’s accepted by the industry. But what about the rest of the record? Well, I think I get Taylor. He is not just one style or one genre. Like me, he likes a lot of different types and styles of music and I think that’s what he wanted this record to be. Recently, he did a guest DJ spot on “My Turn” on 100.3 (Newport Beach, CA), no doubt as part of his promotion of this release (which I have to say is 200% better than the crack PR team at J Records and The Firm). Whoever is in charge of promotion this time is doing a fabulous job. Anyway, Taylor’s playlist for the hour long DJ stint is very telling. St. Dominic’s Preview - Van Morrison Gasoline Alley -Rod Stewart How Long - Ace Rainy Night In Georgia - Brook Benton You Belong To Me - Carly Simon Hurricane Water - Citizen Cope Foggy Mountain Breakdown - Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs Where I’m From (Alabama Frame Of Mind)- Shelby Lynne Life’s Been Good - Joe Walsh Lowdown in Lodi - Freddie King Something So Right - Paul Simon Arc Of A Diver - Steve Winwood Don’t Think Twice - Susan Tedeschi I’m In Love - Wilson Pickett To hear Taylor’s DJ skillz, click on the following player. Now, I have to say that this was one of the most redeeming things I’ve heard from Taylor in a while. It validated that the dude still has great music taste and still true to it. Many of the songs on the new CD incorporate “sounds” from Taylor influences like Steve Winwood, Keb ‘Mo, Delbert McClinton, Van Morrison, and The Meters. He signed on a quality producer in Simon Climie, who has produced Eric Clapton and who is an accomplished keyboardist and song writer in his own right. In addition, some of Clapton’s touring band performed on the record, including Doyle Brahmall II and bassist Nathan East and was joined by Paul McCartney’s drummer, Abe Laboriel, Jr. This is a quality record, with quality songs, musicians, and mixing. I like it. I have to say that it’s very entertaining and there are a few really good tracks on it. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Maybe You Should. Written by Taylor and Nashville songwriter Gary Nicholson (who contributes on several songs), it is a great ballad that reminds me of Bonnie Raitt’s I Can’t Make You Love Me. That could be because songwriter Michael Reid co-wrote both of them. While I love Taylor’s raspy blues feel to this song, I could also see Keith Urban doing this song. Along with Nineteen, Seven Mile Breakdown (co-penned with Hicks by Spoonful James’ guitarist and pre-Idol buddy, Wynn Christian) and the title-track, The Distance, Maybe You Should has serious Country potential, if appopriately brought to Nashville. Even the blues number, Wedding Day Blues is oddly reminiscient of Garth Brooks’ Country anthem, Friends in Low Places. While there’s certainly some Country influence, this CD is not a one trick twang pony. One of my favorites, Keeping It Real, is influenced by co-author Delbert McClinton’s wily humor along with a great strider piano, New Orleans sound. It’s also the ONLY track on the CD with a harmonica accompniment. A pity, as I really dig the harp. There’s also plenty of “soul” in the Nick Lowe cover, I Live on a Battlefield, and one of my all-time favorite tunes, Woman’s Gotta Have It, where he is accompanied by AI buddy, Elliott Yamin. Now, Woman’s Gotta Have It is one on my Music Maven “All-Time Favorite” list, but James Taylor’s 1976 version from his In the Pocket CD which is, in my opinion, one of the best albums ever made — but that’s a different subject for a different day. I really love the meshing of voices between Elliott and Taylor and especially Taylor harmonizing background vocal (fulfilling Simon’s ambition for him), but the beginning of JT’s version is more to my liking. Got me to wondering what a combined version would sound like. Hmmmm…. Once Upon a Lover and New Found Freedom are my “throw away” tracks. I didn’t like the Latino sound of West Texas Sky and I don’t care for it on Once Upon a Lover. New Found Freedom is more of an Idol ”coronation” song that just doesn’t measure up to the other songs on the CD. The marketing plan of three “special tracks” via different store exclusives are in play for The Distance. Wal-Mart offers the Ray Charles’ cover Hide Nor Hair, Target provides Indiscriminate Act of Kindness, and iTunes has Yes We Can, Can. While I haven’t been able to sample Hide Nor Hair, Indiscriminate Act of Kindness reminds me of Taylor’s much heralded performance of the Ray classic, Georgia. It is indulgent and very non-descript. While I know this won’t be popular with the “Soul Patrol”, Indiscriminate Act of Kindness is NOT a song that exhibits Taylor Hicks’ talent nor is it a very appealing cut. However, if you’re looking for a theme song about drug addiction and recovery, this is likely as good as it gets. On the other hand, the iTunes “special”, Yes We Can is a veritable who’s who of funk & boogie. Written by Allen Toussaint and covered by the likes of soul man, Marc Broussard and The Pointer Sisters, Yes We Can pays homage to the soul/zydeco/funk of the Southern Gulf Coast. While Taylor may be considered the “forgotten idol”, the fact that Ivan Neville, Delbert McClinton and Stax legend, Steve Cropper provide back-up, indicates that “real” musicians “get” Taylor. Even Marc Broussard couldn’t pull that off. Music Maven gives Taylor Hicks’ The Distance 4 of 5 stars. Buy it. Redemption attained. -http://musicmaven.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/a-tale-of-redemptiongoing-the-distance/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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| mouser | Mar 17 2009, 05:52 AM Post #12 |
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Saturday, March 7, 2009 Taylor Hicks - The Distance - Review The Distance At A Glance: FABTASTIC!: What's Right Is Right, Keeping It Real Great: The Distance, New Found Freedom, Nineteen, Seven Mile Breakdown, Maybe You Should, I Live On A Battlefield OK:Once Upon A Lover, Below Average: Wedding Day Blues, Woman's Got To Have It What Was He Thinking?: I know this post is probably going to cause Paul quite a lot of grief but either way, I plan on reviewing Taylor Hicks' new album - The Distance - set for release on March 10 - and I can say It's quite a good album! Anyways, on with the review! The album opener, The Distance, is a soulful country-influence pop piece that I really quite like! It flows really nicely, and while it almost lacks a chorus - It's quite a great, lazy day type track! We all need a bit of class and love in our lives now and then, and while this album delivers it as a whole - the albums lead single What's Right Is Right is particularly great!. Lyrically, it's very pretty and Taylor's vocal is fantastic - but the song just really has a classy, sophisticated air to it that I really like!. It's a really sweet song, and one I can imagine putting on after a long, tiring day and having a dance around your apartment to....Sounds great Huh?! There's something rather joyous and almost exciting about New Found Freedom. It's catch, and after straining to explode from the opening parts, the gospel chorus comes in and the song just lifts and while I would have loved some kind of "double-time" section, I really quite like the song!. Nineteen is a heart-wrencher!. It's a very beautiful ballad, but It's a exceptionally sad story of a nineteen year old boy who joined the marines and got killed in battle - It's a emotional, yet still very pretty album and it's got a really sad story - It's horrific.... I can't exactly say I'm a huge fan of Once Upon A Lover. I like the more sophisticated sound that the song showcases, It does fit Taylor better in my opinion - but the Latin vibe I get from the song doesn't totally fit it. Don't get me wrong - I really do like the song, but I just wish it would have maybe gone somewhere more or something else, because it's good but not great....The chorus is catchy as well!. And we're back to the country type tracks with Seven Mile Breakdown (Eagle Rock influences anyone?), once this song kicks off, the song really clicks along nicely and it's quite a great track - I get a really "background music at the country pub" type vibe from the song, but I do like it a lot!!!. Maybe You Should is a more traditional, sophisticated ballad. It's much simpler than most of the album so far, Just Taylor and a few soft orchestral elements. It's very pretty, and although it's quite sad, I do like the song a lot!. There's something strangely catchy about Keeping It Real that I quite like! The verses seem to sample Achy Breaky Heart, and although that may seem a bit strange, I do love the song a lot! It almost makes Achy Breaky Heart cool again, and I mostly love this song for the verses, either way it's great!. I Live On A Battlefield is a funny track for me - It's midway between the 'country' type tracks on the album, and the more straightforward 'city' type tracks (if you know what I mean) and I'm not sure if it totally works. Either way, the song is quite good, and I do like the tempo change at the end! Wedding Day Blues is a rather interesting track!. It seems like the gate-crashed his ex's wedding, and ended up getting kicked out, slept with the bride in the limousine after the car, drank a 100-year-old bottle of wine and you know any song that has the line "It might have been his wedding but it's my honeymoon" and has a sample of the wedding march in it is going to be a great story. It's a little tragic, but hey - I love the story!. Woman's Got To Have It, the last track on the album, is probably the only track on the album that doesn't really work for me. It's a bit off-kilter, and although I do like the premise behind it - The song never truly clicks for me - but either way, it's a great album! http://fabtasticmusic.blogspot.com/2009/03/taylor-hicks-distance-review.html |
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| mouser | Mar 17 2009, 05:26 PM Post #13 |
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Thanks to MsSonny for this article : popYOUlarity.com first appeared on the internet on January 19th of 2001. It was founded by Debbie Gebert who loved music, as a way to work with something she enjoyed and help newer bands see the light of day. Taylor Hicks By admin • Mar 17th, 2009 • Category: CD Reviews The Distance 4/5 For some music artists there is no life after being dropped by their record label. This is not the case for Taylor Hicks, whose latest album The Distance reaches out to a broad audience and holds its own in the music scene. Although Hicks had to rely on his own label, Modern Whomp Records, to release this record, it has not held him back. The record is a delivery of country, pop, soft rock and some blue grass tunes. Always setting himself apart from mainstream artists for not succumbing to the modern sound of electronic beats, and instead opting for a large instrumental backing, in his music Hicks’ voice is almost a breath of fresh air. The record is sure to be a favorite for love tunes such as “Once Upon A Lover” which reflects upon the wanting of a past lover. The track begins with a slow rhythmic piano tune and works its way to a fast paced instrumental song amplified by the trumpet. While many songs on the album are based around love and relationships there are tunes of loss, hardship, and the war of 9/11, which are sure to be well received by the American public. “Nineteen” is a song about an average American teenage solider driven to war by the tragedies of 9/11. With lyrics such as “he’s somebody’s son, in a hole with a gun, in a foreign land, trying to hold onto his American dream,” “Nineteen” is sure to hit home to the patriotic of America, that are an older generation making up a core part of his demographic. Hicks is the second Idol to record a song about the average American, the other being Carrie Underwood’s “All American Girl.” The most memorable tracks on the album include “What’s Right is Right” (which is the first single off the record) and “I Live On A Battlefield,” because of their catchy lyrics and beat. Both songs will have you clapping and swaying to the music. Hicks allows you to get lost in lyrics such as “all around there is desolation, scenes of a devastation, of a love been torn apart,” and fast paced guitar, drum and piano arrangements. If you are in the mood to lose yourself to music in a raw form, then give the record a try. The Distance is a record sure to be loved by current and former Hicks fans known as the “Soul Patrol” and to possibly gain new fans for its pure vocal styling and old school sound. +Juliette Elchuk http://popyoularity.com/Blog/?p=3155 |
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| mouser | Mar 19 2009, 11:47 AM Post #14 |
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Album Reviews: The Distance by Taylor Hicks Refusing to commit to a location is Taylor Hicks' M.O. on The Distance. The salt-and-pepper haired winner of American Idol, Season Five, has parted ways with J and Arista, the labels that handle the recording contracts of theIdols, but that hasn't razzled, shaken or knocked Hicks off his game. The husky crooner dabbles in pop, blues, country, soul, gospel, Latin and classic rock throughout the whole of The Distance. He's even a balladeer commenting on the Iraq War on the album. By avoiding the trappings of "genre-fication," Hicks is able to be everything to everyone and that's the cultural touchstone upon which American Idol is able to succeed. Thankfully, Hicks' smoky voice is the reason he avoids being another chunk of manufactured grist for the Idol mill. There's a passion and a sincerity that laces his vocals and while some of the songs are standard, verse-chorus-verse numbers, replete with hearty, back up female vocals to support Hicks' ultra-manly vox, the album never comes across as overly cooked or processed. Hicks' is a bit too real for that and whether that's his saving grace or his downfall remains to be seen, a decision that will be handed down by his public. The Distance opens with a heartfelt title track that could be about a lover or family members while "Nineteen" ponders the plight of military servicemen. "New Found Freedom" is a positive, life-affirming anthem that basks in the glow of, well, life in general, while “Once Upon a Lover” is infused with Latin, semi-tropical percussion and guitars. Fellow Idol Elliot Yamin pops up on album closer, the funked out duet "Woman's Got to Have It," while "What's Right is Right" resonates with a bit of pop-country twang. The dapper Hicks has the pipes and the ability to plant roots across multiple genres. He's a jack of all trades and actually masters the sounds of the styles he is working in. Ain't nothing wrong with that. — Amy Sciarretto 03.19.09 http://artistdirect.com/music/review/0,,5007738,00.html |
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| mouser | Mar 23 2009, 07:24 AM Post #15 |
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Taylor Hicks - The Distance - The Distance by American Idol alumnus Taylor Hicks, marks a nice rebound from the "Soul Patrol" singer, who just a few short years ago was dropped by his record label and, it was assumed, had reached the limit on his 15 minutes of fame. Hicks clearly seeks to establish with this record that he is on the pop charts to stay, and if he plays his cards right, it just might work. There are gospel-flavored tracks here that play to Hicks's strength as a vocalist, and the overall tone is soulful and bluesy, which works well for him. However, it does seem that Hicks is trying to bite off a bit more than he can chew here, as the different genres of music he attempts to deliver on the album (from country tracks such as 'Nineteen' to 'Once Upon a Lover,' which has a Latin flavor), are a gamble at times, and it does not always pay off. Hicks has smartly learned to embrace the Michael McDonald-like quality of his voice and project the same energy that propelled him to a win on Idol - the question remains whether it is enough to sustain his career. Reviewer: JC Chute Reviewer's Rating: 6 http://thecelebritycafe.com/cd/full_review/13991.html |
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| mouser | Mar 30 2009, 10:06 AM Post #16 |
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Taylor Hicks’ “The Distance”: True To No One But Himself By Mike Heyliger Taylor Hicks by far received the most derision of any “American Idol” winner in the show’s existence. He wasn’t “young”, he wasn’t “cute”, he wasn’t “pop”, and there was the whole screaming “Soul Patrol!” thing that rubbed a lot of folks the wrong way. But I’ll put my musical reputation on the line and say that Taylor was the most musically sound “American Idol” winner in the show’s history. With years of singing in smoky bars and clubs behind him, Hicks personified a musician’s musician. Which also explains why he butted heads with the major-label suits who didn’t know what to do with him and wound up releasing the worst-selling debut album by an “American Idol” winner in history (although with a not-too-shabby shiny Platinum record, we shouldn’t cry for Taylor too much). Despite the relative lack of success of Taylor’s debut, it was still the first album by any “Idol” contestant that I ever bought with my own money, and I enjoyed it a good bit. Hicks would have been right at home on the charts with Steve Winwood, James Ingram and (the singer he most resembles) Michael McDonald, on the charts back in 1986, and since that’s an era of music I’m particularly fond of, his music sounded just fine for me. However-it didn’t sound just fine for his label, and Taylor and the folks at 19 Management and RCA Records agreed to part ways. So now Taylor Hicks is an indie artist, which is probably right where he wants to be, making the album he wants to make. That album, “The Distance”, shouldn’t be much of a surprise to those who’ve been following the grey-haired crooner since his “Idol” days. The music is straight-ahead pop/rock, with no trendy bells and whistles. The production, helmed by British pop legend Simon Climie, is solid if a little too clean (and completely recorded on “live” instruments! Barely a synthesizer to be found!), and then there’s Taylor’s husky voice. While he’ll never be the soul singer he fancies himself, it’s fairly obvious that this man has the right set of influences and has listened to his share of Marvin Gaye and Ray Charles. So, here’s the thing about Taylor, right? You know the guy’s going for the obvious, hokey cliché, but you go there with him anyway because he obviously believes what he’s singing. Take the track “Nineteen”, one of several songs on “The Distance” with a bit of a country flavor to it. You’ve heard songs like this a million times before-kid witnesses 9/11 and decides to enlist to serve his country. Despite the obviousness of the song concept (and here’s a spoiler-the kid doesn’t die), Taylor infuses the song with such a personal investment in the lyrics that you can’t be mad at him. Ultimately, that’s “The Distance”’s saving grace. Taylor takes boilerplate lyrics about topics like racism (the well-intentioned but kinda cheesy title track) and the media’s celebrity obsession (the cheeky rave-up “Keeping it Real”) and, by virtue of his delivery (which nevertheless skates around Michael Bolton aneurysm territory a couple of times) makes them listenable. However, don’t let another soul singer get within sniffing distance. Fellow Season 5 finalist Elliott Yamin shows up for a cover of 2009 Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famer Bobby Womack’s classic “Woman’s Gotta Have It”, and his warm, Stevie-inflected delivery leaves no doubt as to who should have really won “Idol” that year. In a time when we have previous “Idol”s tucking their tails between their legs and kissing corporate butt for a hit (hi, Kelly Clarkson. I’m talking to you), I’m backing Taylor Hicks just on principle. The kid (and I can afford to say “kid” because he’s younger than me) came in with a plan to get himself heard, accomplished it and then went back to doing what he loved best, only with a bit more fame to carry his name. Something tells me he wouldn’t have it any other way. http://www.sonicclash.com/taylor-hicks-the-distance-true-to-no-one-but-himself/reviews/ |
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| mouser | Mar 31 2009, 05:00 AM Post #17 |
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Music Review: Taylor Hicks - The DistanceWritten by The Other Chad Published March 31, 2009 These days everyone seems all too eager to beat up on Taylor Hicks. Many people have forgotten the reasons why he won the ultra-competitive fifth season of American Idol. His victory has been written off as some kind of accident, as if he wasn't a great performer. To the naysayers, I say this: he was, and still is, a fantastically talented singer/songwriter. That much is in obvious evidence on The Distance, Hicks' newly released second album. At its best, The Distance makes up for the shortcomings of 2006's Taylor Hicks, which was released shortly after his Idol win. The earlier album, though not without shining moments, was the result of a production team unsympathetic to Hicks' strengths. Now, with producer Simon Climie on board, we can hear Hicks' as nature intended — no synths, drum programming, or ill-advised Ray Charles samples (all of which were heard on the debut). The Distance isn't as raw as it could've been, with some too-smooth production on a few tracks, but by and large this album should put to rest doubts about Hicks' skills. At least for those who give it a fair shot. The first half of the album aims to cover as much stylistic ground as reasonably possible. The title track, the first of seven Hicks' songwriting credits, is a slice of heartland rock that wouldn't sound out of place on a John Mellencamp album. A non-partisan plea for setting aside political differences in favor of working towards a common goal, "The Distance" is a great opener and a highlight of the album. From there on, the mood shifts frequently, touching on soul ("What's Right Is Right"), funky pop ("New Found Freedom"), country ("Nineteen"), and Latin rhythms ("Once Upon A Lover"). "Nineteen" would make an especially good choice as a future single, with its timely theme of paying tribute to a fallen soldier. Hicks' powerful reading of this song might help it find a home on the Country charts. With "Seven Mile Breakdown," Hicks' is in his element. He tears through this bluesy number with passionate conviction. "Maybe You Should," a ballad co-written by Hicks and Mike Reid (who wrote the classic "I Can't Make You Love Me"), is even better. This somber ode to a failed relationship stands out as the single best track on the album. The vocal is absolutely restrained, yet it conveys his resigned heartbreak vividly. In a recent interview, Hicks said he considers this one of his best songs. He has every reason to be proud of it. There are bonus tracks available on The Distance, depending on where it's purchased from. The iTunes version contains a cover of the funk classic "Yes We Can." This song, written by Allen Toussaint and first recorded by Lee Dorsey way back in 1970, is the weakest of the three available exclusives. Hicks offers up a strangely dispassionate interpretation that won't make anyone forget the Pointer Sister's definitive version from 1973. Much better is the Wal-Mart bonus, a cover of a largely forgotten Ray Charles hit, "Hide Nor Hair." It's a fun song that allows Hicks to pay tribute to his hero. Best of all is the Target exclusive, a stellar reading of Foy Vance's "Indiscriminate Act Of Kindness." This seven minute, sparsely arranged tune displays the full range of Hicks' vocal skills. Though the sales figures haven't been particularly strong so far, it should be noted that The Distance is an independent release. Without much promotion the album is struggling to gain attention. Keep in mind though that this time last year many were declaring Hicks' career dead in the water. He lost his record contract and was all but abandoned by Idol. Yet since then, he's played to sold-out theaters on Broadway and all around the country in Grease, released an excellent compilation of pre-Idol recordings (Early Works), and now has a new album on Billboard's Top Ten Independent chart. As he sings in one of The Distance's best tracks, "I live on a battlefield." Taylor Hicks is a survivor and is obviously bound and determined to continue earning a living doing what's in his blood: making music. http://blogcritics.org/archives/2009/03/31/0227492.php |
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| mouser | Mar 31 2009, 05:48 AM Post #18 |
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This is strangely written in dialect: I think the gentleman likes the CD !!!!! http://peteratkinsig.livejournal.com/6133.html The Distance Between U.S. peteratkinsig March 31st, 8:07 Unless you 're one of the few Taylor Hicks fans who 've been holed upwards in a cave someplace over the past 36 hrs, without admittance to a computer and the net, you 've without doubt heard the AOL streaming prevue of the 11 paths off Taylor 's new album, The Distance Adequate clip holds passed that most folks hold weighed inward. The message boards are quickly filling yarns commited to the music on the album. The assorted blogs are busy with reassessments. The bulk view looks to be positive, with folks picking their favorite cuts and explicating the whys of their selections. I passed most of my even last dark listening to the album and taking voluminous notes on each course, dead the hopes of getting my ain reassessment in on this blog before bay clip holded passed. But clip, you see, holds long been my enemy when it comes to blogging. It Holds not by design, but I 've bumped my stretch as a parttime author holds a certain inevitable shape. I happen myself revolve about a topic and can clearly see my fashion through to the terminal issue. On the other hand my caput gets in the style. And I get to consider overmuchly about what I desire to tell and suddenly all the words I believed would come so easily hold stolen out of my hold. There Holds an old line about the procedure of composing that accommodates me utterly and it is this: Authorship is easy. All you should make is open a vena. So this is my convolute style of explicating that even though I posed dead set compose a nice, normal reappraisal of The Distance , it Holds leached in my caput long plenty that it Holds gotten something completely different. This is n't attending be a vocal by vocal reappraisal. I suppose my caput but makes n't work that style. So alternatively I hold this. An overview, a reflexion. A accumulation of ideas on others ' ideas. One of the first things I read on-line about this album is that it Holds complete the spot. With great care you cognise, this was not told as being a positive thing. So I conceived about that for a couple of transactions and ran the vocals through my caput in fast-forward. So I passed a couple of proceedings believing about what I cognize of Taylor, the instrumentalist. And this is the determination I maked: Naturally it Holds concluded the spot! So is Taylor. Consider about it. This is a hombre who turned upward hearing to 70 's Gold. To soul and Roentgen & Bacillus To gospel. To land. To southern-fried stone. To the Cajun-infused music that Holds a close neighbour to steamy Hispanic rounds. This is a bozo who passed many geezerhood hearing folks state him he was n't marketable because he could n't be jostled into any kinda recognizable genre. And they were right: he ca n't be. The Distance professors that beyond a incertitude. The end he positioned dead set attain on his post-Idol Cd of presenting the multitudes to `` modern whomp '' was a failure. There, I stated it. He maked n't attain that end with the self-titled album. But I 'm here to state you he knocked it out of the park this clip about. Now I cognise what he intended two ages ago. Now, with Taylor given clip adequate and room plenty, I hear that modern whomp in every individual course on this album. Now I understand. And I rattlingly, verily like what I 'm hearing. This is not merely psyche or land or heartbreaking lays or stone anthems or cracker-barrel facetious reflexions on our mess as human. This is American music. This is Modern Whomp. I 'm attending chisel a trifle here and cite something I indited as a wrap-up of an American God reexamination treatment I guided on the Boogie-woogie a couple of ages back. It Holds equally true now as it was so, when we were foremost finding that far-out, hoary buster who agitated so many of us out of our musical apathy. Taylor Hicks is a teaser wrapped in an mystery, environed by a enigma. He is the gift that continues giving. Even as we 've unwrapped and examined and reached determinations about one constituent of him, he reaches us another piece, stating, `` Here ya travel. What make you consider about this one? '' And the most terrific thing about these gifts is that they are all about the music. Wrapped upward in patent paper, without benefit of pretty threads and bowknots, they are the best rather gift: the beauty of them lies within the packaging and comes directly from the psyche. So I opine I 'm holding problem associating to the folks who are n't happy with what Wears this new album. The ones who plain that it Holds not plenty of this or bay of that. They make n't conceive it flux smoothly plenty or makes n't follow a recognizable form. Since when holds Taylor ever maked any of those things? I 've read that the lyrics are excessively simplistic. Some folks are inquiring what passed to the hombre who pent Someway Goodly, I cognize what occured to him. He turned upward. The angst-filled nineteen yr old fry holds maturated into a thirtysomething man, contuse by the lessons life holds distributed, but much wiser and stronger for them. More polished and precise. One of the first things I was learnt as a originative author is that less is more. I ca n't assist but conceive the same tours for lyrics as for prose. Make n't get me incorrect. I 'm not stating folks are n't entitled to their persuasion when it comes to this album. It moves without stating that some folks will love it while others will not. And there will be those who take upward the infinite between. What I 'm stating is that maybe it Holds clip some of us contrived forth our ain set of expectations for what this album should hold been and accept it for what itis. If that intends you can no more support him by purchasing his music or seeing his shows, so be it. I 'm sad for that, but it Holds a fact of life that no one can delight everyone. I 've been lucky plenty over the past twelvemonth more or less to pass a little of clip with Taylor at a duo Meet & Greets. And twice lucky that at each of them, he was experiencing really gabby and relaxed. And uttered about the album at some length. Say what you will about The Distance , but I ca n't wipe from my memory the face he wore as he spoke about it. Or the exhilaration in his voice and the light in his eyes. This album is Taylor, through. His music, his fashion. It may not be what you 're looking for or what you desired. But I believe it Holds everything he desired it to be. And that Holds all I 've ever desired. For him and for me. |
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| medolark | May 15 2009, 11:13 PM Post #19 |
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This is an exceptional review of The Distance. Ü http://www.writeonnewjersey.com/2009/05/long-train-runnin/ |
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| mouser | May 16 2009, 06:33 AM Post #20 |
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That was an amazing article Medo: I am posting it as when you just put the link , the article often is taken off a site and disappears. This way it is on Connections :forever !!! I do believe Ms. Kathleen Felleca, the author is a Taylor fan , so she can be excused for her effusiveness. LOL Taylor Hicks, The Distance Long Train Runnin’Posted on 14 May 2009 If you like your music computer-generated and bereft of soul, steer clear of Taylor Hicks’ latest CD, “The Distance.” On his third independent release, you won’t find synthesizers or a techno-robotic voice; you won’t even find the ubiquitous box office star aspiring to overnight Top 40 fame. What you will find on Hicks’ latest outing is a rich artistic collaboration with producers, musicians, and front men who have lent their talents to acts as celebrated and respected as Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Squeeze, and Elvis Costello. Solidly crafted over more than a decade playing tough roadhouses in the Deep South, Hicks’ foundation of musical sensibilities encompasses soul, the blues, jazz, funk, and Southern rock. Into this musical brew, he now stirs a little country, a touch of bluegrass, Latin rhythms, and a soupcon of hip-hop. Alternately upbeat and introspective, the mélange reflects both Hicks’ versatility and his commitment to going “The Distance” in his career as opposed to running a twenty-yard dash. The artist’s voice is the thread of commonality linking and driving each tune. To a human ear, that voice is a powerful, tender-gritty tenor likened by some to Michael McDonald’s pipes. To a human heart, it speaks directly with passion and humor. In the most emotional of the songs on his new collection, Hicks displays incredible control. Instead of taking the obvious, over-the-top route, his approach, at once low-key and wrenching, renders them all the more poignant. A musician, singer, songwriter, and arranger, Taylor Hicks shares songwriting credits for half of the new tunes with collaborators such as BB King-Clapton-Faith Hill producer Simon Climie, while other luminaries penned the balance. These include Paul Carrack, the genius writer, singer, and keyboardist behind Roxy Music, Ace, Mike and The Mechanics, and Squeeze - including “Tempted,” the latter’s chart-busting U.S. single, Nick Lowe, producer of Elvis Costello’s early nerd-turned-punk-god brilliance, and the Grammy-winning Delbert McClinton, a warhorse who has scored consistently high on Billboard’s charts for country and crossover music. Seasoned and self-taught in acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and harmonica, Hicks allowed other musicians to steer most of the live instruments on the new offerings. These artists include drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and bassist Nathan East: veterans of Clapton and Paul McCartney tours. Launched under Hick’s own label, Modern Whomp Records, the twelve cuts on this CD are, in reality, fourteen; the final, bonus song varies according to distributor (iTunes, Wal-Mart, and Target). With only so much space to appraise them, this writer will confine her review to the songs that spoke most deeply to her. “I Live on a Battlefield” is set not in the Iraqi desert but on the landscape of a romance besieged by betrayal and blame. Like the desert sands, however, the complex tempos and rhythms shift quickly, creating a danceable, disturbing vehicle for Hicks’ inspired delivery: as if he’s been shot out of a cannon to stumble across a war-torn field, dodging fire. “Battlefield” swings from an opening, Squeeze-pop hook to a bluesy, Marvin Gaye-like melody, evolving into something darker, almost Ray Charlesian. Spooky keys give way to a scratchy guitar and quickly ascend into more delicate atmospherics. Then we get Squeezed again and bled back into the blues. Taylor’s high, plaintive cry inserted thrice toward the end tells that the bullets have found their mark. Like an aria, the song builds to a crescendo where the guitar finally throws down the glove and riffs big time, anchoring Hicks’ potent, ever climbing vocals. Josh Smith, the guitarist backing Taylor on his 2007 tour and appearing with him on some 2009 club tour dates, deserves mega-props for his blistering, riveting string work on this Carrack-Lowe cover. With a relentless, almost militaristic beat beneath a snarling guitar, “Seven Mile Breakdown”‘ warns us from the get-go that we’re going to rock n’ roll heaven. If you don’t slash air guitar and scrunch your face in a “hurts so good” grimace to this one, you may want to check your pulse. Penned by Hicks and former band mate Wynn Christian, this no-holds-barred rock-out is a paean to Creedence, the Allmans, and other seminal Southern rock greats. Achieving rich imagery with minimal lyrics, “Seven Mile Breakdown” is a love song, but not a typical one. It is an ode to the artist’s push-pull love affair between the never-ending road and the woman waiting for him at the end of it. And no, I’m not going to tell you who wins the tug of war (life should hold some surprises!). Although other instrumentalists are credited on the gently cutting “Maybe You Should,” this reviewer hears only two: Tim Carmen’s gorgeous, understated piano and Taylor’s “I’m dying on the inside” vocals. Listening to this soft heartbreaker as Hicks finally lets go of a vanishing relationship, I feel almost like a voyeur; it is that personal. At the same time, the song is universal to anyone who has loved and lost. Despite the fact that “Indiscriminate Act of Kindness” was written by Foy Vance, a musician who hails from Northern Ireland, Taylor Hicks owns this song by virtue of his articulation. The sparsity of instrumentation balances the singer’s remarkably tender yet deeply profound delivery. A quietly monumental act of kindness, the story told here is but a parable for a much greater life lesson. To give it away in written language would rob you and every other reader of the richer experience that can only be achieved by hearing this beautiful song. Please note that “Indiscriminate Act of Kindness” is available solely on the version sold by Target. If you are unafraid of the sound of genuine human emotion, give yourself a present: buy “The Distance.” You won’t be sorry that you did. Edited by mouser, May 16 2009, 06:38 AM.
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2:41 AM Jul 11