Customer Reviews

American Idol season 3: Greatest Soul Classics

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(104)
3 star:		(63)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

If nothing else, buy this CD to hear Camille. Her track is surprisingly good. John Stevens' voice sounds very rich in his track; it was a good choice for him. But, frankly, they're all good. I agree with the other reviewers that the ensemble track is a real treat -- it definitely proves Fantasia's and George's vocals are the most powerful (not even sure I can distinguish anyone else).

Most of them perform as expected. The greatest surprise is Camille Velasco, who does a really wonderful job here in contrast to her disappointing numbers on the show.

I wish them all luck as they embark on their respective music careers.

I am not going to compare this season to any other because it has been very different. The worng poeple have gotten voted off multple times( Amy and of cource the amazing jennifer hudson). The guys this season have not been very good, and some of the poeple whom showed be in the top 12 were not(like nicole tieri). However this cd is really good so here is my review of each song.

1. Chain of Fools - Fantasia Barrino - Honestly she does not sound very good on this track. Sometimes i really like fatasia and sometimes i think she sounds like macy and on this song she sounds like macy gray alittle to much for comfort.

2. Me and Mrs. Jones - George Huff - Oh Huff you picked the worng song. His voice does not sound very strong and his personality does not come thru.

3. I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Diana Degarmo - Diana is my favourte in the top 5 right now, she is young yes, but has a amazing voice and is a great performer but this song doesnt show that. Dont get me worng she does a great job on this song and her voice is strong but i just dont think it showed off all her talent.

4. If You Don't Know Me By Now - La Toya London - Wow!!! Latoya did amazing! She sounded like a pro on this track and sang it flawlessly.

5. Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye) - Jennifer Hudson - AMAZING!! Jeniffer was the best singer in A.I.3 but was voted off because poeple are stupid, and to me this track will just show you what you are missing.

6. You Make Me Feel Brand New - Amy Adams - When i first heard this song i had to see who the singer was and i couldnt beleave it was amy. I wasnt a huge amy fan when she was on the show, though she was good, but after this song i am a huge fan!

7. (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay - Matt Rogers - Why would he sing a song george is known for singing? It just doesnt make sense to me. It sounds just ok, nothing special.

8. Midnight Train to Georgia - Jasmine Trias - I was very surprised to hear this track by jasmine, she really did a great job and had alot of passion, good for her!

9. My Girl - Jon Peter Lewis - Again why would he pick this song when john stevens is known for singing it. It just doesnt sound very good. His voice is to deep to sing this song the way it was ment to be sung.

10. Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) - Camile Velasco - Major props go to camile! She really had to prove herself to people on this track and she did. Her voice came off very strong and you could her the passion in her voice.

11. Betcha By Golly, Wow - Leah Labelle - This is the best track on the album, and the biggest surprise. I did like leah but i didnt think she was as good a singer as this. Her voice is very strong and beautiful.

12. You Are Everything - John Stevens - Ok people i know he is a nice guy but does that mean he can sing? Well maybe. I was excpecting this song to really sound bad and....well it didnt. His voice came off very soothing, very frank sanatra-ish. Thats the only kind of genre he can sing, which is ok.

13. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Ensemble - This is not a ensemble song! It came off very scattered and just wasnt a good song for everyone to sing.

Everyone performs well here, even the perennially nervous Camille Velasco who seems perfect for recordings. The exception is overrated contestant Fantasia Barrino, who does nothing but squeak. Her style is sooooo annoying!

I admit it. I am 40+ year old diehard AI fan. Nonetheless, I like to think I can remain somewhat objective. That being said, I loved this CD! It's not just because I am a fan either. I genuinely like this genre of music, and I particularly enjoy seeking out new talent. I honestly got more than I expected from this CD. It's fun to listen to and sing to. Friends who don't even watch AI have gone out and bought this CD after listening to mine. Here is my take on the various tracks:

1. Chain of Fools - Fantasia Barrino tears it up! Great song match for her vocal style. She is HIGH energy and it really works on this song.

2. Me and Mrs. Jones - This is one of my all-time favorite songs, and I think George Huff more than does it justice. I can't think of a more perfect song for his husky, sexy voice. George definitely has a career in R&B ahead of him.

3. Heard it Through the Grapevine - I love the resonance and energy in this song. It is a controlled yet still somewhat manic performance. Diana DeGarmo nails every high note and her voice never sounds thin or strained.

4. If You Don't Know Me By Now - This is an absolutely stunning performance! LaToya delivers a star-quality, emotional turn filled with passion. There is such a beautiful timbre to her voice...LaToya London is going to be a star!

5. Neither One of Us - Beautiful! Jennifer showcases her pipes with a vibrant, strong performance pulsing with raw emotion. Jennifer Hudson sounds like a professional, and I'm sure it won't be long before she really is one!

6. You Make Me Feel Brand New - What a lovely, rich voice! An odd song choice, considering that it was originally recorded as a duet. However Amy turns in a terrific, captivating performance. I hope some record label snaps Amy Adams up and gives her the chance she deserves.

7. Sitting on the Dock of the Bay - I love the arrangement of this song,especialy the bridge. It's energetic and bouncy and makes you want to get up and dance along. Matt Rogers' vocals are adequate, but nothing to write home about.

8. Midnight Train to Georgia - It's weird to hear anyone other than Gladys Knight sing this song, but Jasmine Trias does an excellent job. Nothing original, but a really good rendition.

9. My Girl - This is the most disappointing track on this CD. There is no richness to the voice and it is even flat at times. I've heard better at the local playhouse. I routinely skip this song on the CD.

10. Until You Come Back To Me - The biggest pleasant surprise on this CD! I finally 'hear' it! I've been hearing all season about Camille's excellent 'tone' and on THIS song it just bursts into life ! What a superb performance! Live performances seem to spook Camille Velasco, but this girl's voice was tailor made for the studio. I am majorly impressed!! Wow!

11. Betcha By Golly, Wow - Another of my favorite songs, however it's not done justice here. I'm surprised because I know Leah LaBelle has a great voice, but this is not her best. The phrasing is off and the delivery lacks any emotion. A very detached performance. She totally misses the dreamy quality of this song. In a word - lackluster.

12. You Are Everything - This boy can SING! What a great song for John, and he does it extremely well. His style and his voice may not be suited for all genres but he turns in a fine performance here and you get to hear the true richness, maturity and purity of his voice. I suspect this won't be the last we hear from John Stevens!

13. Ain't No Mountain - A good group song, but some things stand out. First of all, Fantasia Barrino's voice overpowers all the others and it's distracting. Second, it seems everyone gets a 'solo' except John Stevens. Why? I wasn't sure I could hear Matt Rogers or Jon Peter Lewis either. The 'power' voices really overshadow the others. Overall though, it's an enjoyable track.

In conclusion, I have enjoyed this CD immensely! It's great to sing along to in the car and I like it even better than last year's CD. That is saying a lot considering that this year's CD is 'Clay-less'! Even if you aren't an AI fan, if you enjoy this genre of music AND have an open mind, give it a try. I'm willing to be you won't be disappointed!

Yes, the girl's voice is squeaky, but she CAN sing (and sing WELL she does!)

Another contestant in this album that I like is Camille. Her voice just soars in this recording; too bad that she didn't do as well in the actual competition.

I think La Toya and Jasmine have realy wonderful voices. I hope that Fantasia, La Toya, and Jasmine all make it to the top three.

Doesn't sing; only SQUEAKS. So annoying to listen to. She ruins this whole album with her presence!

It's Camille who does surprisingly well in this album. Other voices that are pleasant to listen to are Jasmime's and La Toya's.

All the others are second-rate. Jennifer always delivers over-the-top performances, George always picks the wrong style of singing for the song, John has a very limited style, Diana always screams her head off, while Fantasia, who has the worst vocal timbre in this competition, always squeeks like a mouse.

This album doesn't have much to offer.

I especially loved (surprise! suprise!) Camille's number. Everyone was good.

A must-have for any American Idol fan!

well, well, well, say goodbye to diana and fantasia... these two girls really rock the house... i bet they'll be recording artists someday... this is superb!!! greatly made by wonderful singers... so buy and listen for yourself...true, its really good! try to love the classics,,,aint no mountain high enough!
love u jas and cam!!