Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Australian Idol, March 7, 2006
What a beautiful voice. One of Australia's finest.
I was living in Sydney during the first Australian Idol season. I had never seen an Idol series before, and never planned on watching it there. But my 3 American flatmates were all huge American Idol fans and so I watched with them on the tiny TV in our livingroom. Paulini was by far the best singer among them. Though she didn't win, and endured the insults of the main judge with grace, I had no doubt she would walk away with an offer from some other studio.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Paulini Determined to Wear Her "Heart" on Her Sleeve, January 29, 2005
Prime Cuts: Where You Are, Angel Eyes, One Determined Heart
Of Fijian descent, 23 year old Australian Paulini Curvenaruli is one of the finalists of Down Under's equivalent of the American Idols. Though she did not bring home the prestigious mantle, Paulini could chortle at her competitors when Sony Australia offered her a recording contract almost immediately after the series ended. "One Determined Heart" is the ensuing product; bearing the spirit of the idol show, save for two originals, this is basically an album of covers. The paraphernalia of songs come from artists as diverse as pop stalwarts such as Phil Collins, Whitney Houston, Bonnie Riatt, the Jacksons, Barbra Stresiand, Donna Summer and TLC to more obscure acts such as Jeff Healey and the Tymes. For those who had not followed the hoopla of the Australian song competition, Paulini has a distinctive soulful flavored vocal a little reminiscent of R&B upstart Monica. Though she does not possess the verve and vocal tenacity of say a Whitney Houston, she is vocally compensated with some silky jazzy vibes with traces of Sade and Chante Moore.
Capitalizing on the lucre brought in by label mate fellow Aussie superstar Delta Goodrem, producer and writer Audius Mtawarira who penned Goodrem's "Born to Fly" is credited for the production chores here. Unlike teen waifs such as Lindsay Lohan and Ashlee Simpson who vocally tend to hide behind wailing Lita Ford-like guitar riffs, the production on "One Determined Heart" is understated with the spotlight on Paulini's vocals. This has made listening a little more pleasurable, intimate and heartfelt.
Aficionados of romantic ballads would be floored by the killer ballad "Angel Eyes." An Australian number 2 smash single, "Angel Eyes" first cut by Jeff Healey in 1988, finds Paulini reveling in an ecstatic bewilderment trying to figure out why she was deserving of her paramour's attention. Delivered with a befitting Cinderella-like vulnerability, this is indeed star-making stuff. Though comparisons are inevitable, Paulini's cover of Whitney Houston's "Where You Are" is a little portentous as her delivery of this love hued ballad is nowhere near the proximity of Houston's passionate original. Nevertheless, despite Whitney's meritorious performance it was never released as a single, so here's hoping Paulini's version will get to radio land where this chef-d'oeuvre could once again be luxuriated by the multitudes. Some other noteworthy covers include: Phil Collins' "One More Night" which is given an R&B makeover delivered at faster tempo, while TLC's "Waterfall" is actually quite soulful without the dated La'Face production.
Of the two originals, "We Can Try" written by Audius, takes a recess from the ballads. With a grinding groove, "We Can Try" finds Paulini pleading on restoring a relationship riff. While it is almost mandatory that other "idol" contestants would record "message" songs (such as Diana DeGarmo's "Dreams" and Fantasia's "I Believe") the title track is Paulini's stab at the inspirational genre. "One Determined Heart," boasting some Elton John-esque's piano, is actually quite heartfelt and winsome.
The other covers are by no means offensive, but somehow they do not convey the depths of emotions as the originals. For instance, Paulini's take of Bonnie Riatt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" doesn't capture the desperation of this forlorn anthem. Her take of Streisand/Summer's number 1 "Enough Is Enough" does not possess the disgruntlements of a too-often jilted lover. Instead of being sultry, alluring and sensuous, "Baby I Need Your Loving" sounds tiresome, pedantic and routine.
Overall, "One Determined Heart" finds Paulini determined to wear her heart on her sleeves. But too often, she's being let down by too many cover songs that either do not fit her vocal style or they do not resonate with her realm of experience. Nevertheless, there are enough tracks here to show promise why thousands of Australians have embraced her as one of the most likeable "un-diva" like idol.
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