Customer Reviews

Taylor Hicks

5 star:		(249)
4 star:		(45)
3 star:		(39)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Like many, I was the more worried about Taylor Hicks's CD than any other Idol CD. Why? Because Taylor has a sound that's different than what you hear on mainstream radio. Would they make him fit in like they did with Bo Bice? Fortunately, the answer is no. While fairly commercial, Taylor's CD definitely allows his blue-eyed soul personality to shine. The opener, "The Runaround," might be a song that Simon would pan - but I think it's a good song that will get you dancing in no time. Taylor's voice gives it its needed thrust. The next song, "Dream Myself Awake," is more of a pop/rock effort, but the verses allow Taylor to be expressive, and the song comes out pretty well. This song might get him some new fans. "Gonna Move" and "Wherever I Lay My Hat" are mid-tempo old-style R&B types that match Taylor perfectly. "Give Me Tonight" sounds forced and is a dud, but "Just To Feel This Way" is a gorgeous ballad that rivals another fave of mine - Bryan Adams's "The Right Place." "Places I've Been" is a Diane Warren ballad that's somewhat flat, but "Soul Thing" picks things up again. "Soul Thing" is like a signature song for Taylor. The CD ends with the before-mentioned "The Right Place," which allows Taylor to show his range. Should convince even some doubters. So, to sum up, this is one of the best Idol CDs - and I hope it does well, as Taylor has carved his own niche.

I listened to the cd 3 times yesterday, had chosen a favorite, listened again, chose a different favorite, then yet another.

Wherever I Lay My Hat is the best song on the cd. Even though the song is about a man leaving a woman, Taylor sounds like his heart is breaking yet he is living the life he needs to live. It is soulful,has beautiful vocals and moved me to tears. Simply stunning.

The Right Place, written by Bryan Adams for Ray Charles, has the sound of an instant classic. It has the feel of Ray Charles and Randy Newman, a bluesy,gospel feel that warms the soul.

Just To Feel That Way shows off Taylor's beautiful vocals and should be a big hit on the adult contemporary list.

The Runaround is the song many people will have most likely heard now during Taylor's promo tv performances. If you can sit still to this upbeat,motown groove song, you have absolutely no rythym whatsoever.

The Deal and Soul Thing are songs penned by Taylor and have a nice blusey feel to them.

Taylor has the versatility in this cd to make me smile like a drunken monkey and dance barefoot across my kitchen floor one moment with songs like Runaround, and leave me weeping like a motherless child after listening to Wherever I Lay My Hat.

Kudos to Taylor for giving us an outstanding first offering and I truly believe this young man is destined to become a first class entertainer for a very long time.

This is my first review. I have bought over 2000 cd's and I should be reviewing them. My wife told me about this artist. I do not watch american idol, but she does. I bought this cd and we love it. We have a jam every 2 weeks and this cd was played at one of our last jams and it went very well. Mr. Hicks wrote a couple of these songs and he proved himself a very gifted songwriter. Check this cd out. I have been in music all of my life and when I tell you that you will love this cd, Well just see for yourself. Kenny..

Never in a million years did I expect Taylor Hicks to deliver this kind of record. And I never would have expected it to be this good. I didn't vote for Taylor, nor am I a member of the famed "Soul Patrol." I watched American Idol and found Hicks to be entertaining, but had serious doubts as to whether the record label could produce a decent enough album for him. But to my surprise, Taylor and his producer Matt Serletic exceeded ALL expectations. When I heard the album preview on VH1 I was literally STUNNED. I think this is the best debut CD to come out of the Idol franchise thus far. I think Taylor is probably the most pure recording artist to walk off the show. I saw the Idol tour this past summer and was impressed by how strong his voice sounded live. I absolutely hated "Do I Make You Proud" going into the concert, but ended up liking it based on his performance. And after hearing this CD, I think the right person DID win. I wouldn't have said that 8 months ago, but I have to give Hicks credit for not walking into the studio and recording a clone record. I'm glad he showed some faith in his own ability and didn't just copy what was currently on the radio. Taylor Hicks is his own man. This might be the most ambitious Idol CD because it's not commercial by today's radio standards. Although, I liken it most to Rascal Flatts. In fact, had they recorded this CD it probably would have been all over the radio and a HUGE hit. Taylor's CD almost seems more like R&B/Soul mixed with light Country Rock. It's not really a traditional Pop record. It's somewhat hard to classify because Taylor wasn't the typical Idol contestant. I think Taylor's CD would be a good debut CD for any new recording artist. The only downside is that I think a lot of people saw him as a gimmick on American Idol. And in essence, that's the risk he took in order to win the competition. Therefore, some viewers may not give this CD a chance. He'll have to depend more on casual buyers, but without radio it will be difficult to get that opportunity. I'm a realist, so Chris will most likely sell more. They wanted him to win. And no, I'm not a Chris fan but radio is embracing his music. So I think he's getting the Kelly Clarkson slot. What that leaves for Katharine and Taylor, I'm not sure. I'm glad Taylor got the opportunity to record this album, but ultimately his fate is in the hands of radio and his record label. If you liked him on the show, then I would definitely buy the CD. The musical arrangements are great and Taylor sounds fantastic. I think Taylor did a GREAT job. Regardless of how this CD sells, it's a winner in my book.

Favorites: The Runaround, Gonna Move, Wherever I Lay My Hat, Give Me Tonight, Just To Feel That Way, The Deal, The Right Place

I was skeptical at first, not sure if the real Taylor Hicks soul would emerge in his first album. Lives up to all expectations and should do very well! Takes me back to the days of Joe Cocker, Marvin Gaye, with a little Ray Charles thrown in for good measure.

I think Taylor Hicks has opened the eyes of people everywhere to a music that has been forgotten by a lot of people. His music is real, and full of soul. This CD is the same. I wasn't sure what to expect from Taylor after winning American Idol. His style wasn't a style I was used to listening to. I was afraid I'd get the CD and hate it. No way. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. I popped this CD into my car CD player, and tried to dance all the way down the road! (Hard to do while driving, but hey, I tried...) There are some songs that made me want to dance, songs that made me want to cry, and songs that made me want to.....well....I'll save that for the boyfriend. But if you haven't gotten the message yet, give this CD a chance...it is a GREAT CD by someone that is a GREAT artist.

Taylor Hicks creates beautiful music with great lyrics that are catchy; every song on this CD will hold your attention as well. Taylor's voice is strong, full of energy and self-confident. This CD proves that he will go far in his career.

The CD opens up with the song entitled "The Runaround." This song is not merely pop; it pushes forward as a rock song would with an aggressive, rousing and passionate beat to it. Taylor sings this number with all his might and just one listen will prove it to you. The musical arrangement is flawless and the chorus is beautifully written.

The CD takes a turn for the somewhat more pensive, slower paced ballad entitled "Dream Myself Awake" written by Rob Thomas. Another song that honors another great artist is "Heaven Knows." Taylor admires the late great Ray Charles so much that "Heaven Knows" even includes a portion of "What'd I Say" by Ray Charles. This is a great song about a love going wrong and the tribute to Ray Charles is equally touching. Impressive!

Another song worth special mention is Taylor's cover of a song written partly by Marvin Gaye called "Wherever I Lay My Hat." Taylor tells a lady who has feelings for him that he's not the kind of man who's ready to settle down. The musical arrangement includes Taylor on harmonica, too! Very good!

Other great songs on this CD include "Give Me Tonight" which starts off with a brief hip-hop arrangement and then switches to more of a rock and roll beat. This song deals with the strong physical attraction between two people. In addition, "Just To Feel That Way" is a beautiful love ballad; and "The Maze" captures the thoughts of a man whose relationship with his woman is far from perfect anymore. "Places I've Been" expresses the pure love of a man for his woman--this is another love ballad delivered flawlessly by Taylor and the musicians.

The CD ends with a tender, pensive ballad entitled "The Right Place." Taylor assures the special woman in his life that he will always be there for her no matter what may happen--even if she initially needs time to think it over. This song about unconditional love brings a strong ending to the album!

People complain about the fact that "Do I Make You Proud" is not on this CD. I was surprised, too. Oh sure, the song is available but it would have been better to have it already on this CD.

Taylor possesses another incredible strength: Taylor appears equally comfortable whether he sings his own songs including "Soul Thing" and "The Deal" or whether he performs covers of songs including "Places I've Been" written by Diane Warren and "The Right Place" written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance. Excellent!

The liner notes display excellent color photos of Taylor Hicks, the Silver Fox. With looks like Taylor has I know that the girls must be going crazy for him! The song credits are there. There are no lyrics in the liner notes; but Taylor sings so well and so clearly that you almost certainly won't need them. The quality of the sound is excellent.

Taylor Hicks clearly deserves a bright future because of his talent and his passion for music. When Taylor Hicks sings he throws himself into the song and even thought you can't see him on this CD you can tell he's acting out each song as a story. Each song becomes a little story with a beginning, a middle and an end. I highly recommend this for Taylor's fans and for fans of rock and blues/soul popular music.

Most of the songs on this CD are about falling in and out of love, and that is okay with me. I just hope Taylor will include more of his personal experiences in his music in the future though. Having said that, I think this is a very good debut. The drum beat and the trumpet playing sound really good on this first track The Runaround. It is a very fun track to start off the CD. Soul Thing is another fun uplifting track here. The Right Place is another highlight here. This track shows Taylor's romantic soulful side. The piano playing on this track is beautiful. Dream Myself Awake is another nice track. The electric guitar playing gives this song a nice pop rock edge. Give Me Tonight is a groovy sounding track. This is a good song to play at parties and dance to. Places I've Been is a very touching song about how a special individual can change another person's life. This is a very enjoyable debut CD by Taylor Hicks.

From the moment I heard the first note in his AI audition, I knew Taylor Hicks was something special.

However,I was a tad worried about his debut cd--that he couldn't stay true to himself due to the AI machine. I underestimated the man and his savvy.

This is one of those rare cd's that I listen to and enjoy EVERY single track. Just to Feel That Way is hauntingly beautiful and while it's my favorite, all the other songs come in a very close second.

Thank you Taylor Hicks and thank you powers that be, for a top notch record.

This will be a cd "to put in my vault".

I must confess, dear readers, that I am not enamored with the American Idol phenomenon. I used to work in the music business (managed a mid-level rock band, I'd rather not mention names) and I just never thought Idol was more than amateur hour.

Taylor Hicks intrigued me, however, because he couldn't fit the American Idol paradigm less if he tried. He stands out - for all the right reasons. His voice has a gruff, lived-in quality that perfectly suits the material he obviously loves. He possess an intense, focused stage presence - when he sings a song, he truly means it. Friends of mine sold me on Mr. Hicks via early recordings he released independently prior to his victorious run on Idol. Anyone who has doubts about his artistic validity needs to check out his stirring performance of "Georgia On My Mind" (the closing track on his first independent release, "In Your Time"). Throughout it's 7-minute-plus duration, Mr. Hicks displays a truly impressive array of emotion and power. His 2005 CD, "Under the Radar," is even better - seven original songs that demonstrate a lot of songwriting maturity from 1997's "In Your Time."

It should be noted that his major label debut, "Taylor Hicks," is not really in line with those earlier recordings. I'm sure most of the differences can be chalked up to making him "more commercial." There is a glossy, over-produced sheen to this album that is (thankfully) not present on "In Your Time" and "Under the Radar." As a musician, Mr. Hicks is a capable rhythm guitarist and a fine harmonica player - though you wouldn't know it from this album. His musicianship is limited to a couple of cameo appearances from his harmonica. As for Mr. Hicks the songwriter, he is restricted to a pair of rerecordings carried over from "Under the Radar."

In fact, it is on these holdovers that the weaknessess of this album become apparent - especially so if we look at a third rerecording, "Hell of a Day" which is a bonus track on some editions. Without exception, the original versions on "Under the Radar" are much more authentically soulful than the busier arrangements found on "Taylor Hicks." Don't get me wrong - these songs ("Soul Thing" and "The Deal" are the others) - are strong enough to survive the reworkings. But honestly, the producers of the new album didn't do him many favors.

Since Mr. Hicks was unceremoniously dumped from his label, there seems to be a surge of people rushing to say he had no talent to begin with. This album was underpromoted by Idol standards - there was no official single released to radio stations until months after it's release. Where were the supporting music videos that have been a standard part of music marketing for decades? They don't exist. Clearly, they didn't know quite what to do with Taylor Hicks and ended up doing as little as possible. Despite all this, the album was certified Platinum and spawned a pair of modest Adult Contemporary hit songs.

I like this album because Taylor Hicks manages to shine through it all - even though he was saddled with a fair amount of poor material. The opening track "The Runaround" is an energetic pop/soul number that is one of the best tracks here. The closing track "The Right Place", written by Bryan Adams for the late Ray Charles (who passed on before being able to record it), showcases Taylor's voice perfectly. Of course, I mentioned the Hicks originals earliers, "Soul Thing" and "The Deal" - both of which would have made ideal single choices (particularly the upbeat "Soul Thing").

"The Maze" would've made a good single choice - it is contemporary sounding, with a sort-of Maroon 5 vibe. Not necessarily the best type of song for Taylor, but not a bad way to bridge Taylor's 'old school' approach with something more current. The Rob Thomas-written "Dream Myself Awake" is a decent pop song. Most of the rest is a mixed bag. I've heard pre-Idol live versions of Taylor performing Paul Pena's "Gonna Move" that are far better than the smooth studio version found here - but that doesn't render it useless, covering this type of material suits Hicks well. Actually, I caught one of his shows from his tour last year. In every single case, the songs he performed from this album fared significantly better in concert.

Taylor Hicks was an unusual winner for American Idol. I hope he can overcome the stigma he is currently saddled with (first Idol winner dropped from label after only one album). He is far too talented to fade into obscurity.