A Thousand Different Ways

Clay Aiken, Ralph Farris | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 19, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000HA4AAO
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (457 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,222 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A Thousand Different Ways, the follow-up to Clay Aiken's chart-burning debut Measure of a Man, trots out the kind of material a fleet-voiced former American Idol contestant can't help having a field day with: Aiken's version of Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting" is bathed in a smoothness that renders it arguably better than the original; his step into Celine Dion's shoes for "Because You Loved Me" sees nary a stumble (no easy feat, considering it's a vocal obstacle course of a song); and his cover of Paul Young's '80s classic "Everytime You Go Away" comes across as a clean-sounding, much-needed update. More proof that Aiken ain't fakin' when it comes to being a stylish interpreter comes courtesy of his convincing carry-off of Dolly Parton's sweet "Here You Come Again," but where he'll earn the most merit points for this disc is with its four originals--"A Thousand Days" especially. Aiken has the kind of voice that makes listeners want to scoot close to the speaker. He may be a softy, but when it comes to trapping raw emotion in song, he's become a mop-topped man of steel. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description

American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken continues to bring home the gold with sold-out shows, and now he rewards fans with A Thousand Different Ways, which features his powerful pipes on songs such as Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is."

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The disappointment of others was my good luck... September 30, 2006

By Steven Haarala

Format:Audio CD

I noticed that a lot of people seem let down because Clay Aiken released an album of covers. But in my case, it's a good thing he did, or I wouldn't have bought his CD, and you wouldn't be reading this now. The familiar songs were what made me take notice of him. (I don't watch "American Idol".) Frankly, I hadn't expected much, but before I bought it I listened to the samples one by one, and I found myself amazed to be liking them. Clay's voice is practically perfect technically, and it is really fervent and uplifting. And I like the breathy quality, because it makes his delivery very intimate. So, how do his vocals and arrangements compare to the originals? Well, I like the added muscle in the arrangement of "Right Here Waiting", and I would say the same for "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word". As for "Without You", without a doubt it is very similar to Mariah's, but it is still gorgeous, and I can see no reason why both versions can't co-exist in the world of love Clay is trying to bring to us. I feel the same about "I Want To Know What Love Is". On "When I See You Smile", I actually prefer his vocal over the original. He sings "Because You Loved Me" in a more straightforward manner than Celine did, so the lyrics and their message reach me more easily. And his smoother version of "Here You Come Again" makes it a very different interpretation from Dolly Parton's. I want to add that in no way am I trying to belittle the other artists' versions of these great songs. I'm just saying that they sound different in Clay's hands, and there's nothing wrong with variety. My reaction to the 4 new songs isn't as immediate as to the covers, but I think I like "Everything I Have" the best of the 4. All in all, Clay has a beautiful voice, he does a terrific job, and I say, "You go, Clay, with your bad self!"

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very pleased! September 19, 2006

By J. Eubanks

Format:Audio CD

Clay Aiken makes almost every cover song on this CD better and his own! There are some that sound so different from the original... it's fascinating. While he may be known for his glory notes, of which there are a few, I am drawn to the supptle softness of his interpetation of the lyrics! His voice is so pure. There are four new songs that are extremely nice. He co-wrote Lonely No More, which is lovely. I understand he wrote another one for a bonus track called Lover All Alone.

When he hits that low note in Here You Come Again... I just have to say, one more time... where is that voice coming from?

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The evolution of Clay Aiken... October 1, 2006

By Cruz

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Honestly, when I first saw the track list, I wasn't impressed. Then I listened to the snippets, and Clay's voice did the selling. WOW! How far he's come from Measure of a Man, and I really liked his first album. I've never heard Clay's voice sound so unique and expressive. First the original songs: He surprised me on Lonely No More, a song he co-wrote, and how it starts gently and slowly, like a roller coaster, and then builds and builds to an exciting crescendo. No glory-noting though and none needed. Sheer vocal power suffices. A Thousand Days has a great pop/rock beat that makes you want to tap your feet and sing along. No doubt it will be great in concert when he goes on tour next spring. Everything I Have exemplifies Clay's skillful control to produce a beautiful song about love's surrender. I was taken with his interpretation and how it allows the listener to affix meaning based on their own frame of reference, such as a parent to a child, or a man to a woman.

And the covers: I can't get over the fact that he's made me love a song I used to dislike intensely, I mean really intensely. With his stylish rendition of Here You Come Again that thankfully resembles little of the original, it has now become one of my favorites. I hope Dolly gets to here it. He hooked me with Right Here Waiting, but it is Everytime You Go Away that truly impressed me. His voice becomes one with the instrumentation here, and exemplifies how Clay's voice has become a finely tuned instrument. Amazing. On Broken Wings, he takes a risky approach to the transformation and his experiment hits the mark and more. Part of me wants this new sound to become Clay's brand, because if it is, it's like nothing out there. It's an amazing rendition that only hints of the original. What a brilliant way to end the album. Clay and Eman, the producer, are a topnotch team, and I hope to see more of their work in the future.

Clive Davis was the driving force behind the covers, but it's Clay who added his own mixture of pop/country/Evanescence type sound to it. He could've produced a vanilla covers album, but that would've been too easy. Instead he created a very interesting, refreshing, and impressive piece of work. If Clay can do this with covers, I can only imagine what he has done and will continue to do with an album of original work, especially his own. I only hope his label will allow him to show us on the next project. In the interim, I'll continue to sit back and enjoy the intricacy of A Thousand Different Ways.

Don't let the track list dissuade you. Not content to merely add a fresh twist to the covers, Clay and his executive producer, Jaymes Foster, have delivered them for rediscovery, with some original gems for added measure. They made me forget what the originals sound like, a feat in itself. Treat yourself, you won't be sorry.