Soulful

Ruben Studdard

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 9, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: J-Records
• ASIN: B0000AGWGD
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (995 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #111,771 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

• This item is part of The American Idol Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The first full-length effort from second-season American Idol winner Ruben Studdard is an unassuming album that will surely please his fans. Studdard works in the vein of mainstream R&B crooners like Luther Vandross; here, he even covers "Superstar," the Leon Russell/Bonnie Bramlett song associated with Vandross. Other familiar material includes a close, if foreshortened, copy of Al Green’s version of "How Do You Mend a Broken Heart," and the standard "For All We Know," so memorably sung by Billie Holiday on Lady in Satin. A fair bit of time is spent making sure we know that despite his success, Ruben hasn’t changed. Indeed, he comes off as modest and charming; as for electrifying, he’s less so. As a CD that could’ve easily pandered much more to the whims of casual TV viewers, though, Soulful is a perfectly acceptable debut. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not as "Soulful" as it would have you believe, December 11, 2003

By A Customer

First of all, everyone on all sides of the American Idol rivalry (this includes both Clay AND Ruben fans) need to give it up. Quit using Amazon reviews as a messageboard forum for which to spew hate and biases. BOTH sides are guilty.

Now, to the more important matter at hand: Ruben's CD. I liked Ruben profusely on the show, thought he had a great voice. He churned out some wonderful performances. He stated again and again after the show ended that he was postponing his CD because he was aiming for quality. My two questions therefore are this: what quality? and were you joking?

Soulful is a mix of generic R&B/rap tunes that range from forgetable at times to just plain stupid. Perhaps Ruben wanted to avoid being categorized as: "just another pop singer from American Idol" by going the hip-hop route; but if that's the case, at least be honest about the material. It's NOT any more cutting edge than Kelly Clarkson's album for example... but at least I enjoyed hers. And this is hardly Soulful. Banal is more like it.

I suppose I'm being a bit harsh. It's just it really was a shock to buy the CD and feel as though Ruben sold-out. I just do NOT enjoy the hip-hop songs one bit, and unfortunately they make up the majority of the disc. I wasn't expecting it from him.

The Good: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (a wonderful song to begin with), Superstar and Flying Without Wings (songs I was already sick of to begin with).

The Bad: No Ruben (anything that's self-referential is usually bad), Can I Get Your Attention... and many other unremarkable dreck type songs, which include some of the dumbest lyrics in history.

The Ugly: Take the Shot and What If... two of the wosrt songs I've ever listened to in my life.

Ruben, take some advice: You have the capability to be great, just as all the American Idol alumni do. You brought me to tears with some of your ACTUAL soulful performances on the show. This? Is not great. This is laughable. If this is TRULY what you wanted when you talked about the quality of your album, then so be it. You have to follow your heart I suppose...

But you lost a fan in the process.

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars THESE ARE REVIWS?????, January 3, 2004

By A Customer

I CAME HERE TO READ THE REVIEWS OF RUBENS CD...INSTEAD....I FIND INSULTS OF ALL KINDS BEING HURLED AT ONE ANOTHER......AND BY THE WAY .... WHAT HAS CLAY AIKEN GOT TO DO WITH THIS CD? HE IS NOT SINGING ON THIS ALBUM. MY GOODNESS!!! I'VE READ A NUMBER OF THESE REVIEWS AND CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY TIMES CLAY AIKEN HAS BEEN HARSHLY ATTACKED BY MANY OF YOU.HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO ANY OF YOU.I UNDERSTAND THESE YOUNG MEN ARE FRIENDS...PLEASE RESPECT THEIR FRIENDSHIP. NOW TO MY REVIEW. I THINK THAT THE CHOICE OF SONGS ON THIS CD DO NOT SHOWCASE THE BEAUTIFUL VOICE THAT RUBEN HAS.HE HAS PROVEN THAT HE HAS THE TALENT,I HOPE THAT HE MIGHT MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF LUTHER AND YET STILL BRING HIS OWN STYLE INTO HIS MUSIC. I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP ON RUBEN...I BELIEVE HE CAN DO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not my style at all, January 9, 2004

By A Customer

After hearing Ruben on American Idol this past spring, I was really looking forward to hearing both clays and his albums. After listening to soulful, I dont know how to explain it but the music just didnt do for me. It is like he didnt put any feeling into his sininging. He just sang the songs as they were suppose to. I thought it was a drag, and I really do feel sorry for 2004.