Kat McPhee Review
Katharine McPhee, Katharine McPhee (RCA) GRADE: C+
Introducing the newest member of the Pussycat Dolls...Katharine McPhee? After trying on more personae than Inspector Clouseau during last year’s American Idol, Ms. Runner-Up has settled on an artistic disguise: generic hottie with decent voice singing blah, marketing-savvy dance-pop.
McPhee’s self-titled debut album — released this week after months of unspecified delays — isn’t terrible, it’s just not terribly interesting. She was far more appealing as a frosty Celine wannabe eyeing her competitors as if they were dumb talentless bunnies (which, of course, they were). But any semblance of Kat-like claws have been replaced by a blank stare, thigh-high boots and vaguely randy pop foofaraw.
Before you even hear the music, the album art tells you everything: the come-hither hair, the legs agape under a hideous bumblebee dress, sexy enough to goose grown-ups, chaste enough to get her onto Wal-Mart shelves.
The music follows suit. McPhee’s Idol strengths were soft, swelling ballads that showed off her pipes. But there’s very little of that clean, classy sound here. Instead, the 12-track Katharine McPhee is tired with rickety-rackety beats, synthetic strings and cliche pop tricks. Opening song Love Story pulls the old soul-hook groove and midtempo grind, with mad-lib lyrics about love and stuff. A better track is Over It, a catchy kiss-off ballad in which McPhee sounds relatively invested.
But alas, this album will be remembered more for the low points than any high ones. The biggest mistake? Open Toes, a hideous ode to her feet. Remember McPhee’s weepy father, the guy who sobbed at everything? Well, lil’ girl just gave papa a whole new reason to blubber.
Sean Daly is the pop music critic for the St. Petersburg Times. His CD collection -- from Journey to Dylan, Prince to U2, Public Enemy to Stan Getz -- is much bigger and better than yours.
Yeah, but she is totally hot. I can't hear her singing with all of the "mmmmm-mmmmm" (yummy noises) going on. Delish!
Posted by: JoJo | January 31, 2007 at 09:01 AM
Who cares if she is hot or not? She is completely devoid of talent. I hated her vapid screeching on Idol, and I certainly won't be investing in her disc. i saw her on Leno the other night, and I was still unimpressed. I hope she fades faster than Justin Guarini.
Posted by: Bassnote | January 31, 2007 at 02:04 PM
Hotness sells...it's the way it goes. She does have great talent too!
Posted by: Chris Daughtry - Fan News | February 15, 2007 at 02:33 PM