ATDW Song/Album Media Reviews

[Pamela]

This one concerns just the single "Without You." 

The Bottom Line - 4 stars out of 5
by Bill Lamb/About.com

Simply said, Clay Aiken's "Without You" is a triumphant return. While it would be easy to think that Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey had wrung all the possibilities from this pop chestnut, there are some fine elements here and a bravura vocal performance.

Head over to Clay Aiken's official site to hear "Without You."

Pros
The beauty and clarity of Clay Aiken's voice
Very nicely propulsive instrumental arrangement
The emotion is restored to this classic song

Cons
Please, enunciate - We can do without "Without 'ooo"

Description
Simple piano-focused intro
Instantly recognizable vocals
Impeccable pop arrangement with welcome percussive elements missing in previous arrangements

Guide Review - Clay Aiken - Without You

If you are unfamiliar with the song "Without You," you have not been listening to pop radio for the past 35 years. The song, written by Badfinger's Pete Ham and Tom Evans, first appeared as a Badfinger album cut on No Dice released in 1970. Idiosyncratic pop singer Harry Nilsson released a version of the song in 1971 featuring the signature piano intro that would be the standard for future recordings of "Without You." The song became a #1 hit for Nilsson and the biggest pop hit of his career. Mariah Carey took the song back into the pop charts in 1994 with a surprisingly plastic sounding interpretation.

Clay Aiken has chosen the instantly familiar tune as the lead-in for his first proper studio album in 3 years. I count myself as one of the skeptics when I first heard this would be the opening single, but "Without You" is a good choice and will tremendously please his many devoted fans while quite possibly gaining a few new converts.

The pure beauty in Aiken's voice is abundantly showcased here, and the arrangement gives a contemporary twist on the song. The mix is pleasantly propulsive and percussive which will sound great on pop radio. Mainstream pop radio should give this track a chance. It's popularity may surprise more than a few radio programmers.

 

©About.com

[clayunixity]

AHH! The building excitement is driving me crazy!!  Anyway, here's another good review on Clay's album from http://www.shipwreckislandstudios.com/index.html

Clay Aiken - A Thousand Different Ways (Island Preview - First Reaction):
I was privileged to listen to Clay's album today and I have to say he's got a winner on his hands. I was a bit put off by the idea of another covers album but he's pulled it off nicely. A classic track such as Bryan Adams "Everything I Do" which I felt couldn't be redone properly is completely retooled and sounds amazing. I'd say the best reinvented track has to be the Celine Dion song "Because You Love Me." I didn't care for the original version but Clay sped up the song and added his own flavor to it making it his own. Now when I first heard about this disc the one song that stood out to me was the Bad English song "When I See You Smile." I read some pretty harsh comments from some fans that in a nutshell said that Clay couldn't pull off this classic track. While it's not quite was redone as other songs, Clay's vocals fit perfectly and with a violin backing really allows the song to breath a bit more. To me Clay pulled this track off with no issues at all.

Honestly, I'm shocked over how good this disc turned out. 17 days to go until it's release but I'll have an album review up before it's release. Everyone is in for a real treat with this release. - Tony

[et61]

  GREAT review. I can't wait til the 19th for the CD!!!

[Pamela]

ARTIST: CLAY AIKEN
SINGLE: WITHOUT YOU (RCA Records)

Why Clay Aiken chose to draw direct comparison between himself and Mariah Carey is confounding. After all, her 1994 top three cover of Harry Nilsson's "Without You" was flawless in execution (not to discount the original, also definitive for its day). On its own, however, Aiken does indeed draw upon his greatest strengths: a flair for the theatrical, backed with a bombastic vocal that packs a wallop. He showcases his personality with novel phrasing here and there, while production swells and flutters with classic power ballad fanfare. Still, Aiken's return in itself raises questions: It's been quite a while, he has endured a good amount of negative press, and will his re-emergence be embraced or viewed as just another release from the increasingly less distinctive "American Idol" brigade? Should be intriguing to see the outcome, though not as fascinating as how Aiken will handle his cover of Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again" on upcoming "A Thousand Different Ways." Sounds like a trip.

©Yahoo Music/Reuters/Billboard

[clayMaine-iac]

A Thousand Different Ways - Clay Aiken  Genre: Covers/Pop/Classical  Review By: Tony

2. Lonely No More - The first new original track from Clay to appear on this album. While it starts off a bit slow and soft the song does pick up quickly. An extremely well crafted track and why shouldn't it be after all it was written by 4 people which is something you don't see a lot of these days. A straight forward song that is backed by acoustic guitars, though to some will be hard to pick out but they are there. In true Clay form he doesn't over power the soft mood being portrayed. His vocals have changed, but for the better. To me he sounds a bit more involved in the song then previous works. While not the best song he's done, it is certainly one of his finest.

3. Without You - Another soft ballad type track from Clay. There's a theme to this point as far as new songs go, their slower and show the true heart and emotional strength that Clay has. There's a hint of pop here but overshadowing that is the use of orchestra instruments backing Aiken all the way. This is also the first track where you can hear Clay's full vocal range. As soon as he hits the high notes there's no question that this kid has the vocal range to reach heaven and beyond. The only thing I didn't care for was the ending of the song, the use of a fade wasn't needed.

7. A Thousand Days - Now I was shocked when I heard this version as the first time I heard this song it wasn't this polished. All the additions from the smoother transitional areas to the addition of violins and other orchestra instruments have allowed this song to grow. If you've heard the radio version of this song get ready for a shock because it's completely different and much more laid back which fits the overall design of this album. There's no doubt in my mind that this is one of, if not the finest song Clay has recorded in his already amazing career.

11. These Open Arms - Is this a new Clay song? No it's not, this is a cover of a Bon Jovi song though some may not know. I read many websites & press releases that are claiming this is a brand new original song. Their information is incorrect, this is a cover but done very well. Clay makes this song his own by really slowing the song down. Not at all like the original version and that's a great thing. It seems that Bon Jovi is allowing some of his material to be redone by American Idol contestants. Clay isn't the first to cover a Jovi song, Bo Bice covered Jovi on his debut album as well. I wanted to mention this song here because others have had misinformation about it's origin.

13. Everything I Have - I got a sense that this song was a lost Chicago/Peter Cetera song. Everything seemed as if it was a cover tune but in fact it's a newly penned Clay original. Major piano movements throughout the song really drawing the listener in was a plus. Aiken's vocal range here doesn't really open up as much as I would have liked but he holds true to the overall style and emotional sense that pours out from the song making his performance unforgettable.

The Rundown:

Clay's back with 10 covers and 4 new songs but will fans go for a covers disc?
+'s (Positives):

+ New Material: Though there's only 4 new songs Clay didn't hold anything back. Not only are the 4 songs exceptional work but the cover material was elegantly done.

+ A+ Vocals: Clay sounds better then ever. Many will just assume he sounds the same but to me he's grown to the musician he wanted to be.

-'s (Negatives):

- Not Enough Original Material: Not exactly a bad thing here but it would have been nice to hear at least 1 more original pop type track to round things out.

Overall:

Where do I begin here? I suppose I should start with the cover songs. If you want to make a great covers album the songs you cover have to be changed, it's that simple. If you just cover the song in the same vain as the original version then what was the reason for releasing your disc? Clay has done a brilliant job not only covering some very difficult songs but also making them his own. That is another thing that is hard to pull off though Clay has managed to do it. Every song covered (Minus The Bon Jovi Track) was popular at one point in time yet Clay not only does the original version justice but truly enhances the original vibes which made the songs popular in the first place. Here's an example of what I'm talking about. In my initial reaction I mentioned that the best reinvented track was "Because You Loved Me." I still believe that's the best reinvented track on the disc because he left the original vibe in tact but he changed the overall rhythm of the song allowing the material to breathe new life. There's really nothing more I can say about the cover tracks, basically as a listener you have to decide weather or not he managed to capture you through these songs. Personally I find these songs to be a real breath of fresh air because there's been a ton of cover discs that have been released in the past 2 years and frankly there's only been 2 or 3 that have really been done well. This album is in fact one of the better cover discs because of how Clay was able to reinvent the original songs.

Now to focus on what people really want to know about. How are the original songs? Honestly there was only 1 issue and that was on 1 song. The use of a fade at the end of the track was simply not needed why do I say that? Let me put it this way, when you go to a concert do the artists use fades at the end of their songs? I didn't think so. While I understand the use of a fade on a studio release, it just wasn't needed here. It's obvious Clay is going to sing these new songs live and frankly it should have had a real ending rather then the fade. Are the new songs any good? I'll go one better, these songs are going to set the tone as to how Clay's career goes. I firmly believe that if he sticks with this soft blend of material and intertwines a few pop tracks he'll be one of the most successful singers in music history. There are very few mainstream musicians that capture me the way Clay does. He's a musician that when there's word of new material on the way people go crazy, that's a good thing. With songs like Without You & A Thousand Days Clay has opened the door to greatness. Some might be put off by this album's soft tones and if that's the case your not following what Clay is trying to accomplish. This disc is all about not only reliving the past but reviving it. Clay has set a course toward the future and with time I think fans of all genres will notice this release for it's original material as well as the reinvented cover tunes.

This is a career setting album for Clay but not his best, as his best is still to come. You could hear throughout this release how completely in love he is with the classic material and as a listener it's nice to hear an artist actually appreciate the material being put forth.

Hopefully with the right push from his label and fans this disc will see success not only in sales but in terms of overall play. I am hoping some of these songs show up on Movie/TV soundtracks. 

The only thing missing was 1 more original song. I say that because I'm sure some fans were looking for a full pop album from Clay. There are hints of pop throughout the disc on the cover tracks that should keep those fans happy but I do see the point as some are looking for something that was a bit more familiar.

Overall this is a brilliantly done album that one can sit back, listen to and just drift away. Clay is much more then just some kid from a realty show, he's a musician in every sense of the word. The best is still to come and what is scary is that this disc is so good how can he possibly top it?

SHIPWRECKISLANDSTUDIOS

Please feel free to share your thoughts on this review today!!

[ILClaymate]

Another great review! 

Music Messiah - Music Review - A Thousand Different Ways

Most of you who read my picks, know I'm a huge fan of Indie bands such as: Dashboard Confessional, The Killers and PLAIN WHITE T'S, so this review may be a shock to you, when I give you my MUST have CD of the week.

From RCA Records: Clay Aikens new CD is called A Thousand Different Ways. It will be available in stores on September 19, 2006.

This is a must have CD. A Thousand Different Ways is filled with covers and sprinkled with a few originals. This CD will give you a feeling, that hope and romance are in the air. Like your favorite tasteful dessert, this CD is a guilty pleasure.

The music production is rich. Aiken's vocals have power, range and passion. He proves once again that he is one of this generations greatest vocalists. Aiken performs a vocally stunning rendition of Mr. Misters - Broken Wings. Aiken also takes on other difficult songs by Richard Marx, Celine Dion and even country great, Dolly Parton.

Aiken seems to handle these songs with respect and care they deserve.

September 19, 2006, Aiken should no longer be Invisible to recording industry!

Jazz - Rock - Pop - Indie 1 M.M. #1 Music Messiah

for more information, go to
http://clayonline.sparkart.com/? CD is Available September 19, 2006

MUSIC-MESSIAH BLOG

[lolita]

Wow!! I'm loving all these great reviews.

Thanks mods.

Be back soon.

Lolita

[clayMaine-iac]

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
The project, Aiken's first outing since 2004, combines 10 cover versions of well-known songs from the '70s, '80s and '90s with four brand-new songs. The album is a follow-up to Aiken's debut set, "Measure of a Man," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart and is certified triple-platinum, as well as the platinum-selling "Merry Christmas with Love," the best-selling holiday album of the 2004 season.

AMAZON.COM
 

[Pamela]

USA Today Idol Chatter
by Ken Barnes

Overall, I just don't understand the reasoning behind this album. In the immortal words of Carl Wilson describing the Beach Boys' modest Smiley Smile album salvaged from the ruins of the ambitious Smile, it's a bunt instead of a grand slam. The label had an artist coming off a highly successful first album, in easily the best position for growth outside of Kelly Clarkson before her second album (and maybe even stronger than that, considering the intensely loyal fan base Clay had generated).

They encouraged Kelly (or agreed at Kelly's insistence) to branch out in a new direction, add more contemporary rock to the Idol pop/pap formula, write more songs, etc. -- and saw a huge payoff. Kelly's sold more than 5.5 million, gets Grammy nominations and is taken seriously as a leading artist now -- a considerable achievement for someone who had to overcome the "manufactured pop star" image of an Idol winner.

So why not try something similar with Clay? I don't mean he should have hired the guy from Evanescence to co-write songs and set the decibels blasting (although he does have Jon Bon Jovi, Mick Jones and former rockers Desmond Child and Aldo Nova in his songwriting credits). But a contemporary pop album, minus the hip-hop trappings Justin Timberlake adopts but a mix of uptempo songs and ballads with a modern sound, would have given Clay a chance to catapult to the top ranks of today's hitmakers.

Instead, he releases an album with 10 covers, leaning heavily toward middle-of-the-road ballads of a certain age, plus four new songs, all of which are ballads. I could be wrong on this, but I don't hear anything on the album that a top 40 station (Kelly's main bastion of radio support) would be likely to play.

I just don't get it. I've mentioned this before, and so have some of you, but it seems as if Clay's almost being abandoned. Instead of having him record an album that could be his springboard to general superstardom (as opposed to cult idol status, however massive his cult is), it's as if he's doing a side project at a crucial juncture of his career. This album is the kind of thing he should be doing in 2014, after he has five big contemporary albums under his belt, not now. There's no need to consign Clay to the nostalgia market so early in his career. This feels like an aging, or past-his-peak, artist's album.

Well, if you've read this far in this mini-epic, I imagine you can read some more. Track-by-track impressions follow, with clips available for those of you who haven't heard the songs.

[See article for individual song reviews]

Clay can sing, with power when he needs it (although this quality is somewhat underplayed, perhaps surprisingly, on the album) and control and a certain grace at other times. But for the most part, these covers do not serve him well -- his voice generally sounds thin compared to the originals, and the arrangements tend to smother the songs in stringy goop. And the originals are too similar and too sappy.

Elysa Gardner gave the album two stars in the paper. I'd be inclined to give it one and a half, if only because it's such a waste of a promising singer's talents.

©USA Today

Interesting; he is very complimentary of Clay, but not the album concept.  I think we'll see more like this.

[fhmmany2]

Just a reminder - you can write your own review of the Cd on Amazon.com - even if you did not buy your Cd from Amazon. Just go to the Cd, click on "Reviews", and you can either just read the reviews or write your own - you do have to register the first time you review anything on Amazon - after that registration, you can review anything in the future without having to do that again. When I checked this morning, ATDW had 119 reviews, and was rated 4 and one-half Stars out of a possible 5 Stars.

[ILClaymate]

©US Weekly, issue 40 (current issue)