MEASURE OF A MAN REVIEWS

[Pamela]

"Idol" runner-up's album feels bland and only hints at vocal abilities
By Gregg Simms Jr.
Cox News

Clay Aiken was a phenomenon unto himself. On "American Idol," the show he was discovered on, Aiken was a standout before he even sang. The gangly walk. The goofy mannerisms. In short, Aiken looked like Ichabod Crane.

And when he opened his mouth, he was Elvis.

Aiken instantly became the star of "American Idol." This kid from Raliegh, N.C. captured the hearts of the nation long before Idol's final votes were tallied. What was even more uncanny was how he was everything to everybody. To one section of the country, Aiken was proof that nice, well mannered folk could still matter, and win in this new millennium. To another faction, he was the ultimate revenge-of the-nerd fantasy, the shy put upon guy in high school that grew into a hearthrob. Lastly, a huge chunk of the populace saw Aiken for what he was: an immense talent.

This isn't to say that Aiken's ride to stardom was smooth. From the onset of this year's "Idol," Aiken and the actual winner of the show, Ruben Studdard, were far and away the favorites of the contest. And who could forget the duel of the two men, two nights of a nation locked in a debate that became part of the American fabric: "Clay or Ruben"? As everyone should know, Ruben won the contest, but that was about it. A blind man locked in a bomb shelter 50 feet in the ground with a broken light switch could've seen that Aiken would be the true winner after "Idol" was over. Exhibit A. was the Rolling Stone cover that Aiken landed this past spring ... ahead of "Idol" winner Studdard. (Studdard got his cover a month after Aiken). Exhibit B. was the sales of both men's singles. Aiken's outsold Ruben's by a large margin. The machinery was in place for Aiken to roll out first. Why the boost in interest for Aiken? Is it race? Partly. But, it's also the fact that Aiken has his own Beatlemania surrounding him (Claymates!), and the money always follows the mania.

Is "Measure Of A Man" worth the money? It is if you're a Clay fanatic. If not, be warned: this CD is bland. Way bland. The same sound that you heard on this summer's smash single, "This Is The Night?" The entire album as built around that. A big, unwieldy sound that's squarely middle of the road. As "Broadway" sounding as Aiken's voice has been called, the man has vast ability. You hear hints of it in the songs, but just that: hints. Even Kelly Clarkson, last years' "American Idol" winner, got a few songs where she let it rip on her debut CD, "Thankful."

Clay never once gets to show a hint of the smolder he sometimes displayed on "Idol". It's as if his handlers, the legendary Clive Davis and the Simon Fuller (a legend in England) purposely developed Aiken to be the new Neil Diamond.

Clay has a future in the business. But, in the present, he needs to develop more songs with "edge" if he wants a future in the business. That, and Ruben's debut album is right around the corner.

AUSTIN 360 REVIEW

[Pamela]

Clay Aiken
Measure of a Man [RCA]
Jeff Miers

Nine months ago, Clay Aiken was an unknown, one of hundreds auditioning for the dubious honor of performing on "American Idol." Nine months from now, he'll likely be looking for work. The obsessions of the American public are that fickle; anyone know what most of the Backstreet Boys are up to these days?

"Measure of a Man" is flawed in every way it possibly could be. The concept - a talent contest that yields a record contract and a ready-made star - is abhorrent to anyone who takes music, even pop music, seriously as an art form. And Aiken has about as much personality as a slice of Wonder bread. He sings in tune. And that's about the best that can be said of him.

The songs are the final nails in this creepy karaoke confectionary coffin. Aiken, not surprisingly, had no hand in the composition of a single one of them. Instead, we get schlockmeisters like Desmond Child and Aldo Nova, two writers who give new meaning to the term cheesy.

The mega-success of this waste of plastic is an embarrassment to artists who struggle in service of a personalized art form. Aiken may be cost-effective, but we'd do well to make sure he stays the exception rather than the rule.

BUFFALO NEWS

[Pamela]

Measure of a Man
by Caroln E. Davis
People

The Al Gore of pop - if a couple of hanging chads had fallen his way, he would have beaten Ruben Studdard on American Idol - finishes first this time, beating the Velvet Teddy Bear to the stores with this not bad album.

If you had access to an all-star team - including songwriters for Celine Dion, producers liek J Records chief Clive Davis and American Idol's backstage mastermind Simon Fuller - you might be able to put out a decent disc too, but there's no denying Aiken has chops.  His fans will devour this one like blueberry pie.

Predictably, the producers keep the schmaltz pouring and their knobs turned to optimistic power ballad at all times.  Aiken's tendency to oversell a song is indulged to the hilt, but he also displays a tender touch when he needs it on the quieter, more melancholy tracks.  The instrumentation plows along with a few Elton Johnish piano flourishes and a sprinkling of light rock guitar.

As Simon Cowell never tired of pointing out, this recovering geek doesn't project attitude.  His aw-shucks personality is mirrored by the bland lyrics, which recycle standard themes of love and heartbreak.  Aiken has said he's never been in love, and while his voice has impressive range, it's hard to locate any genuine emotion in it.  Keep an eye on him, though.

Clay has a knack for reshaping himself, and he could stay hot as long as his flatiron does.

People - November 10, 2003 - pg 49.

[Pamela]

CLAY AIKEN
Mr. Aiken compares a woman's eyes to an ocean and her heart to a fire. He wants to drown in her love, find heaven in her touch and believe in magic with her embrace. And that's just in one song. Granted, he didn't write it, but then again he didn't write anything on the album. Show me a No. 1 CD with more clichés than Clay Aiken's "Measure of a Man" (RCA) and I'll show you a Celine Dion album.

NY TIMES REVIEW

Sorry, but I had to comment on this one.  If this is all it takes to get paid big bucks to write music reviews for the prestigious NY Times, I want that job!  It would be the easiest bucks I ever made.  :) -Pamela

[Pamela]

CLAY AIKEN., "Measure of a Man" (RCA)

We seem to be in the midst of an era of ultra-ironic, platinum-selling titles. First came the monikers of the latest super-bland products from John Mayer ("Heavier Things") and Dave Matthews ("Some Devil"). Now we have "Measure of a Man," the much anticipated, much-hyped debut by TV phenom Clay Aiken, who, at an immature 24, isn't much of a man at all. Nor is there any hint of human soul in this carefully packaged, pristinely overproduced set of pure pop fluff.

A former camp counselor from Raleigh, N.C., Aiken came in second on last spring's season of the pop starmaking series "American Idol" losing out to Ruben Studdard, who is not only much more of a man size-wise, but possesses a much better voice. Aiken's advocates are numerous--this disc is expected to debut at No. 1 next week, and it is on track to sell 1 million albums in its first few days--but that seems to be as much on the strength of the artist's pretty-boy, pinup looks as it is on his vocals.

It's not that Aiken's voice is a bad instrument--quite the opposite--it's just that he struts, preens and shows off in a male analog to Mariah Carey's infamous (and pointless) scale-ranging trilling.

"I don't know why people relate to me," Aiken told Time magazine, "but my guess is that they're tired of beautiful, cookie-cutter pop stars. They don't believe them, and they don't trust them." This is exactly what Aiken is, however, and his debut is the epitome of prefab, factory-produced pop circa 2003. Though he isn't the only one to blame.

Heavy on mush balladry ("Run to Me") and Broadway bravado (the hit single "This Is the night"), with occasional forays into modern mainstream country ("When You Say You Love Me") and Christian rock ("Shine"--Aiken is a devout Baptist), the material and the musical collaborators were all handpicked by label head Clive Davis. The long-reigning king of bland-out pop, Davis is a man who's managed to rob the likes of Carlos Santana of soul and grit, so what chance did a novice like Aiken really stand?

"You can't be paralyzed by what the public expects of you," Davis said in the same Time profile. "We're now competing against Justin [Timberlake] and Christina [Aguilera] and Avril [Lavigne] and Pink, and if you allow the television audience to program your music, you will not be on radio and won't make MTV. And then where are you?"

But setting the bar by comparing Aiken to those fellow teen hypes isn't trying very hard, and pandering to the lowest common denominator (and a TV audience that represents the modern equivalent of Monkees fans, though not quite as adventurous) is exactly what Davis and Aiken have done.

CHICAGO SUN TIMES REVIEW

[Pamela]

A Genial American Idyll: Clay Aiken's Vanilla Charm
By Allison Stewart
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, October 15, 2003

Ruben Studdard might have the right idea. He was the technical winner of "American Idol 2," grabbing just over half of the 24 million viewer votes cast. In every other way, however, he's the runner-up to Clay Aiken in the battle for American hearts and wallets, and has reportedly decided to go hip-hop on his upcoming album, in a wise attempt to distance himself from the show's shopping mall aesthetic.    

Studdard, first-season winner Kelly Clarkson and the unfortunate Justin Guarini all seemed to recognize that the peculiar petri dish that is "American Idol," that strange conflation of Dionne Warwick covers, group dance numbers and pleather, has little to do with the real-world Top 40, and nudged their albums leftward accordingly.

Aiken not only embraced "AI's" cheeseball ethos, he at times seemed almost too square, as they used to say, for the show. His debut album, "Measure of a Man," enhances his reputation as a genial, almost excessively mild-mannered 24-year-old with a remarkable voice and a popularity beyond explanation, though it can be attributed at least in part to his cheery malleability. Charmingly bland, inadvertently sexually ambiguous, he's a blank slate with something for everyone: Older listeners see a new-model Donny Osmond, or even Bobby Sherman; younger listeners see Justin Timberlake minus the sexual innuendoes and the Neptunes.

Aiken's generic material doesn't give much help filling in the gaps in his persona, but at least it's honest: Most "American Idol" contestants, who have no natural consistency of their own, can't resist demographic cherry-picking, larding their albums with ballads, pop, R&B, dance and rock tracks as sops to their various constituencies.

"Measure of a Man" serves up one thing: middle-of-the-road pop that is sex-, violence- and profanity-free, and done efficiently and well. A defiant embrace of the middle, it's the end result of a concerted and logical attempt to turn the singer into his generation's Barry Manilow, and at this it succeeds beautifully. Aiken certainly is capable of resurrecting the much-maligned genre of Adult Contemporary, Male Division: He has a great voice, no discernible sense of irony, and the sincerity to drive home ballads sappy enough to make Rick Astley seem like 50 Cent.

Most of the tracks here are unremarkable lite pop of the "Wind Beneath My Wings" variety, all of which sound pretty much the same, with a kicker of a dance-pop track, "Touch," at the close. Aiken has a warm, expressive voice and an uncanny ability to be better than his material deserves. Save for a pair of killer ballads ("The Way" and "I Survived You," which is essentially "I Will Survive," Branson style), there's little that's unique here. Listeners used to the bells, whistles and loops found on even the mildest contemporary pop albums will likely find "Measure" dated and plain, which it is, though for all its synthesizer riffs and wince-inducing platitudes, it feels oddly natural; it's impossible to imagine Aiken singing anything else.

The ability to navigate the murky depths of adult contemporary with such geeky aplomb is impressive, but Aiken's greatest gift may be his capacity to deliver songs of surpassing dorkiness ("Invisible," "Shine," etc.) without sounding horrified. Thanks to him, "Measure of a Man" is a likable album even without being a particularly good one.

WASHINGTON POST REVIEW

[Pamela]

MEASURE OF A MAN
Clay Aiken (RCA)
Yeow Kai Chai

EVERYBODY'S favourite American Idol runner-up said in a recent interview that he assiduously avoided sex on his solo debut album.

The reason: He does not want to sing corny lyrics about 'really horribly suggestive things'.

Top marks for integrity but it does seem rather odd that he would name the album Measure Of A Man.

That aside, the album is as adult-contemporary as you would expect from a big-lunged belter who looks like he may turn out to be the Barry Manilow of the 21st century.

Nevertheless, despite his professed love for dramatic musical numbers, the album is safely packaged as a glossy pop disc of torch songs and devotional ballads guaranteed to sweep the charts in the weeks to come.

The tracks - produced with anonymous slickness by a roster of expensive producers like Desmond Child, Rick Nowels and Steve Morales - wisely showcase that sky-shattering voice of his, powerful enough to slay dragons and demons and silence Britney and the wee-voiced brigade.

So much so that, if not for the 24-year-old's baby face, you'd have mistaken him for being the Gen Y's version of Michael Bolton.

Songs like No More Sad Songs and I Survived You allow plenty of room for Aiken to wrench hearts while white doves are released into the skies.

Truth is, he is not as hip and fetching as his other Idol contemporaries like Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson or as street-looking as winner Ruben Studdard, but somehow one does root for him.

Perhaps the secret lies in his lily-white geek-meets-choirboy appeal which remains undiminished despite the hit-makers' attempts to dress him up.

It's that ingratiating touch which wins him fans, as he savours every second and returns everybody's goodwill with oodles of sincerity, sex not included.
 
STRAITS TIMES ASIA REVIEW

[Pamela]

CLAY AIKEN
Album Title: Measure of a Man
Label/Catalog Number: RCA 82876-54638
Release Date: Oct. 14
Source: Billboard Magazine
Originally Reviewed: October 25, 2003

Clay Aiken's "Measure of a Man" is the best pop album of 2003. Every song, every note is brimming with ambition and glory. Thanks to the bull's-eye A&R talents of RCA chief Clive Davis and a cast of grade-A songwriters—including Cathy Dennis, Desmond Child, Kara DioGuardi, Gary Burr, Steve Morales, Andreas Carlsson—the "American Idol" hero's debut album perfectly matches his radiantly melodramatic voice with good, old-fashioned power ballads aimed straight for the gods. Throughout, the timeless production focuses squarely on Aiken's immense talent. "Run to Me" is arguably the sweet spot, the quintessential tear-jerker, along with show-stoppers "No More Sad Songs," "I Survived You" and the title track. In another radio era, this album could be the "Thriller" of the day, spawning hit after hit. In any case, fans have plenty to celebrate. "Measure of a Man" is an utter triumph of art and commerce.—CT

BILLBOARD REVIEW

[Pamela]

He's good, but he's not all that
BY MELISSA RUGGIERI
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Oct 23, 2003

Clay Aiken
Title: "Measure of a Man"
Label: RCA
Grade: B-
Highlights: "When You Say You Love Me," "Invisible," "Shine," "This Is the Night"
 

Enough already with the Barry Manilow and Elton John comparisons.

Clay Aiken, the guy who didn't win "American Idol" but who has been treated as such, gets a jump on "AI" champ Ruben Studdard with his major-label debut. And, while it is expertly produced - no big surprise considering album mogul extraordinaire Clive Davis is behind it - Aiken's coming-out party is in no way indicative of the songwriting and musical prowess of Manilow or John.

Those two are musicians with extraordinary abilities to arrange, orchestrate and play. Aiken, meanwhile, possesses a lovely set of creamy pipes and a lot of talented songwriters on the payroll at RCA to provide him with material. Big difference.

But considering that "AI" relies on the bland tastes of Middle America to choose its superstars, Aiken is at least bearable. His pre-album single, "This Is the Night," is second only to Elton John's 1997 remake of "Candle In the Wind" in the sales department and is included here as a "bonus" track. Why this "bonus" is smack in the middle of the album is anyone's guess.

The majority of the 12 tunes on "Measure" are as well-mannered as the self-deprecating boy from Raleigh, N.C. - impeccably produced, slickly packaged and all destined to become huge radio hits. The perky "Invisible" showcases Aiken's ability to keep up with a tempo, because his usual choice of material on the show - and on this album - leans toward mid-tempo and ballad territory. "When You Say You Love Me," co-written by former Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes, is the most delectable offering, a sublime pop song filled with chugging guitars, a stuttering drumbeat and a hook as tall as Aiken's perfectly mussed hair.

Also notable is "Perfect Day," co-written by Danielle Brisebois (yes, that Danielle Brisebois, of "All In the Family" fame). A power ballad to make everyone from John to Carly Simon to Justin Timberlake jealous for not finding first, its slightly skewed key changes and soaring chorus - which Aiken nails - make it a standout. Not so perfect is "I Saved You," a hokey, bombastic piece of tripe with ridiculous lyrics about dotting i's and crossing t's. Even Richard Marx would be embarrassed.

There is certainly nothing groundbreaking or original about Aiken's arrival, but a holdover from "AI" isn't expected to do much more than look cute, smile and sing. Aiken has chops along the lines of Josh Groban, another safe, clean-cut singer, and he's mastered those above-mentioned "AI" prerequisites.

As expected, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts this week, as hundreds of thousands of hormonally imbalanced teens and their moms raced to the nearest Wal-Mart to purchase it. Aiken has found his audience. Now it's just a matter of how long they stick by him.

RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH

[Pamela]

POP/ROCK "Measure of the Man" (RCA) On TV, the "American Idol" runner-up was everything to everybody. To one section of the country, Aiken was proof that nice, well-mannered folk could still matter -- and win. To another faction, he was the ultimate revenge-of-the-nerd fantasy, the shy, put-upon guy in high school who grew into a heartthrob. Lastly, a huge chunk of the populace saw Aiken for what he was: an immense talent. But his debut CD is bland. Way bland. It has the same sound that you heard on this summer's smash single, "This Is the Night." The entire album is built around that unwieldy, squarely middle-of-the-road sound. As Broadway-sounding as Aiken's voice might be, the man has vast ability. You hear hints of it in these songs, but no more. He never gets to show the fire he sometimes displayed on "Idol." It's as if his handlers, the legendary Clive Davis and Simon Fuller (a legend in England), set out to make Aiken the new Neil Diamond.

STAR TRIBUNE REVIEW

[Pamela]

‘Measure Of A Man’— Clay Aiken
By MEGAN SENNETT, GB Youth Board
Published: November 20, 2003

He may have come in second place to Ruben Studdard on the second season of FOX’s hit reality TV show “American Idol,” but ever since then, Clay Aiken has never come in any place but first.
His single “This Is the Night”/ “Bridge Over Troubled Water” debuted at number one in June on the Billboard Hot 100 Sales Chart with the highest first-week sales total since Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind ‘97,” easily making it the best-selling single of 2003. Aiken spent much of the summer performing as part of the “American Idols Live” Tour and also recently sang at the Miss America Pageant and at game one of the World Series at Yankee Stadium.
His debut album “Measure of a Man” was released by RCA Records on Oct. 14 and sold 613,000 copies its first week, the most for any solo artist in the past 10 years.
Aiken’s list of achievements isn’t all that shabby, considering that a year ago, he was a special education major at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and worked with autistic children.
Diane Bubel, the mother of one of the autistic children he worked with, first encouraged Aiken to audition for the show. He has since formed the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, through which he hopes to provide opportunities for people with autism and other disabilities to participate in programs that are usually only offered to people without disabilities.
Aiken’s kind and generous values extend to his music. In a music industry full of artists who make millions of dollars singing about drugs, sex, violence and other inappropriate behaviors, Aiken is a welcome breath of fresh air. His music evokes a feeling that we’re back in a time when life was a little less complicated and a lot more sheltered. Aiken’s incredibly strong voice makes his compilation of 12 songs sound both honest and believable.
“No More Sad Songs” is an angst-ridden tune about recovering after a breakup with a girlfriend, on which the slow rock background and lyrics are excellent.
“Invisible,” which was released as the first single off the new album, is a very catchy, up-tempo pop number. “Perfect Day” is another great ballad with a good rock beat, several interesting key changes, and a soaring chorus. On “I Survived You,” a well-done ballad, Aiken’s unique voice comes through very well.
Two songs that show off Aiken’s versatility are “When You Say You Love Me,” a good song with a slight country flavor, and “Touch,” a dance song with a Latin-inspired beat.
My favorite song on the CD is the title track “Measure of a Man,” a beautiful ballad that describes that people are measured by their actions and not by the material items they have.
Aiken’s voice shines through perfectly and his sincerity with regard to the meaning of the lyrics is conveyed really well.
According to an Oct. 13 Time Magazine article by Josh Tyrangiel, although Aiken constantly had to battle RCA executives, including chairman and music industry legend Clive Davis, for the right to make his CD completely “clean” and free of sexual innuendo, he stuck by his strong morals and values and won out in the end.
As Aiken himself said, “There are certain words and emotions I don’t want kids hearing, and I’m not changing because they think it’s going to sell better.”
He is not ashamed to state publicly that he does not drink, smoke, curse or have sex. For sticking up for his ethics and principles, Aiken has become a positive role model and has incredible talent to boot, something the entertainment industry has not seen in a long time.
Clay Aiken may not have been the “American Idol,” but he sure is an American icon.
 
Megan Sennett is a sophomore at Chattahoochee High School and attends St. Brigid Church in Alpharetta.

GEORGIA BULLETIN

[Pamela]

Clay Aiken - Measure of a Man

As the fairy tale goes, there once was a geek who wished with all his might to someday become a big star. Or something like that. Clay Aiken was not the stuff record labels dreamt of when he entered the popular TV reality series American Idol last season. But a gradual extreme makeover coupled with spoonfuls of Southern charm earned him plenty of attaboys on his way to the show's final round. He'd finish second, though with worthy chops, capable of handling Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" nicely, and a class-act reputation, Aiken's longtime dream was suddenly on the fast track.

Measure of a Man, the singer's first outing, is a standard trip down the pop expressway, a predictable batch of easy listening songs full of sugary lyrics drizzled with light, simple to hum backgrounds. It's a recipe often whipped up by producer Clive Davis, who tends to over saturate anything sitting on his musical plate. Here he allows Aiken to sing, not quite as strong as he did on the television program, but enough that we know he's good at it.

The album already mounts the biggest selling single of the entire year, "This is the Night," but there are better tracks worth listening to instead, like "Invisible," which sounds as if it leapt directly out of a Hall & Oats or Rick Springfield songbook circa 81-82. "I Will Carry You" has an uplifting message and enjoyable pop-rock backing, while the catchy "When You Say You Love Me" is freckled with country-western guitar chords.  Where Aiken really shines is on "No More Sad Songs," a terrific Elton Johnesque entry, and the upbeat, dance-a-little "Touch."

Aiken doesn't turn in the highest caliber recording of 2003, nor does he come up with a better than expected collection of tracks his first time around. But he really doesn't need to, not with a legion of fans welcoming his sentimental ballads and mid-tempo tunes, supported by his squeaky clean image. And while most of what's on Measure of a Man is formulaic ("Run to Me," "I Survived You," "Perfect Day"), it's never delivered in poor quality. Riding the unlikeliest train to fame and success, Clay Aiken has nothing to prove other than he's loving every minute of what he's doing, and beyond that he can measure up to whatever or whoever he darn well pleases.

SEATTLE GAY NEWS

[outthereforclay]

YEAY!

and notice, Pamela, that I'm making absolutely NO comment on my subject line wording! 8)

[Pamela]

Clay Aiken - Measure of a Man
Nicky Baldrian

American Idol second place winner Clay Aiken has made a blinding album that could very well see the rebirth of AOR as this album will please fans of the genre, as well as the teenie boppers and housewives of the world. I had to question whether I should review this album or not given those factors, but you know what - I don't care if thousands of teeny bopping teenage girls or aging housewives love him because you simply cannot ignore the quality of the songs and more importantly Aiken's vocals, he has that voice; and he also has the team behind him which includes songwriters like Aldo Nova, Desmond Child, Cliff Magness etc all of which are praised by the majority of AOR and melodic rock fans, and at the end of the day, a song is a song and if you like then who's to argue?

The CD kicks off with the irresistible 'Invisible' (written by Desmond Child), this song is a lush pop/rocker, catchy chorus that almost reaches the AOR standards of Mitch Malloy, in fact Aiken's sounds allot like Mitch Malloy on this track with hint of Jon Bon Jovi and Stan Bush, this is a very good song, and if it was any of the aforementioned artists recording this song you would be loving the sh*t out of it. 'I Will Carry You' (produced by Cliff Magness) is a gorgeous song, this is a flowing dreamy ballad, very AOR/pop, Clay's voice is very good and he could easily be the new AOR god as he proves on the next track which is called 'The Way' this is another ballad that could have been on Mitch Malloy's "Ceilings And Walls" album or any Steve Perry or Richard Marx album, it's a gorgeous ballad, it's quite poppy and Clay sounds allot like Malloy vocally, only a little more laid back.

'When You Say You Love Me' is a safe but catchy pop song that makes me think of Desmond Child's "Discipline" album, whilst 'No More Sad Songs' (produced by Cliff Magness) is a huge ballad. Again Aiken's voice makes me think of Mitch Malloy, the chorus is very melodic and this one of the best songs on the album, a very mature ballad. 'Run To Me' is a massive ballad that could be considered an AOR ballad, it's lush and the chorus is very catchy, this could have been one of those ballads on Journey's "Trial By Fire" 'Shine' flows with Beatles influenced melodies crossed with a modern pop injection and is a very good song that grows with each listen, simple and effective and blows the likes of Robbie Williams into oblivion. 'I Survived You' again produced by Cliff Magness features some nice Latin guitars, again it's a ballad and has a similar feel to Bon Jovi's 'Always' crossed with Avril Lavigne, lovely chorus on this song. 'This Is The Night' (written by Aldo Nova) was another favorite song, this is a lush ballad once again, Clay's voice soars and again he reminds me of Desmond Child and Mitch Malloy and this is a glorious ballad, it's sickening how much like these guys Clay sounds, especially Malloy, Malloy could have easily sung this song, definitely another of the CD's best songs.

'Measure Of Man' is another ballad, Clay really croons his way though this song, and the chorus is pretty big and catchy. 'Touch' is modern pop/rock, this could have easily have been on Richard Marx's last album "Days In Avalon", great vocals couple with Latino style guitars, Clay sounds allot like Jon Bon Jovi when the chorus gets going.

I also have separate to this album, a rather good cover Clay Aiken recorded of Journey's classic 'Open Arms'. Just going to show that there is still a market out there for AOR, even if it is mostly in ballad form, but there is a market which is the most important factor about this release, and it looks like Clay is going to be the guy to at least give it a good name again, hopefully. So then a good album, there is maybe too many ballads here and I would love to have seen Clay rock out some more, but in general I couldn't give a dam* what people think about this guy just because he was part of American Idol, put the memories of American Idol out of your minds and enjoy this album, because quite simply, it works, like I said, a song is a song and if you like, then go with it.

AOR DREAM ZONES

[outthereforclay]

Pamela, who is this reviewer and why are there so many grammatical errors? :?

[Pamela]

Pamela, who is this reviewer and why are there so many grammatical errors? :?

I know.  

I think he may be German.  No, really!  Someone sent me the link to post.  I googled the writer and got lots of hits.  I checked out the website, and he's referred to as a 'journalist', but seems to be a freelancer.  The website focuses on AOR (adult oriented rock) and melodic pop music.  I started to edit his review, but I want to sleep sometime tonight.   :   (sorry Nicky.)

I posted it because he seemed to actually LISTEN to the music before writing about it.  (I just wrote a rant in the Justin G thread in the AI forum about the 'critics' so I won't rant here too!) He made comparisons between the songs on MoaM to other songs and other artists.  He seems to be passionate about music and, it was complimentary to MoaM and to Clay.

Feel free to use the scroll button liberally.  :mrgreen:

[Pamela]

GUILTY PLEASURES: IN DEFENSE OF CLAY
Justin Cord Hayes November 27, 2003
"Measure of a Man"
RCA Records

No one will ever trust me again. My credibility is ruined.

I've tried to interest others in Captain Beefheart's "Trout Mask Replica," have raved for hours about Big Star's "Radio City" and have expounded at length on why John Coltrane should be sainted.

And then he came along.

I wanted to hate Clay Aiken's debut album. I really, really did. The hype surrounding the Raleigh native raised my hackles and reminded me that Whiskeytown, the best band ever out of our state capital, never achieved anything but cult status.

BUT. I. JUST. CAN'T. DO. IT.

"Measure of a Man" is not "Sgt. Pepper's" or "Exile on Main Street" or "The Velvet Underground and Nico." But it's also not "The Partridge Family Album" or The DeFranco Family featuring Tony  deFranco, "Heartbeat (It's a Love Beat.)"

Sure, a lot of the songs on "Measure of a Man" have cookie-cutter arrangements that will sound dated in no time. And several songs are forgettable: "I Will Carry You," "This Is the Night" and the title cut among them.

But Aiken has a genuinely good voice. Not an it's-good-for-a-manufactured-pop-star voice, but a genuinely good voice with a solid emotional range. At times, Aiken falls into that pop singer trap of including those fake-sounding voice breaks or hiccups designed to mimic deep sorrow. But when he just sings, I actually can believe this young man has experienced sorrow and loss.

And in true pop music fashion, most of the songs on "Measure of a Man" are about just that, loss and sorrow, with melodies that contain a lot of minor chords. And I'm a sucker for tunes like that.

"No More Sad Songs," which of course is a sad song, is irresistible, even if the lyrics are dopey: "You turned out the light. I'm gonna be all right when I turn the radio on. No more sad songs."

And if you can overlook the hype and just be honest, you'll have to admit that "Shine" also is a killer pop song. If it were on a Pete Yorn album, you'd happily sing along with it. Admit it.

And if you can ignore the awful synthesizers and fake percussion and lyrics, you probably also will like "Perfect Day."

I guess what I come away with after listening several times to "Measure of a Man" is that Aiken has the talent to rise above the often-mediocre songs on his debut album. If, for the sake of argument, Rick Rubin produced his next disc, I might actually buy it. And not to hate it and not
just to satisfy my irony reflex.

The thing is, I try to explain all this to my colleagues and friends. But they are philistines blinded by the hype.

"I'm not saying I love it," I'll tell them. "I'm just saying it's not bad. Here, listen to 'No More Sad Songs' with an open mind."

They roll their eyes and turn away, unwilling even to give Mr. Aiken a fair shake. To them, he's the Bay City Rollers, New Kids on the Block and Menudo - pre- and post-Ricky Martin - rolled into one.

Where is the justice for manufactured pop artists? Who will defend these groups, these Boyz II Men, these not-girls-not-yet-women from the ignominy of hype that stops the ears of normally free-thinking, open-minded music lovers?

Who will break the artificial barriers separating bubblegum pop from The Cramps' "Bad Music for Bad People"?

All I am saying, is give Clay a chance.

Justin Cord Hayes has every volume of "Super Hits of the' 70s" and is especially fond of "Seasons in the Sun" and "Alone Again (Naturally)." He can be reached at 883-4422, Ext. 238, or jhayes@news-record.com.

[liney23]

My gosh, a critic who listened several times.  Wonder never cease when it is in Clay's orbit.

[milkshake00]

I think that was a good idea i hate going to a million sites to find stuff. You are grately appreciated by me!

                        -milkshake00

[Pamela]

Ham Lies Down on Broadway
by Mikael Wood
January 14 - 20, 2004

Clay Aiken
Measure of a Man
RCA

Pop-cult pundits from around the dial have been outdoing themselves in the search for the canniest use of '80s soft-rock references to describe sleepy-eyed American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken's debut, Measure of a Man.

"He's like Peter Cetera giving Barry Manilow a back rub while Air Supply double-team Carole Bayer Sager," I think I might've read somewhere last week. But rest easy, Rob Sheffield, Joel Stein, and pervy mustached guy from Access Hollywood, for Aiken's true tradition is the "rock" "opera"—not its embrace of concept (though Man does float a gender crisis too finely shaded for prime time), but its cute misapprehension of that trio of rock signifiers: volume, thrust, and melody.

Every time he needs to mean it, Aiken reminds us of his vocal curriculum and unfurls his careful Broadway-baby boom. Guitars sparkle and fade yet delay abandon till the third act (which never comes); choruses arrive with stage directions attached; lyrics tell a story, only very badly. He chews scenery that doesn't exist, not singing about himself but not singing about not singing about himself: "just a shadow passing through." If Clay promises to grow a goatee, will someone please cast him as the worrywart filmmaker in Rent?

VILLAGE VOICE LINK

PS - If anyone has any idea what this guy is talking about, please share.  ThanX!  :