Kimberley Locke - One Love

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Music reviews of One Love

Music Review: The Strongest Idol Collection Yet
Rating: 4 Stars

Anyone who watched the second season of American Idol knows her voice...and knew, win or not, she would go far.

And this is the proof. For the first time, an American Idol contestant is proving that they truly have what it takes, all around, in spades...

Her debut album, One Love, is, by far, the strongest album by a contestant from the show so far.

Don't get me wrong, I loved Clay Aiken's "Measure of a Man," but it didn't showcase his vocal talents nearly enough, and it is merely great pop songs, but ultimately, somewhat disappointing. There was something missing... But we all know he was the REAL American Idol.

And Ruben Studdard's album, the winner who should have never even made it into the Top Five on the show, tanked big time...with reason. How this man got any votes is beyond me.

Then there was Kelly Clarkson, who, although she released a strong album in many respects, I personally was bored by it completely, as I felt she just tries to hard, and fails miserably as the material was just completely mundane and uninspired. Notice...it spawned only one minor hit.

Now, there is Kimberly. A true, soulful voice, and a range and talent that is just exquisite. And she took this album as an opportunity to show just what she could do with her pipes.

She DELIVERED.

The opening track, and strongest Idol single yet, "8th World Wonder," is one of the best and sweetest pop songs I have heard in a long time...and her range and feeling in her delivery makes the song just the quintessential pop song...and if you check out the remixes, they just soar and will make any club move, showing she has major crossover potential if remixers prick up their ears.

The strongest songs are most certainly those produced by Shaun Shankel, which includes "8th World Wonder," but also "Have You Ever Fallen in Love" and "I Could," two more perfect pop songs which are just so beautiful and melodic in their arrangements, they are instantly gratifying and make you have to sing along...lyrically very catchy and touching.

The duet she does with Clay Aiken was not only produced by the great Guy Roche (who produced four tracks on the album), but also co-written by the great Richard Marx and David Foster (with Samanth Cole)...a combination which just could not miss...and doesn't. A track which shows just why these two performers should have been in the top two...and their voices intertwine beautifully. Clay has never showed so much soul.

Then Kimberly kicks into territory that Janet Jackson should have stayed in, but, unfortunately, abandoned completely. Janet, careful...Kimberly proves she can kick her own on "Alright" (lyrically reminiscent of Janet's own "Free Zone," showing how cool Ms. Locke truly is) and "Coulda Been," which is also very old-school-Janet-esque in the vocal arrangement and beats, when Janet was good. If Janet wants her next album to actually be good, maybe she should check with Kimberly for some better material.

Kimberly even throws it down a la Prince in the very Paisley-Park-inspired "You've Changed."

Brilliantly, the album also includes one of her best choices for the AI competition, "I Can't Make You Love Me," and a version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" that brings the song where I have never heard it go before.

The weakest track is definitly the Aguilera-like track "Wrong," which throws Kimberly into this pseudo-wanna-be-rock edge, which she could handle if it didn't sound so much like the lame material Christina has recorded...and it falls flat, depsite her voice controlling the track very well.

Over all, Ms. Locke took her time to throw this out, but it has been worth the wait. Despite the couple of forgettable pop ballads, the strength of her voice, the diversity of her talent and versatility of style make this album, by far, the strongest and most satisfying delivery of an Idol alumni, thus far.

My vote goes to Kimberly Locke.

Description of One Love

Broadway & Vocalists CDs

• Music > Styles
• Pop
• R&B
• Rock