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American Idol Season 5 Encores
CD DetailsEdition: Music CD CD Release Date: 2006-05-23 Music Label: RCA Soundtracks: - What About Love- Melissa McGhee
- Superstition- Bucky Covington
- I'm Every Woman- Mandisa
- Wanted Dead Or Alive- Chris Daughtry
- Father Figure- Ace Young
- Takin' It To The Street- Taylor Hicks
- Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)- Lisa Tucker
- Walkin' After Midnight- Kellie Pickler
- Moody's Mood For Love- Elliott Yamin
- Think- Katharine McPhee
- Midnight Train To Georgia- Paris Bennett
- When I Fall In Love- Kevin Covais
Music reviews of American Idol Season 5 EncoresMusic Review: an excellent album even without a group performance Rating: 5 Stars(4.5 stars)
American Idol Season 5 Encores features 12 awesome songs performed by the 12 finalists of American Idol's Season 5. This is very high quality control music; these men and women deliver these numbers with style, grace and so much genuine emotion that your CD player will practically shake just from the vibes as it plays this CD! The quality of the sound is excellent and I like the artwork very much. Just about the only thing missing is a group performance; but overall the CD is so good I can (almost) completely ignore it.
The album opens with Melissa McGhee doing a wonderful cover of "What About Love;" Melissa makes this sound fresh and new; and she never skips a beat, either! I really like Melissa's voice; she is perfectly suited to perform ballads like this and the rockin' sound of those guitars in the arrangement enhances this song even more--great! Bucky Covington also does great justice to Stevie Wonder's "Superstition;" Bucky sings this with a whole lot of feeling and that's grand. Bucky's performance is truly electric; and he more than proves that he has the chops to be a major recording artist. The guitars are used to great advantage and Bucky's excellent diction bolsters his performance even more. Bucky handles the complex tempo and key changes like the pro that he is--and always will be!
Mandisa does a superb job when she sings "I'm Every Woman;" Mandisa's performance is faultless and she throws herself deep into this ballad in order to give blood and make her audience thrilled to see and hear her perform. Mandisa is surely full of talent! In addition, the very popular Chris Daughtry performs at his usual best on "Wanted Dead Or Alive" which was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. I think they would be proud to hear this rendition of their ballad! "Wanted Dead Or Alive" is a major highlight of this album.
Taylor Hicks, who has been so successful, shines bright on "Takin' It To The Streets;" he delivers this with all his heart and soul and just one listen will prove it to you. His voice is able to make that "scratching" sound that always impresses me; and Taylor never lets go of a single superfluous note! The music fits in well with Taylor's singing but wisely the musicians never steal the show from Taylor. He remains squarely front and center--right where he belongs!
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" gets the royal treatment by Lisa Tucker; she handles this very well and her singing is absolutely electric. I love it! Another very major highlight of this album would have to be Elliott Yamin's take on "Moody's Mood For Love" with lyrics by Eddie Jefferson. Elliott is incredibly talented and I predict that he'll be sharing his artistry with us for quite some while to come--if we're lucky! There's yet another gem in Katharine McPhee's "Think;" she does this flawlessly with solid backup. The CD closes with Kevin Covais performing an outstanding version of "When I Fall In Love;" Kevin's voice is very special and he shows so much talent on this track. I'm very impressed.
Overall, American Idol Season 5 Encores gives us so much great music from 12 very gifted people. I highly recommend this for fans of the artists on this album.
Description of American Idol Season 5 EncoresAmerican Idol: Season 5 Encores features the top 12 finalists singing their best performances from this season. Rocker Chris Daughtry offers his take on Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive." Kellie Pickler contributes her special version of Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight." And, Taylor Hicks sings the classic Doobie Brothers hit "Takin' It to the Streets." The rumors were true--as a showcase for raw vocal chops, American Idol has gotten better every season. The good news for buyers of American Idol Season 5 Encores, then, is that to a one, each of the dozen tracks collected here is easy on the ears: Kellie Pickler's Patsy Cline re-do, "Walkin' After Midnight," clip-clops along with a pleasing North Carolina sweetness. Melissa McGhee proves she was voted off too early with the belt-a-holic opener "What About Love," and Kevin Covais makes a case for his inclusion on a future Disney soundtrack with the wistful "When I Fall in Love." If this disc launches thousands Web discussions, though--and it probably already has--it'll be for its final-fiver selections. Paris Bennett's "Midnight Train to Georgia" singlehandedly snaps preconceived notions about the show's talent caliber, even if you're not familiar with the spunky 17-year-old singing it. Chris Daughtry's "Wanted Dead or Alive" may not have a lot on Bon Jovi's version, but it showcases his rock-god pipes to maximum benefit. By far the best vocal arrives on track nine, though: Elliott Yamin's "Moody's Mood for Love" outshines everything around it. If Taylor Hicks fans are pleased with his straightforward, husky-voiced rendition of "Takin' it to the Streets" here, chances are they're equally glad he was handed the crown. But for some, Elliott's track may be strong enough to incite cries for a first-ever AI recount. --Tammy La Gorce
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