Written by: Brian CampbellKatherine McPhee - Unbroken [Verve Forecast Records]
If hindsight really is 20/20, then Katherine McPhee should have won American Idol’s 5th Season. Sure, the seasons produced some quality successes in Chris Daughtry and Bucky Covington – hell, even Kellie Pickler, but if you were to look at McPhee’s running mates in the final three – Elliot Yamin and eventual winner Taylor Hicks, it should be painfully clear that the game show has no idea what it’s doing. Yamin has done nothing and Hicks hasn’t fared much better, as his debut record sold the lowest in the history of all American Idol winners. He has since been released from Arista Records. By comparison, McPhee, since the end of AI, has went onto reach number two on Billboards 200 chart, sell over 350,000 copies of her eponymous debut, star on both the small and big, as well as the silver screen.
Now you can add the next success to that list – her sophomore disc Unbroken.
As the old adage goes, if you thought the pop songstress was good before, you haven’t seen anything yet. Unbroken finds McPhee at her all around best, and is her best vocal performance since she lit up the AI stage four years ago. With this record she has only gotten better. She sounds as if she has grown, as evidenced through the mature, passionate vibes this record emits. Unbroken is proof that she is capable of growing into her massive potential. McPhee shows enormous strides in the right direction with widely accessible and surely relatable adult contemporary pop ballads (“Faultline,” “Anybody’s Heart,” “Unbroken”), but she doesn’t just pigeonhole herself on Unbroken. “Had It All,” “Lifetime” and “Brand New Key” showcase her fun side, her ability to infuse a bit of bounce and flair into her music, so as to not keep things stagnant. The ultra playful and animated liveliness of the album close (“Brand New Key”) is both refreshing and rejuvenating, proving McPhee doesn’t always have to be heartfelt and somber.
We have established the fact that Unbroken is McPhee’s strongest effort to date, but it is also one of the best records anyone linked to AI has released in sometime. Maybe that show isn’t all bad after all. Well, that’s an argument for another time.
Grade: 7.2/10
Listen to: “Had It All,” “Brand New Key”
17 crazy comments:
Thanks for Katharine's review! She really has grown! I'm sure that we will hear a lot more from Kat in the years ahead! People are missing out on her wonderful vocals. How can we spread the McPheever so others can hear this wonderful new CD by Katharine McPhee?
"Yamin has done nothing" but have a platinum single and a gold record with his debut cd. That cd also set a record as the highest debuting independent album in Billboard history. By the way, his second album sold more in it's first week than did Miss McPhee's, despite the fact that he had no national television appearances to promote it, and next to no promotion at iTunes. Wow, facts are inconvenient things, aren't they?
Are you crazy? Or just simply deaf and blind? How could you say "Yamin has done nothing", when his career has been way bigger then Kat's? He has a gold-certified first album with a platinum-certified single, and has sold more copies of his second album than your princess. He's also been in Europe and Asia, and will soon perform in Latin America. Where is Kat known besides L.A.? Really man, do you ever follow Idol finalists, or talk/type just because you have to justify the fact you were given a mouth/fingers? This is really a crazy blog...
Are you kidding me? Katherine McPhee sucks, with either color of hair!
Are you serious??? Elliott is so much more talented and has definitely outsold Katherine..I can't help but wonder if Elliott had promoted his body like others have where he would be now..A pretty face will take you only so far..
Brian ,Brian before you go off on a tirade you really should do some fact-checking..Elliott Yamin sold 90,000 cd's in his 1'st week,the highest selling independant in Billboards history..His cd went on to sell 525,000 cd's. He accomplished all of this with barely any promotion ,just on sheer talent and hard work..Kat managed to sell 350,000 with a big label behind her,thousands of dollars worth of promo !!! Yikes does that mean you are a shallow person who was influenced by her appearance rather than her talent..dream on..
"I can't help but wonder if Elliott had promoted his body like others have where he would be now.."
on the cover of hobbit hustler?
Has this guy been living under a rock for the past 4 years. Mcphee was dropped from RCA and signed to a very small label. Bucky Covington, Kelly Pickler, Elliott,and Taylor Hicks have all outsold her. Her current CD has flopped selling 23,000 copies since its debut. Had it all is only played on the AC chart.
She has aged 10 years with her new look. Hey do the homework before you put down others.
McPhlop flops again.
Poor thing changed her genre and her hair color and still can't sell a damn cd despite getting a lot of promotion Yamin could do wonders with. That right there says mucho. The numbers don't lie my friend.
Where did these random Elliott fans come from? They seem so insecure.
It isnt McPhee's fault she was signed to a better label right off of AI, thus having a stronger promotions vehicle behind her debut. You guys also failed to mention that her debut outcharted Yamin's on three seperate charts -US Billboard 100, US Top Internet Album and Digital Albums charts (2), to Yamin's position (3). Yamin did outchart her when it coems to their sopohmore discs, although neither discs were really revered by critics. so, to me, it seems like a mute point to be arguing.
Are you guys really making a case for Yamin to have won AI?
lmao, Google Alerts really is a wonderful thing.
Oh, and Unbroken is an amazing album. Great review. But why only 7.2? Can I hear what the minuses were for you as well?
"Are you guys really making a case for Yamin to have won AI?"
I think the point being made is the reviewer was an idiot to say that Yamin has done nothing. This review is supposed to be about Katharine McPhee's album. Why bring up the careers of others to infer that her talent is superior (particularly when the facts are ignored)? It's typical bs from an obsessed fan, usually seen in abundance on any American Idol discussion board.
My guess is the writer is getting called out because this commentary is supposed to be a review.
'It's typical bs from an obsessed fan, usually seen in abundance on any American Idol discussion board. '
or you can read it in all the comments left here from Elliott fans on a Katharine McPhee album review surely there is something else you could do with your time.
Holy crap, you all are wrong. Elliots debut CD was not the highest independent debut in billboard history, didn't vampire weekend just sell 125,000 copies in its first week? hmmm.
AND elliots second album has been out for almost a full year and only 48,000 records to show for it. Katharine has had only minor promotion and has sold half that in not even a full month.
ANYWAYS, all of this elliot yamin discussion is hilarious. Unbroken is a great, rich album.
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