Monkbot Raises Three and a Half Antennas to "Taylor Hicks"

Creating an album is, in itself, a monumental task. But creating an album in a mere six weeks following a summer-long tour while trying to create a unique sound that pleases a fan base of thousands, meets the controlling restraints of producers and executives, and fulfills your own desires as an artist is unheard of.

But, despite all these conditions placed upon Taylor Hicks and his self-titled debut album, which landed on shelves this week, the 12 tracks (plus bonus) should be considered a success.

The Album
Largely, Hicks achieved what he set out to do...put together an interesting and entertaining album with an old-school feel and a contemporary pop sensibility. Certainly there are a couple of songs...“The Runaround” and “The Right Place”…that immediately take hold of the listener and beg the repeat mode be clicked on the ol’ iPod. The rest of the album, however, needs to breathe a little for deeper appreciation.

On a second listen...“Heaven Knows” and “Just to Feel That Way” become clear standouts along with the impressive “Runaround” and “Right Place.” And Hicks' remakes of his originals…“Soul Thing,” “The Deal,” and the bonus track “Hell of a Day”…are also a lot of fun and very well done.

That’s not to say there aren’t problems with this album…problems that might mean harsh words from media critics. Though Hicks’ vocals are solid throughout the entire album… some of the songs don’t offer quite enough opportunity for his distinct and quirky personality to shine through. Several songs rely on what comes across as preset synthesized percussion and keyboard...which definitely detracts from the organic quality of what Hicks offers. However, where real instruments are used, the results are truly captivating.

The album as a whole probably won’t capture any Grammys, and I’ll venture to guess that the critics at large will pan the work…if for no other reason than most critics are music elitists who would refuse to admit that Hicks set their toes a tappin’ with a few jewels on this album. However, the strength this album has is its potential to drawn more fans for Taylor Hicks. If folks outside of the Soul Patrol can move past the “squareness” so many seem to associate with Hicks from his stint on American Idol and open themselves up to at least listening to the album… few will be able to deny the appeal of more than a handful of these songs.

As for the aesthetics of the album art… the photographs are beautiful and, other than the slightly cheesy “diner” font used for the album title, the overall look is great. However, one major oversight is that there are no lyrics written in the liner notes. All albums featuring vocals should include lyrics. If the words are important enough to put to music…they are important enough to put on paper.

The Tracks
A long-standing guide I use in determining whether or not I will purchase an album is that, before I plunk down my hard-earned cash, an album must have at least three songs that I am drawn to. “Taylor Hicks” certainly meets my guidelines. But I didn’t know this until Tuesday, when I downloaded the album from iTunes. Up until that point, I had only heard “The Runaround” and, truth be told, absolutely loved it. I had made a point to not read track names and I also hadn’t read any reviews or thoughts on the album…so that my first listen would be pristine and without bias.

So, when I climbed in my car Tuesday morning after downloading the album and setting my iPod to play the album straight through…I was as wide-eyed as a newborn.

The album was bookended well…with “Runaround” jump-starting the list and “The Right Place” rounding things out…but I question some of the other song choices for this first album. “Give Me Tonight,” “Places I’ve Been,” and “The Maze” didn’t stand out as strong or particularly enjoyable, so their inclusion seems a little curious since at least one song (penned in collaboration with John Mayer) was left off the play list.

The Runaround *****
by Loren Goldberg and James Renald
It’s the driving force of the drum line that pumps this song along. Yes, “The Runaround” has a pop sensibility…but is far from the “pop” I’ve heard since the 1970s. This song has a very soulful backbeat and the punch of the horns breaths new life into an old style. I sang this in my car all the way to work Tuesday morning…sheer toe-tapping goodness. My only criticism would be that there is a shocking lack of harp.

Dream Myself Awake ***
by Rob Thomas
I didn’t dig “Dream Myself Awake” on the first listen, but the second listen was much better. I’m not a Rob Thomas fan…at all…but this song has some very nice qualities. With a beginning measure that brings “Midnight Train to Georgia” to mind, the song plods a little at the start but, once it picks up, is very enjoyable. I have to admit that Hicks’ drawl in this song brought out the fangirl out in me. (Oh, and I need to add that there is line in the song that Hicks delivers that is creasing my brain with familiarity. Does anyone hear something familiar when Hicks sings “I can’t get enough of you BAby”? It’s driving me crazy trying to place where I’ve heard that tune before…especially the “baby” part.)

Heaven Knows ****
by Cory Rooney, Makeba Riddick, Kara DioGuardi, Matt Serletic, Ray Charles, Warren Moore, Smokey Robinson, Robert Rogers, and Marvin Tarplin
Paying homage to Ray Charles, Hicks kicks this tune off with the familiar organ part to “What’d I Say” and the rest is just as fun. The layering in this song is brilliant…the creakin’ sax, the driving percussion, the gospel-like quality to the background vocals. There are a lot of nuances going on here…all groovin’ well together to create a great beat and a strong singability factor.

Gonna Move ***
by Paul Pena
This remake of the Paul Pena classic has a definite Robert Randolph feel…and though I appreciate Randolph’s talents…the repetition and heaviness of the bass line is way too structured for a song that's about ramblin’. There's too much of a push/pull between Hicks’ loose vocals and the music framework. It seems he’s trying to loosen it up…but he’s fighting the instruments…which are thumping out a steady beat. I tried hard to not compare it with Susan Tedeschi’s version and Hicks’ live version…but it was hard not to. Like “Dream Myself Awake,” this song does grow better on the second listen and I truly liked the playfulness of Hicks with the male background chorus. I just wish the song, on the whole, was more loose.

Wherever I Lay My Hat ***
by Marvin Gaye, Barrette Strong, and Norman Whitfield
I had never heard this song before…even though it’s a remake of a Marvin Gaye song. It has a definite “Forever Young” (Rod Stewart) feel and Hicks does a wonderful job with the vocals. I love how this song leaves his voice exposed…vulnerable…but I didn’t really enjoy the synthesized feel to the song. It comes off as a little over-produced.

Give Me Tonight *
by Matt Serletic, Kevin Kadish, Brandon Jane, Lea Crutchfield, Taylor Hicks, and Kara DioGuardi
This is going to be rough, folks, so hold on. I hate this song. From the electronic drumbeat to the unbelievably cheesy lyrics…this is not good. It’s like Lionel Richie trying to be a badass…just...yikes. Maybe my appreciation is stymied by the creepiness factor of a guy wanting a raunchy one-night stand with some hot chick he saw at a party…but I doubt it. I literally cringe when Hicks sings, “There was magic in the air…I was trying not to stare, but you caught me…you caught me COLD.” Geesh…for this we gave up a Mayer song? I was more than disappointed when I saw that Hicks co-wrote this. I’m just relieved some of his other original works (written on his own without collaboration) are on the album to show folks that “Give Me Tonight” is not solely indicative of what he is capable.

Just to Feel that Way ****
by Lindy Robbins, Jess Cates, and Emanuel Kiriakou
Now this song piqued my interest immediately. In it, Hicks sounds like he's stretching his singing chops…and it works beautifully. We may have lost the Mayer song on this album…but “Just to Feel that Way” has a Mayer vibe mixed with a little Marc Cohn. This is a beautiful song. It gets a little “big ballady” in parts, but overall it’s very nice…and very different from anything I’ve heard Hicks sing. I also enjoyed the sound of the strings (which may be synthesized…but they work). Well done.

The Maze **
by Anne Preven and Scott Cutler
I can’t get past the 1987 Casio keyboard sound at the beginning...sorry. Must…try…to move…past…this. Nothing about “The Maze” stood out to me….except the 1987 Casio keyboard sound at the beginning. Stripping this piece down to just a few instruments would have enhanced the overall mood of the song by allowing the vocals to emote instead of compete for attention. The song does grow stronger toward the end…still, wholly, it’s not a real keeper.

Places I’ve Been **
by Diane Warren
This song brings me to the same thoughts as I had for “The Maze”…less would be more. Ultimately, this is a bland piece that I’ve listened to now five or six times and still can’t recall.

Soul Thing ****
by Taylor Hicks
Now this is a great remix of a familiar song. If I was hearing this for first time…I’d be hooked. I love the original…but this one is fun and a nice change of pace, even if the guitar in the middle is a bit much. However, the breakdown after the guitar solo has a quirkiness factor that really drives it home.

The Deal ****
by Taylor Hicks
This is another great rerecord…even better than the original…by far. I not only love the organ in this piece…I like the sax solo (and, as most of y’all probably know by now…I generally don’t like sax solos). Plus, Hicks settles into this piece like he would into a well-worn pair of slippers. There’s a very comfortable and laid-back feeling surrounded by familiarity and warmth. I have a renewed sense of appreciation for "The Deal" now. Thank you, Mr. Hicks.

The Right Place *****
by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (written for Ray Charles to record before his death)
If for no other reason than this song…everybody should be a card-carrying member of the Soul Patrol. I absolutely am in love with “The Right Place.” The producers got it right on this one…a pared down song that features great lyrics, great music, great vocals, and lots of emotion. I wish the entire album could be this lovely. Hicks practically channels Ray Charles as he caresses this piece. Not only is Hicks sexy and soulful, his whiskey tenor shows a range that wasn’t explored in the album's other songs. He teases his audience in just the right places and hits them between the eyes in just the right spots. Plus…how many women out there would love to hear Hicks calling them “angel”? Um…sign me up. This song is perfect for the end of the album (at least the versions without the bonus track) because it shows the potential that Hicks has to express without all the hoopla of studio mixing and layering….and it gives us a taste of the direction his sophomore album could be heading.

Hell of a Day (Bonus Track) ****
by Taylor Hicks
This is another solid Hicks original. The re-record…with the added brass…didn’t do anything but enhance an already fantastic piece of work. I like the faster tempo and the added bridge. Plus, I actually think these vocals are among his strongest of the previous versions of this song that I’ve heard.

Overall…a great album…and one I will enjoy for a long time.




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