The ‘American Idol’ runner up brings his talent from the stage to the studio.
By Maya Minwary
Assistant A&E Editor
When Clay Aiken made his debut on “American Idol,” his powerful voice, contrasted by his nerdy look, amazed even the most critical judges and spectators. Now, the 25-year-old student is ready with his first CD, “Measure of a Man,” to show the world why America almost named him the 2003 American Idol.
While perhaps Aiken wasn’t ready for songwriting yet, talented songwriters such as Desmond Child (“Invisible,” Aiken’s first single, and “Run to Me”) wrote great songs that work for his high vocal range.
“Every mirror of your soul/I know that you know/You are not forsaken/Hey butterfly open up your wearing eyes/And realize it’s a trip we’re taking,” Aiken sings with a harmonious tune in the song “Shine.”
Other songs on the record display the songwriters’ strong writing ability using thought-provoking lyrics that complement Aiken’s passionate voice and deep faith. In the song “Measure of a Man,” the spiky haired boy-next-door sings, “Why do you ask him move heaven and earth/To prove his love has worth/Would he walk on water/Would he run through fire/Would he stand before you/When it’s down to the wire/Would he give his life up/To be all he can/Is that, is that, is that/How you measure a man?”
The diverse genres in the album — from adult contemporary to R&B to pop-country and soft rock — not only reflect the different influence by the various songwriters, but also Aiken’s versatility. Aiken’s second track, “I Will Carry You,” sounds like a mellow rock song, while the next track, “The Way” (partly written by Enrique Iglesias), seems more like a love ballad similar to Iglesias’ songs. The country twang in “When You Say You Love Me” shows that Aiken can even pull off singing country pop.
Although at times the songs’ diversity makes it hard for those who like consistency or prefer to listen to just one genre, the inconsistency quickly becomes forgivable once they hear Aiken’s smooth, melodious voice.
The only major annoying thing about “Measure of a Man” is the lack of lyrics in the CD sleeve, which only provides technical information about the songs’ writers, producers and music players (and even a mini poster of Aiken), but no lyrics. This makes it difficult for people who like to follow along. Personally, I would rather see the lyrics provided on an almost $15 to $20 CD than a poster; leave that for bubblegum pop singers like Britney Spears whose lyrics don’t even really matter in the first place.
Overall, Aiken’s 12-track CD is not a bad first try in the recording industry. While he may not have written his songs or bested Ruben Studdard during the last round of “American Idol,” at least Clay can sing the songs written for him as if they came from his very soul and show his toughest critic that he’s just as good — if not better — than Studdard.
November 06, 2003