Katharine Mcphee – Katharine Mcphee

CD REVIEW

Katharine Mcphee landed a recording contract on strength of her run on US Idols — she finished second — and her debut album accentuates that starting point.

The album title itself suggests a lack of originality, and the songs bear out such expectation. In essence, Mcphee pretends to be other singers: Beyoncé on opener “Love Story”, Mariah Carey on “Open Toes” and “Not Ur Girl”, Christina Aguilera on “Home”, Rihanna on “Do What You Do”, and so on.

The hit single “Over It” is a standard mid-tempo affair. While the song is attractive, it is telling that the best song on this album is not particularly memorable.

Mcphee has a nice voice and obvious talent, and manages to invest some emotion into her R&B tinged pop, which tells mostly of crushed hearts and unworthy boyfriends. With better material, Mcphee might well attain artistic credibility. Her eponymous debut album will do her neither much good nor harm in that pursuit.

This album is competently produced, inoffensive — and entirely unremarkable.

Listen to: Over It; Everywhere I Go; Love Story