Idol Headlines for 11/09/08

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kxfrxzlkldae

I can’t seem to do a fancy link for above.

AllMusicGuide review of David A.’s cd- 2 and a half stars out of 5.

Here’s an excerpt:

Archuleta sidesteps saccharine pitfalls through much of his eponymous debut à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  delivered six months after AmIdol season seven drew to a close à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  but he never shakes his reputation as being a safe date, a grandmother’s pick for a blind date. This may make Archuleta the oldest teen star ever à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  certainly compared to the youthful Jonas Brothers, he seems stiff and arthritic à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  but it’s also true that he’s comfortable acting far beyond his years. Whenever he faces something modern, as on the wretched modulated hip-hop call-and-response “Barriers,” he shuts down and stumbles. His awkwardness is so apparent that the producers wisely keep him away from anything rhythmic through most of David Archuleta, with only the overly busy rhythm tracks distinguishing this as a 2008 release. This makes the album the squarest record in the Idol universe since Clay Aiken’s debut but that at least had the benefit of overpowering hooks, where David Archuleta has quietly whispered melodies that never catch hold, no matter how well Archuleta sings. And he does sing well à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  maybe not with a sense of storytelling, but as a highly coached performer who can hit the marks with accuracy but not much feeling. So, it delivers exactly what Archuleta promised on the show: something sweet and safe, utterly old-fashioned and forgettable. —————-

songwriters for each track:
Title
Composer
Time

1 Crush Cates, Hodges, Kiriakou 3:33
2 Touch My Hand Kipner, McEwan, Wilkins 4:21
3 Barriers Kipner, McEwan, Wilkins 3:50
4 My Hands Bey, Fountleroy, Kiriakou 4:04
5 A Little Too Not Over You Archuleta, Gerard, Krompass … 3:18
Composed by: Archuleta, Gerard, Krompass, Nevil
6 You Can Armato, James 3:42
7 Running Fauntleroy, Nugent, Risto … 3:35
Composed by: Fauntleroy, Nugent, Risto, Russell, Tormiro
8 Desperate Carlsson, Child, Rethwisch … 3:43
Composed by: Carlsson, Child, Rethwisch, Rethwisch
9 To Be with You DioGuardi, Kiriakou 3:25
10 Don’t Let Go Archuleta, Chasez, Harry 3:47
11 Your Eyes Don’t Lie Armato, James, Karaoglu 3:06
12 Angels Chambers, Williams 4:08

Sorry for wonky looking post.

Last year Taylor Swift won the best-new-artist award at the Country Music Association Awards. This year sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s nominated for best female vocalist

Umm, I have watched some you tube live performances… wow. Nice role model for teens though.

Mariah, Mariah, Mariah, *shakes head* Just when I was coming around to you for getting Archie to use his falsetto…

Taylor is sassy…”This doll comes with a phone, so he can break up with other dolls.” LOL. Best vocalist she isn’t, but I like her.

Don’t like Taylor’s voice but I do enjoy the songs she writes. I saw her on Access Hollywood defending herself against the internet rumor of being pregnant. She said she tries to be a role model and she had two things to say: 1) It’s impossible and 2) It’s impossible. She definitely seems like a kid with a good head on her shoulders. I think she was very hurt by that accusation because as she stated she did absolutely nothing to bring it on. Someone just made it up. Sure isn’t easy out there for young stars!

I have to agree somewhat with AllMusic’s review of Archie’s CD. He is a great singer, I’ve thought so, since, Star Search. But, as with most idol first CDs, the material’s not that great (I see most of the usual AI stable of writing suspects on Teenie’s list) and doesn’t necessarily fit him. I predicted it would be Jordin Sparks Part 2, and, it pretty much is. The main problem for me, is so many songs are about love relationships, and his age & personality make them not believable. It is cutesy pop fluff, which, his fans will be happy with.

Is Kimberly Caldwell going to host P. Diddy’s new MTV show called “Starmaker”? I read it here.
http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/11/cook-caldwell-american-love-idols.php

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ This doll comes with a phone, so he can break up with other dolls.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

LOL That was funny.

It will take Archie many years to get rid of that American Idol stigma and people will always underestimate him because of that connection.

b

E, I think that you could substitute “just about any Idol contestant” for “Archie.”

I think I remember songwriters Carlsson and Desmond Child listed on Aiken’s debut cd also, maybe even Bo Bice’s first cd???

I have to say I’m a little surprised with Archie’s reviews so far. I am not an Archie but I think his album has several good, catchy radio hits. It’s a solid effort. No it’s not “high art” but what Idol debut album is? He’s going to sell a ton of these things. I just don’t know what reviewers were expecting from a 17 year old singing pop. Huh.

FolkFan: I know. Not a fan of Cook’s music, but I hope the reviews for his albums are kinder.

Well, whatever Archie sings, to some people it will always be not believable, because of his age. Archie first has to grow a beard, make someone pregnant and go through a Britney meltdown and of course after he turns 21 for people to take him seriously. It’s hard to be 17 lol.

Desmond Child also wrote for Diana Degarmo.

tinawina I was going to say the same thing. I only listened to his songs once but I liked them a lot and thought they were very good, catchy songs for someone his age. I don’t know what they were expecting. This same reviewer I think gave Jordin’s CD 3 1/2 stars and IMO this is much better quality.

I’m already tired of the review game. These people do not know what they are talking about and don’t care to learn. You can see the bias so easily. I just look to the blurbs we’ve had from ppl who actually worked in studio with David. They have had glowing reports. Here is a new one :

Well – last night, it was my pleasure to work with him in the studio on a couple of tunes he was recording on his new CD. As I produced his vocal tracking, I was taken by just how effortlessly he came up with fresh and new licks – each one better than the next and all distinctively “David.”

http://www.kurtbestor.com/index.php?page=comments&category=In_the_studio...

yes kurt bestor is from utah so im sure david met up with him to work in the studio…..hes an emmy winner also and has nothing but glowing remarks for davy

What critics like and what fans like aren’t always the same thing. Take it all with a grain of salt.

Thanks IGC, for the link.

lol I’ve come across one review which says they are surprised his dad actually did not do the background vocals

I am a big country music fan. At first when I was exposed to Taylor Swift’s music, I thought she was a cute bubbly singer, but when I saw her perform live, I didn’t have that high of an opinion of her. I liked some of her songs, but didn’t really take her seriously. I guess I was just casually interested. I didn’t buy her first album. But now I have heard several of her songs from her upcoming album and have watched her progress. I have now become a fan. The songs on her second album, to me, seem leaps above the first album and I will definitely be buying it. I now think she is a very talented young woman/artist. I also think she is a talented song writer. I can’t believe I am actually saying that, because a year or so ago…never. But there you go. I also think she is a good role model (RIGHT NOW…because you never know what will happen!) and I think her comment about the doll was hilarious!

Archie is an incredibly gifted singer and I am pretty sure irrespective of reviews, he is going to do very well. His sound is better than some truly painful stuff being played on top 40 radio.

However, one thing that he has to overcome is not necessarily age but his sheltered upbringing. When Jonas brothers or Taylor Swift write and sing about heartbreak, silly as it may be, you can believe that perhaps they have had personal relationships and setbacks. With David having confessed that he has yet to even kiss a girl, when he sings of heartbreak, it just feels odd.

Maybe few more years, just getting out on his own would be helpful.

Overall I think with the time constraints that he has had to face making this record, he has done a very good job, certainly it is no worse than Jordan and look where she is.

I’m so not surprised by these reviews. I pretty much expected that David was going to get slammed before I even heard the album. For whatever reason, personal biases against AI contestants linger and the reviews end up being less about the actual album itself and more about personally attacking the singer–BTW, how exactly is David “arthritic?” This is especially true for David based on the misconceptions that the show created about who he is as a person and as an artist. What would be refreshing is reading a review by someone who actually could view the album for what it is, sans any pre-conceived notions.

While people hired to work with you are always going to give you glowing reviews, I too don’t worry about the reviews too much. They are just as detached from the music as they say Archie is. They would have devoured him if he tried to be Chris Brown 2.0. They would have killed him if he did a Jonas Bros, redux. They would have nailed him to the wall if he went Grobanesque which would have killed any chance he had for a second cd.

This cd is exactly what David had to make. He is not dangerous, he will not impregnate Miley Cyrus, he will not shave his head, he will not get shot 43 times in a drug deal gone bad. He will not wear his pants so that they expose the his boxers to the hem, and he will not shove a TMZ camera man asking an innocuous question. What he will do is put out a cd that will keep his young fanbase interested, and his older fanbase charmed. He is only one of a few teen heart throbs he can actually sing, and that is all they want from him, well that and to touch his hand, lol.

I am not really worried about David, I think he is pretty much review proof, because those of us who really follow these things, pretty much don’t care what others say. For every bad review there will be a good to midling one. C’est la vie. I am not saying this is the best cd evah, cause it isn’t, but the deal is this one will sell well. Not Mariah numbers, but he will go platinum alot sooner than Jordin. JMHO.

However, one thing that he has to overcome is not necessarily age but his sheltered upbringing. When Jonas brothers or Taylor Swift write and sing about heartbreak, silly as it may be, you can believe that perhaps they have had personal relationships and setbacks. With David having confessed that he has yet to even kiss a girl, when he sings of heartbreak, it just feels odd.

Maybe few more years, just getting out on his own would be helpful.

Mia, I so agree with your post! And that is what I think the reviewer was trying to get at. His mechanics when he sings a song are amazing, but he does miss the storytelling aspect….for me anyways.

I love Taylor Swift, if only because singing along to her songs in the car is a blast. Heh. No, she isn’t a great vocalist, but the girl’s got some songwriting skills.

Oh, also, Desmond Child executive produced Ace Young’s cd.

Then I hope David kiss a girl soon lol! and he will randomly sing Katy Perry’s IKA

However, one thing that he has to overcome is not necessarily age but his sheltered upbringing. When Jonas brothers or Taylor Swift write and sing about heartbreak, silly as it may be, you can believe that perhaps they have had personal relationships and setbacks. With David having confessed that he has yet to even kiss a girl, when he sings of heartbreak, it just feels odd.

Maybe few more years, just getting out on his own would be helpful.

Hmm, I disagree, but to each his or her own, I guess. Ironically, when I listen to the Jonas Brothers or Taylor Swift, I don’t get any sense of emotion about how their personal experiences are influencing their music. With David I do. He just has an ability to emote on a deeper level through his singing than other teen singers do. Even if he hasn’t had specific experiences with a certain subject matter, he’s stated several times before that he draws on similar experiences that he’s had as well as those that he’s witnessed his friends experience to help him convey the emotion of a song. Personally, I am of the opinion that one doesn’t necessarily need to experience something to empathize how someone must be feeling who is going through that experience. From what I have gathered, David is a very perceptive and compassionate young man. He’s had many close friends (most of them female) go through all of the ins and outs of relationships. I’m sure he’s gained a sense of their heartache.

I would also add that although he hasn’t had a serious girlfriend, the kid ain’t dead. Everyone, no matter who they are, experiences feelings of longing–even if they haven’t been able to outwardly express them to another person. I think a lot of what David is feeling in that regard is emoted through his music as a way to express himself where he would normally not be able to. Personally I “get” that about David. All this is JMHO but as always, YMMV.

Is Kimberly Caldwell going to host P. Diddyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s new MTV show called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Starmakerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ? I read it here.

http://www.kimberlycaldwell.com/

She will also soon be seen as the host of the new Mark Burnett CBS gameshow, “Jingles” (premiere date TBD), as well as the new MTV reality show, “P.Diddy’s StarMaker,” produced by Mark Burnett and Sean “P.Diddy” Combs and set to premiere in January 2009.

That’s a great coupe for her.

Archie was praised endlessly on American Idol and gathered an extremely devout following of both teens and adults. I think he is probably being taken more seriously than any 17 year old I know. These reviews are really no better or worse that the reviews of many of the successful pop albums on the shelves, so I would definitely not be worried. While I do agree with some of the criticisms of the album, I think the Allmusic review was extreme and probably biased. The writer of the Herald is correct when she says that a lot of the songs are “radio friendly” and will be hits.

As for the age issue: Archie is both a very mature and a very young 17 year old. As talented as he is, I do sometimes sense a disconnect with some of his songs….. but I doubt it will hurt him in the long run. He has a lot of time for growth and he is smart enough to learn from his experiences. Currently, Archie’s biggest following is with the teen crowd so I don’t think that being treated like a 17-year old is hurting him at all. I also don’t see a 21-year old releasing a video like Crush, so I don’t think that Archie is really trying to appear older than he is (and why should he?)

I think that if someone heard Archie on the radio and had never heard of him, didn’t know what he looked like, had never watched AI…just hadn’t a clue who this person was, and was given the CD blind….they would have an entirely different opinion of his songs and his maturity and the emotional connection he conveys in his songs. (sigh)

I think that if someone heard Archie on the radio and had never heard of him, didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know what he looked like, had never watched AIà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦just hadnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t a clue who this person was, and was given the CD blindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.they would have an entirely different opinion of his songs and his maturity and the emotional connection he conveys in his songs. (sigh)

I agree with this 100%. The good news is, I believe you just described the most likely reaction of the “general public” – an audience that David seems to have connected to. If he hadn’t, Crush wouldn’t be such a consistent presence on iTunes. The song has held steady in the Top 20 for sales since it’s release, when all hard-core fans bought it in the first week or so. No small feat.

I was at the movies last night and while ordering popcorn heard “crush” being piped in. Pretty cool! I also think anyone who watched Leno would perceive him differently – he looked older and more mature during this performance.

I think that if someone heard Archie on the radio and had never heard of him, didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know what he looked like, had never watched AIà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦just hadnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t a clue who this person was, and was given the CD blindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.they would have an entirely different opinion of his songs and his maturity and the emotional connection he conveys in his songs. (sigh)

I couldn’t agree more, and I’ll go one step further-you put any rhythmic or urban-leaning track in front of Archie to sing, and vocally (if not performance-wise: he still has a ways to go on that front although he has improved quite a bit) he’d “crush” Chris Brown or any of those other urban/rhythmic teen stars IMO (pun intended). Average listeners would probably listen to it, wonder who it was singing it, find out it’s Archie and be like :shock_tb: No one expects a gosh darn aw shucks innocent Mormon kid to be able to pull off that kind of music, but from what I’ve heard of Archie’s voice, there’s no doubt in my mind that he could. Anything he lacks in performance skills can easily be worked on. I disagree with the allmusic review about Barriers. It’s probably my favorite track on the album and I think Archie pulls it off nicely.

If I agree with anything in that review it’s that Archie’s album is “safe”, but really, there haven’t been many Idol debut albums that weren’t “safe”. That seems to be par for the course. I was also expecting Jordin 2.0 with Archie’s debut and for the most part it is, but I guess I just find Archie’s to be a lot more palatable than Jordin’s. I’m fully expecting RCA to have put Cook through the Daughtry-o-matic machine in an attempt to duplicate the commercial success of Chris’ album. I probably shouldn’t allow myself to get my hopes up that they’ve done otherwise, but hopefully Cook will be able to work it out. I like most of the clips I’ve heard so far.

Anyway, the reviews will be what they will be, but I don’t think they will make or break either Davids’ chances for success. I think both of their albums should do really well.

Found this at DC42, I don’t think it’s been here yet…

Chris Cornell did a radio interview on 10/31 where he was asked about Light On. He said it’s a song he had written for himself, but that it didn’t fit on his current album, so he had put it aside for a later album (he planned to do an acoustic version!). He says an A&R guy from DC’s label came to him and asked him for a song, so he gave them this one, since he knew he wouldn’t have a chance to use it for a long time. He says some very nice things about David and his version of the song.

Here’s the link to the whole interview:

http://www.radioalice.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=3050944

Here’s a download with just the part about LO:

http://www.4shared.com/file/70395051/ed15af52/cornell.html

I thought it was really interesting that DC’s label came to Cornell. Sounds to me like LO was probably always intended as the first single, to capitalize on Billie Jean’s success, and to help with the “rock cred” thing.

Nice comments from Chris Cornell…maybe he can enter DC’s acoustic challenge! :biggrin_wp:

Next step for Kimberly Caldwell – Dancing With the Stars! Heh.

I am not a Taylor Swift fan. I like some of her songs, and think she’s a good songwriter. But ANY singer who can’t perform live has a long uphill climb to get me to be a fan. She’s done nothing to convince me that she’s nothing but a product of the studio and that the reason she’s a “star” is because she’s young, blonde, and pretty. Because, if she wasn’t, she’d be behind the scenes writing those songs for other country music stars to record. Of course, that can be said for MANY so-called “singers” today. BUT, I like live music and going to concerts, and I’m not gonna go see someone who sounds awful live.

However, the Joe Jonas doll comment is quite possibly one of the best things I’ve heard in a loooong time.

Now, about reviews – I don’t base my purchasing decisions on them, but I do like to read them, negative or no. As I believe MJ said a couple days ago or so, sometimes they help you look at some things in a different light. Even though I don’t let critics’ opinions formulate MY opinion, they’re allowed to have an opinion, too.

That being said, I don’t think anyone is “review proof,” using the logic that it doesn’t matter what reviewers say because the fans are going to be pleased anyway. That might be somewhat true, but regardless of whether FANS like everything you do (my opinion on which is a completely different soapbox issue for another day), those fans can only carry an artist so far. The key for these AI contestants is to expand beyond the core rabid fanbase they had on the show and draw fans in that may not have even watched the show. Hopefully, both of the Davids can do that.

Honestly I don’t think those guys are making not so positive reviews about Archie because he was an AI, I don’t see any prejudice there. I think it’s because there’s really not much about the album that would make anyone go “amazing” “great”. They have to be fair, and compare it to what’s out there too.

I know for fans is more difficult to see, but for many of us his album is generic, is safe and is just another teen album. I don’t see why anyone would give it great reviews because there’s nothing there that even stands out.
For any other person who listens to his songs on radio he’s probably just another teen making teen music. The great thing about the album is that it’s catchy. But catchy is not the same as quality.
We know him better, we know that he has an amazing voice, much better than all those other teens out there. Actually, IMO we can’t even compare, he’s much more talented. But the music he’s singing is not good enough for him and it’s not much better than what Miley, JoBros or others are singing.

I think Good reviews are great, and can help an artitst, it’s like in cinema. Bad reviews don’t matter that much, IMO. So whatever.

I think it will be the same for Cook.

Next step for Kimberly Caldwell – Dancing With the Stars! Heh.

With Lacey there it would be fun. Who doesn’t like a good catfight?

The All Music Guide review of Archie’s album seems a bit harsh – it’s like the guy is still suffering from PTSD from the “With You” performance. Archie has some ways to go as a performer, but I don’t think that awkwardness or stiffness carries over to his vocal performance on this album. I’m a little skeered to see him perform “Your Eyes Don’t Lie,” but for the most part, I think the material suits him and he sings it convincingly, even if I don’t particularly care for all of the songs.

I know some have said that the material isn’t good enough for his voice, but I’m not sure what people want to hear from him? Josh Groban-style stuff? The kind of music David says he wants to make, John Mayer, Sara Bareilles, isn’t really about the vocals at all.

Next step for Kimberly Caldwell – Dancing With the Stars!

Hey, if they can get her boyfriend to perform on the show, I’m all for it.

I don’t disagree totally with the All Access review but I think he’s still selling Archie short. It doesn’t matter in the end. Idol albums seem to be critic proof. They either find an audience or not. I also remember this same critic saying that Taylor Hicks put out one of the best Idol records ever. And we all know how that story ended.

The only part of the review that’s annoying are the referrences to the Archie persona – sheltered, etc. Only Idol watchers connect to that stuff and hopefully Archie will cross over to the larger audience who could care less about how he came across on the show.

Review proof also means new fans won’t care about the album reviews. Pop albums like Archie’s are not really about getting great reviews. I’d say after two years of following Idol albums, the disconnect between reviews and actual commercial success is pretty extreme. Too boring to run through everyone but Katharine McPhee and Blake Lewis got much better album reviews so far than David A. Want to bet that he’ll sell more albums?

On a different topic, Wait for You has been certified platinum as of 10/16/08.
I wondered when this would become official.

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/riaa/singles.jsp

Ok…it seems like I have lost half of the big discussion here…and it has a lot to do with the reviews…

Here is my two cents, even when I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t really know how much a music critic has to be or the influence that it has in the buyers, but certainly some people will reading, otherwise nobody will take the effort in writing one…It will stop me from buying the album? the answer is NO… no because Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m an Archie fan, but because I like the songs… certainly they arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t masterpiece like Mozart or Bach, they donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have a bared soul pain like Evanescence, but they are catchy and fun to listen, and sing with, thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s what I want from my pop music, nothings else, I do not want nor hope to find the meaning of life in a song no matter who is singing…

Right now what its matter is that radios and radio director programmer, or whatever that position names is, likes Davidà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s music enough to play it, and people like it to request his songs… and that people that listen to his music are willing to buy the album or at least enough singles to support Davidà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

For all that matters I think that allmusic article is somehow mean, not because they criticize his music, but because they attack Davidà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s persona are not even trying to be funny just plain mean…

Just for now, I will be buying my album copy thank you very much to all the critics for your opinions… hopefully millions of people will agree with me and also will buy oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

Finally Go David Archuleta!!!!!!!

ETA.
Thank God, for the Sanrky Archies that always give me a good reason to laugh… here it is Miley and David will be together again in the lead float of Macy ´s parade…

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/11/09/miley-cyrus-justin-gaston-escape-2-africa/

That should be enough to have a fun Thanksgiving day in the forums…

Wow that review for Archie’s CD was really ummmm interesting and that’s putting it nicely. I have to agree with Trina. I don’t know what the reviewers were expecting from Archie. I listened to the full preview again last night at Rickey’s and I loved it even more than I did the first time. Personally, I think Jive hit a homerun for the most part with this CD. I have to be honest and say “Touch My Hand” is my least favorite track but I think the CD has many other songs on it that could give Archie another hit.

Oh well, you can’t please everyone.

Review proof also means new fans wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t care about the album reviews. Pop albums like Archieà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s are not really about getting great reviews. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d say after two years of following Idol albums, the disconnect between reviews and actual commercial success is pretty extreme. Too boring to run through everyone but Katharine McPhee and Blake Lewis got much better album reviews so far than David A. Want to bet that heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll sell more albums?

I think you may have hit on something here, jpfan. Maybe the reviewers are now being reluctant to give artists like Archie a more positive review because they are afraid it will come back to haunt them if the album ends up doing much worse than they predict.

And seriously, how many people actually buy albums based on these reviews anyway? I’ve always bought music based on if I thought it sounded good to me, or not. That’s pretty much it. It’s as simple as that. This is the first year I’ve actually even read any music reviews.

Next step for Kimberly Caldwell – Dancing With the Stars! Heh.

That’s EXACTLY what I was going to say! Hee.

Usually it works the opposite way, though — they do DWTS and *then* they start hosting Extra Hollywood Access or Don’t Forget to Sing the Bee at the Office or Miss American Gladiator’s Got Talent or… Whatever new thing is out there. (Now that I say that, I realize that the blonde who danced with Maks season 2 has really missed the boat on possible hosting opportunities. Willa Ford, that was her name. I guess Jerry Springer, Mario Lopez, Joey Fatone, Laila Ali and Mel B have cornered the market.)

Congrats to Elliott on going platinum with “Wait for You.” Couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy IMO. I’m hoping there are triple and quadruple platinum records in his future.

DC will take part in the Tree Lighting Ceremony at Rockefeller Center on Dec. 3

https://auction01.charitybuzz.com/secure/viewItemDetail.do?auction_item_id=77557

I am tired of the critics. I am even more pleased than I thought I would be with the album and hear the same thing from other fans. There really is something for everyone and not a bad song on the album, if you like pop. Phooey to them!

DC will take part in the Tree Lighting Ceremony at Rockefeller Center on Dec. 3

Yay! Thanks for posting this!

Confirmed talent so far includes David Cook, Leona Lewis, Faith Hill, Tony Bennett, Harry Connick Jr., and Rascal Flatts.

That’s from the Rockefeller Center article. He’s listed first amongst all that talent! :smile2_ee:I think the tree lighting’s on TV every year, isn’t it? Do the singer’s sing one of their own songs or a holiday song? Christmas music is one of my guilty pleasures, and I’ve been thinking lately that I’d love to have a Cookified Christmas Carol.

I think that if someone heard Archie on the radio and had never heard of him, didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know what he looked like, had never watched AIà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦just hadnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t a clue who this person was, and was given the CD blindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.they would have an entirely different opinion of his songs and his maturity and the emotional connection he conveys in his songs. (sigh)

Agree 100%. That’s what irks me the most about some of these reviews, and some of the things I hear people say about Archie’s album–they’re all tainted with bias about who he is or who he’s supposed to be as a person. 3/4 of that AllMusic review was a vitriolic diatribe about how the reviewer didn’t like David’s image from AI. How is that an album review? To think that these reviewers aren’t biased by their preconceived notions about the type of person they believe David to be is in and of itself a biased view on the situation. I would say the very same thing if a reviewer of Cook’s album started his review by saying Cook was smug and he sounded smug on his album. It’s ridiculous.

I’m a music fan, and when I listen to a song on the radio, or an album on my iPod I’m not thinking, “gee does this song fit with the persona of the artist as dictated to me by mass media?” I’m thinking, “this song is cool and this artist is singing it well.” Do I care that Katy Perry dresses like a freak? No. Do I give a damn if TI is going to prison if I find “Live Your Life” to be catchy? Not really. Am I thinking, when John Mayer sings a sweet love song, “yeah, I don’t believe it because he’s a total playa.” Um, sorry, no.

Do I give a rip if David sings about losing love if he’s never had a girlfriend? Heck no. During Barriers in the bridge he sings the lines, “Just too may barriers, that we keep running into. Keep trying but we just can’t break through. I know I’m gonna keep wishing I was with you, but we just gotta stop.” You can hear heartbreak in his voice. It’s obvious. How he got to that point doesn’t matter–he got there. If somebody can’t hear the emotion in his voice, then I feel bad for them. If there’s one thing that David is–it’s an emotional singer. Kara DioGuardi pointed that out about him specifically as one of the defining features of his singing. AllMusic’s denial of this, more than any of the hateful comments about his personality, gets to me. He doesn’t have to like the album (and I think he probably set about not liking it before he heard it), but I will never, ever get a critique that states David doesn’t bring emotion into his singing. It’s one opinion I won’t compromise on.

I never expected David’s album to get glowing reviews. It’s a standard pop album by a 17-year-old AI alum who was treated poorly by the press. I was hoping, however, that there would be some decently-written reviews. Reviews about the album itself, not the person. But there are far fewer of those than I had hoped. I would take a review that critiqued the flaws of the album as long as the review demonstrated that the reviewer took the time to carefully listen to the album. And there are some reviews that accomplished that. But others, like the AllMusic review, certainly did not.

But what could I expect from a mainstream media that did everything in its power to convince the country that there’s nothing special about David Archuleta.

^You are my idol… seriously I agree with you 100%

Thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s from the Rockefeller Center article. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s listed first amongst all that talent! :smile2_ee:I think the tree lightingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s on TV every year, isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t it?

I’ve been waiting for that announcement. The Rockefeller gig is standard for every Idol. I’ve got video of both Jordin and Taylor performing that gig.

soundscene- well said and I agree completely!

But what could I expect from a mainstream media that did everything in its power to convince the country that thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s nothing special about David Archuleta.

Testify, lol! I hear ya!

When earlier today I said David was review proof, I meant that for the people that hear his music and like it, they are not going to then go the the papers and read a review and change their minds. Reviews are are interesting. There are some reviewers I am intrigued by, but for the most part they are not like the days of Broadway when a bad review could close a show opening week.

I never expected glowing reviews for Archie because frankly this script has already been written, they have bypassed the tour, and his promo radio tour, and are still talking about the manufactured creature that lost idol. Once they catch up to who David Archuleta really is, then maybe I will pay attention to what they say.

Finally, in idoldom, reviews very seldom match up to record sales. So I always take them with a grain of salt. I think some are worrying that he won’t sell enough to record a second cd, to them I say, that is not going to happen.

Finally, in idoldom, reviews very seldom match up to record sales. So I always take them with a grain of salt. I think some are worrying that he wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t sell enough to record a second cd, to them I say, that is not going to happen.

Nah, I’m not worried he won’t sell. He will. I just would like to hear some common sense from the lazy media types who are STILL dwelling on that “manufactured creature” you referred to who never really existed in the first place. AI is ovah.

And he does sing well à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  maybe not with a sense of storytelling, but as a highly coached performer who can hit the marks with accuracy but not much feeling.

With some life experience under his belt, Archie is going to be fine. The reviewer hit some key points here. There’s a difference between singing well and actually having a lasting impact on your audience. With reservation for a handful of performances during the Idol season, this was my major complaint with Archie. He often performed like a kid playing dress-up. But, once he loosens up and discovers who he really is as a vocalist and performer, the difference will be hugely noticeable. For now, that’s going to take time.

Nice comments from Chris Cornellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦maybe he can enter DCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s acoustic challenge! :biggrin_wp:

LOL. hahaha

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve been waiting for that announcement. The Rockefeller gig is standard for every Idol. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve got video of both Jordin and Taylor performing that gig.

So you’re going to record David as well right, MJ?

Finally, in idoldom, reviews very seldom match up to record sales. So I always take them with a grain of salt. I think some are worrying that he wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t sell enough to record a second cd, to them I say, that is not going to happen.

These reviews won’t mean anything one month from now. Most people will have forgotten them. The only people that remember that Jordin got good-to-middling-to-bad reviews are AI or Jordin fans. Everybody else just likes No Air, or OSAAT or Tattoo. I didn’t know that Carrie’s and Daughtry’s albums got generally mediocre reviews. Color me surprised since they both sold so well. The public overruled the critics, many of whom like to believe they have a more defined musical palate (when, in reality, they’re more influenced by the mass media’s determination of what is supposed to be cool than most people).

You don’t have to personally enjoy a particular kind of music to be fair in a review. Very few people can pull that off, though.

.. a highly coached performer who can hit the marks with accuracy but not much feeling???

This guy has to be kidding! That is one of David’s best traits musically– how people are able to deeply feel what he is singing! The AI judges said it several times, the mentors said it many times, and the fans continually say it. His music pierces you to your soul. I feel so sorry for him and anyone who can’t feel it.

With some life experience under his belt, Archie is going to be fine. The reviewer hit some key points here. Thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a difference between singing well and actually having a lasting impact on your audience. With reservation for a handful of performances during the Idol season, this was my major complaint with Archie. He often performed like a kid playing dress-up. But, once he loosens up and discovers who he really is as a vocalist and performer, the difference will be hugely noticeable. For now, thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s going to take time.

I think you’ll find that the people who are Archie fans are fans because they have the completely opposite perception of his singing. I noticed that during AI and now afterwards it hasn’t gone away. Some of those who aren’t his fans feel this way, and others became his fans because he sang with so much feeling. And I’ve seen talk on Archie boards about how that is the most frustrating difference between groups of people. They, like I, just don’t get how people can’t hear it. I can get how people wouldn’t like this type of music, but I never will ever get how people can’t hear the connection he has with the music.

Can I request that Cookie sing a power ballad version of “Don’t Shoot Me Santa”?

I think youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll find that the people who are Archie fans are fans because they have the completely opposite perception of his singing. I noticed that during AI and now afterwards it hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t gone away. . .They, like I, just donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t get how people canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t hear it. I can get how people wouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t like this type of music, but I never will ever get how people canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t hear the connection he has with the music.

Well, there aren’t any singers out there who are universally loved so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that David Archuleta is unable to achieve the impossible. I’ve never gotten any sort of emotional response to anything he’s sung – completely immune to the Archuglow or whatever, no soul-piercing. Nothing. Plenty of music and singers do affect me that way, just not him. I think he’s cute like a puppy and his voice sounds pretty singing certain songs. That’s all I get from him.

DC will take part in the Tree Lighting Ceremony at Rockefeller Center on Dec. 3

https://auction01.charitybuzz.com/secure/viewItemDetail.do?auction_item_id=77557

Cool! Although as a native of Kansas City, I’m more looking forward to him flipping the switch on the Plaza Lights on Thanksgiving night. tee hee! That’s a HUGE honor here. If the weather is decent there will be thousands of people there to cheer him on.

I can get how people wouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t like this type of music, but I never will ever get how people canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t hear the connection he has with the music.

Kara herself said that David is the type of singer that you can hear cry in the song. Imagine went over so well because of the way he performed it and personally, I thought his Love Me Tender was great. I loved the way he put a few Mmmms in there like he just couldn’t help himself because he was feeling the music.

Thank you for your rant earlier It was exactly the way I felt. I normally laugh these off but this reviewer seemed on attack mode. It was uncomfortable.

Well, there arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t any singers out there who are universally loved so it shouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t surprise anyone that David Archuleta is unable to achieve the impossible. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve never gotten any sort of emotional response to anything heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s sung – completely immune to the Archuglow or whatever, no soul-piercing. Nothing. Plenty of music and singers do affect me that way, just not him. I think heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s cute like a puppy and his voice sounds pretty singing certain songs. Thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s all I get from him.

Because we have opposite perceptions, I do understand what you’re saying. By saying I understand it on an intellectual level doesn’t mean I “get” it on an emotional level. So while Cook fans may be able to intellectually understand it when I say I don’t feel anything when I hear Cook sing (even though I like the guy and some of his songs may turn out to be good, even for somebody like me who isn’t a rock fan), if they do feel it I fully expect them to not “get” my point of view on an emotional level.

BTW, I don’t really like the term “Archuglow” even though people in the fanbase use it. It’s cutesy and sounds a little icky to me.

soundscene post 47, agree with you.

Soundscene- Archuglow is talking about the light people see and feel when they meet him. I personally don’t think that is cutesy or icky, but maybe I don’t understand what you mean.

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve never gotten any sort of emotional response to anything heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s sung – completely immune to the Archuglow or whatever,

Not responding emotionally yourself is totally different than Reviewers saying that David is incapable of putting emotion in a song.

Anywhoo, the world would be a boring place if everybody like the same thing.

Soundscene- Archuglow is talking about the light people see and feel when they meet him. I personally donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think that is cutesy or icky, but maybe I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t understand what you mean.

I guess I’m just not fond of Archu-anything terms. I think they’re all kinda cutesy. Don’t mind me though, it’s not like I think about it seriously, or really care all that much when they’re used. I do know that sometimes those terms get used in a satirical or sarcastic way by those not in the fanbase, so maybe that’s it.

Anywhoo, the world would be a boring place if everybody like the same thing.

EXACTLY. Personally, I find David’s approach to his music so earnest and heartfelt, it’s endearing. He throws himself totally into every song he sings. But, I don’t think he’s quite mastered that art of “storytelling” or the ability to convey the meaning of a song in a sophisticated way…YET. I think he has a ton of potential, though.

Of course, this is all about how I react to his music. I’m not going to argue with the folks who are moved by his singing in a way I am not.

Of course, this is all about how I react to his music. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m not going to argue with the folks who are moved by his singing in a way I am not.

I apologize if it came off that I was arguing about this. I really wasn’t meaning to. I didn’t explain myself the way I would have liked. Emotionally, I don’t “get” when people don’t feel what I feel, but intellectually I do. I know that may not make a lot of sense because I may again not be explaining it well.

MJ, I totally understand what you mean there. It is all in the way it is said.

^^^ It’s all good. I just don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me .

We each come to a song or a performer with our own baggage and viewpoints and personal experiences, and we can’t really expect everybody else to feel the way we do because they’re not us.

So, personally, I find Archie a little squicky. He looks and sounds wet and unformed to me. The idea that he is sexy? Seems beyond creepy to me because he seems so young. If I were reviewing his album (and I am a reviewer, although not of music, unless it’s in a stage musical, because I review theater) I wouldn’t be able to set aside my personal views of him to review his album, because that would be integral to my review. I am well aware of the fact that every review is just one person’s opinion. That’s the whole point. There will never, ever be 100% glowing reviews of one performer. Reviews are there to give publicity to whoever or whatever is being reviewed. If it’s reviewed, you know it’s there.

On the issue of David Archuleta and his emotional connection to the music… I’m not seeing it. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t fans of Wayne Newton or Andrew Lloyd Weber or Donny Osmond or other people that I find similarly squicky and unconvincing who are sure they are the deepest artists evah. Different strokes make the world go round.

This is the problem I see with Archie’s cd, he is completing with the likes of Chris Brown, Ne-yo, JT, and Usher for a very limited spot in the POP world. Male POP artists are a very select few vs. female POP artist. Jordin can get away with a generic cd, because of the likes of Duff, Lohan and many others.

Most male POP artist are also great dancers and/ or huge sex symbols, something that Archie lacks. I know Archie is only 17, but the four I mentioned above all started at the age of 16 or 17. I think he needs to get away from home and experience life.

Given the success that David has had so far I’m not seeing any issues with him not being a dancer or a sex symbol. His single is doing very well. His sales are fabulous and his song is doing well on 3 formats. And there aren’t that many true pop male artists. I think that is a good thing. It sets him apart from the many female artists on pop.

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Archuglow is talking about the light people see and feel when they meet him.

Are you serious about this? I haven’t heard that term before. People actually think they see and feel a light when they meet Archie? OK, that is all kinds of wrong and whacky. Holy crap!

True male pop artists – Justin Timberlake, Jesse McCartney. I’d say that Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, and Usher are more Pop/R&B, yeah, but they’re still competing on the same charts with music that’s not too different.

The entire problem that I had with Archie on the show was the connection issue. I often had the same problem with Jordin, too. The thing that worked for Jordin, for me, was that she at least looked older than 17. When Archie already looks younger than his age, it’s even harder for me to connect to him singing about heartbreak and true love and those kinds of things.

Archuglow is talking about the light people see and feel when they meet him.

Are you serious about this? I havenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t heard that term before. People actually think they see and feel a light when they meet Archie? OK, that is all kinds of wrong and whacky. Holy crap!

Mac, have you met him for yourself? Don’t dismiss the archuglow unless you behold the Archuleta in person! LOL

I think Archie’s lack of edge might actually help him stand apart from the pack. He’s a new version of Donny Osmond. Plus his songs are catchy, and really that’s half the battle.

The Archuglow thing is just weird, imo. He’s just a kid for goodness sake. It seems all kind of wrong to put that kind pressure on him – like he’s a jedi emodying the force or some crap like that. lol. But to each his own.

I was holding back when I scanned the headlines this morning. About *&*#$%$# years ago I worked on the editing staff for AMG way before it was an online publication, back to its publishing ties to Penguin when the tomes were 5,000 pages, genre-specific reviews and bits of history. Back then our rating was based on 3 stars. I edited the musical terminology and made sure the musical references were accurate. AMG is a review guide that likes to record things historically and, unlike some publications like Billboard, they are not connected with any labels, are fully independent and experienced, and therefore do not read like press releases or random entertainment blogs. The major distinction is that the critiques are given proper context and the writers know their music and their musical history. And they like to build their reviews from the most recent artistic endeavor on up to show the growth or direction of the artist. David Archuleta, like Jordin Sparks, has been schooled meticulously for a musical reality show. That is their musical foundation and not a very organic one. The dismissive tone is not unexpected. AMG will always provide the background information, evaluate the artist’s appeal within that context before they review the new music. Actually, Achuleta’s review is not very different from Jordin’s. I suspect the lower rating is because, along with the pretty but vapid music, the vocals don’t have a lot of heat. There is a bit more energy and exuberance to Jordin’s delivery which is lacking here. Cook will also be under the same scutiny and there will be eyebrows raised over his artistic blunders on the show. However, they do their homework (unlike small publications and entertainment magazines), and since Analog Heart is his most recent artistic output, expect to see an evaluation of how the older music bears resemblance to the new work. The reviewers like to connect the dots musically, culturally, and historically. Expect Clarkson’s review to have a thorough analysis of My December, the tug of war in-fighting, and how the newer work is a jump off from that endeavor. It’s all about context, then progression. So, on Archuleta’s 2nd cd, there will be only a cursory mention of AI and his first cd will be the jumping off point.

mac- They are talking about a spiritual thing. I haven’t met him (I assume you haven’t either), so I can not judge what people say. And of course, based on the discussion of various things here, such as people who feel he conveys his music with great feeling and those who don’t, I would assume there would be different opinions. I respect others’ opinions, even if I don’t agree with them.

tinawina- It is just people’s opinion. He is very hard on himself already-perfectionistic. The pressure comes from within.

edit: Please don’t question the motives of your fellow posters.

treble: That’s nice information, but I still find the review pretentious and completely unhelpful, and for the precise reason that it delves too far into the this guy’s personal perception of David as a human being. If he doesn’t think the album is a good pop album, fine. At least review the album, though. Tell me what’s wrong with the songs. Learn what the album was supposed to accomplish and review it based on that. Don’t dismiss it off-hand after a vitriolic diatribe about the artist’s personality. Just because they’re an independent publication doesn’t mean their way of reviewing an album is better or even helpful. I don’t care if Analog Heart was a masterpiece. I want to know how David Cook’s new album sounds. How Analog Heart sounds won’t matter a stitch if that’s not what I’m listening to. How David Archuleta acted or sang on American Idol doesn’t mean squat if I’m not watching old episodes.

Anywhoo, the world would be a boring place if everybody like the same thing.

Right. One person’s robotic performance is another’s stirring masterpiece. We all have different tastes in music and we aren’t all going to be moved by the same things.

Most male POP artist are also great dancers and/ or huge sex symbols, something that Archie lacks. I know Archie is only 17, but the four I mentioned above all started at the age of 16 or 17.

That doesn’t seem to be hurting Crush any. That’s a pretty generic (but catchy) pop tune, yet the downloads have been selling like hotcakes. It remains to be seen how his album and subsequent singles will do, but I don’t think he’ll have to become a carbon copy of the Chris Browns or JTs of the world in order to become a successful male pop artist.

I too don’t like to incorporate his name with any other word. When I see archuglow, I sorta snicker, but I do understand where the person is coming from even though I’ve never experienced it. Not gonna ridicule it or call it icky, it’s just a bit fangirlish, and totally out of my reality. He’s a kid with a voice that I can identify, he aint Jesus, maybe Jesus 2.0, lol. That I appreciate because it is said with tongue planted firmly in cheek. I dig the snark.

I will never argue with people who don’t feel the emotional tie to David’s singing. Or see the artistry in his interpretational efforts. I could fill in the blank with another name that others see and I don’t, it’s all about YMMV. If everyone liked the same thing, at the same time, it would be like some communist type commune with one song playing on the shared radio all of the time, that does not appeal to me at all.

ETA: David does not have to dance or be a sex symbol to be a success. But for the record you need to go to a blog other than this one, and you will see many girls and women for that matter that beg to differ. They are counting the days until he is offishul, they love his moves, and the fact that he is chaste has no bearing on the fantasies that they have. In fact it just whets their appetites even further.

I agree with Soundscene. I was surprised to see the reviewer actually even checked four songs from the album for readers to check out, considering he seemed completely disgusted with David and his album. Why not one word in the review about the recommended songs? I had the impression he thought the whole thing was a piece of crap, then he recommends readers check out these songs? strange.

Wow… I really wish that I could have a computer with internet acces everywere I go… a lot since to happen when I ´m not around… well I guess we agree to disagree… some people will like David ´s album, hopefully the 90% of the human population ;D… and some will not… let ´s celebrate the human diversity…

Here is a lighter note… Miranda, the lead actress from iCarly, the show in wicht David will appear in february, just admited she has a Crush on David… I like her… they will made a cute couple ;P

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TjZW37rmTi4/SRdpWDlOR7I/AAAAAAAAAIc/0_6HDbuvoK8/s1600-h/11708_(89).jpg

Credit to http://www.snarkyarchies.com for the scan…

David does not have to dance or be a sex symbol to be a success. But for the record you need to go to a blog other than this one, and you will see many girls and women for that matter that beg to differ. They are counting the days until he is offishul, they love his moves, and the fact that he is chaste has no bearing on the fantasies that they have. In fact it just whets their appetites even further.

Ew. That’s not most of his adult fans–they are the minority, thankfully. They speak loudly, sure, but when it comes down to it most of his adult fans think the world of him as a person, love his music, but don’t think of him in that way.

tinawina- It is just peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s opinion. He is very hard on himself already-perfectionistic. The pressure comes from within.

This seems like the Cooks piling on archie thread.

Yeah I know he’s hard on himself. All the more reason not to talk about him as if he’s the second coming of Neo from the Matrix. No pressure there. Ha.

I know its hard to separate anything anyone says about either David from the Arch vs Cook thing, but honestly I think most people in this thread have been supportive. Nothing diverged until we started to discuss whether one “feels” Archie or not. And saying you don’t feel him is not the same as “piling on” to me. But I guess we all see things our own way. Sigh.

When does Season 8 start again? Man it needs to come SOON.

soundscene- I totally agree with your evaluation of that guy’s critique.

Speaking of David as a sex symbol. Any normal woman can see that David is extremely good looking. As an older fan, I keep it in a proper frame, but there are many who don’t and are pretty open about it.

One story someone wrote today on a fansite:

I was at the salon yesterday for my eyebrows/lip waxing (yep Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m a hairy woman!) and my lady there knows I love David and as I was in line to pay I showed her my autographed Ipod and the lady next to me (an older lady) says excitedly, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“How in the world did you meet David Archuleta???à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  So I tell her that I met him at the AI tour this summer and then I saw him at Ford Day, and she was like à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“OMG He was here?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  and I said à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“yesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ , so my lady says to this lady, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“well, sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a huge fan, but ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not like, sexual, you know, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m sure ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s motherlyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  So Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m like à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“oh, of course it is all innocent! he is my angelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  and the older lady looks at me and says à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“yeah, I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t like him THAT way eitherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  then she winks and smiles at me! LOL!!!

I know Cruch is selling, but didn’t Clay sell out the box? Critics are not looking at the sales value of this cd but how it compares with Pop music today.

Ew. Thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not most of his adult fansà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’they are the minority, thankfully. They speak loudly, sure, but when it comes down to it most of his adult fans think the world of him as a person, love his music, but donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think of him in that way.

Yeah I agree. There are a few who are not ashamed to admit it, but most of us who appreciate David for his music and the person he is. While I do not deny that he is a great looking guy, it makes me very uncomfortable when people make comments of a sexual nature about him…..and i’m sure he would just die if he knew! lol

soundscene,

Since you’re a big fan, I can understand your reaction. That particular reviewer is the main pop reviewer and that is simply his take on it, lumps and all. I expect he’ll jump all over Cook’s affinity for post-grunge melancholy, and not favorably. It’s possible his rating will be at least 3 stars if the record shows some craft and energy. I admit. They’re becoming internet savvy, and sarcasm and cynicism run through their reviews when the music derives from a cheesy reality show. That’s not unexpected.

AMG likes to review artistic growth and that’s why they will expound on prior work and cultural context. They are not reviewing for public consumption only. They are publishing a historical documentation of the times which is why they’ve amassed decades worth of music reviews -not just pop, but classical, jazz, world,etc.

It doesn’t matter a fig in regards to popular response or for the sales-obsessive, but for music history geeks like me, it’s another notation.

I know its hard to separate anything anyone says about either David from the Arch vs Cook thing, but honestly I think most people in this thread have been supportive. Nothing diverged until we started to discuss whether one à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“feelsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  Archie or not. And saying you donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t feel him is not the same as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“piling onà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  to me. But I guess we all see things our own way. Sigh.

Thank you Tina. I edited that post after you responded to it.

Reminder: Please respect your fellow posters. That includes NOT questioning their motives or hurling accusations at them.

I think fans will always find something to criticize in a negative review. That review made some interesting and valid points and of course we can agree or disagree. But at the end of the day it was ten times more useful and well written than the NyMag review, which was just ridiculous, yet it was positive (or looked positive, I’m still not sure) so fans didn’t complain and were happy with it.
So yeah, it’s in a fan’s blood to dismiss and justify anything bad.
I expect the same behavior when it comes to Cook’s album reviews… that’s the charming thing about fandom.

gerreb- I think David took a while to get how people felt about him. He even said in an interview that he doesn’t like it when girls tell him they love him, because they don’t even know him, but prefers it when people tell him how his music affects them.

He has made a couple comments about appreciating older fans as long as they aren’t creepy. I know there are women who have kissed his neck, etc. He has handled it pretty well. On the other hand, when DJ’s have asked him recently about older creepy fans, he defends them and says he appreciates them.

People have definitely gone pretty close to the edge over the new elle photos in the past day or so.

ETA: shell29- I have been absolutely amazed at Crush. I think it is a nice but not a great song and yet it just seems to have legs. I guess JIVE knows what people like to hear. I was watching the VH1 top 20 to see where David’s video was and there was this movie guy (I can’t even remember what his name was) that they had on for the day. He must have been in his mid to late 20′s. He said he really likes crush. I keep hearing that from adults and the fact that it is doing well on HAC amazes me too. What do I know?

By the way, I did not hurl accusations. I was just saying what it felt like to me.

Mac, have you met him for yourself? Donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t dismiss the archuglow unless you behold the Archuleta in person!

mac- They are talking about a spiritual thing. I havenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t met him (I assume you havenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t either), so I can not judge what people say.

Actually I did meet him at one of the AI tours. I am glad to say that the lights of heaven did not open up during that time, although I thought he was a VERY nice person. At one point I did think I heard “voices”, but soon realized it was my family calling me to hurry up with the autographs. Rats! I thought I was having a devine intervention. So no Archuglow for me. I guess I am still planted firmly in the real world.

Anyway, as far as reviews are concerned, I think that Archie will get good reviews. How many have their been so far? 2 bad ones? Do a search on the work of any artist and you’ll find a mixture of good, bad and scathing reviews, generally.

Cook’s reviews should start soon, and I expect there will be some doozys. He’s the winner of a karaoke contest attempting to perform rock. He’s going to have his ass handed to him by certain critics. That’s just how it goes.

One thing I read consistently about David during the Summer tour is that he made people cry during his performance of WYSYLM and/or Angels. He made new fans out of people who didn’t “get” him on the show. Imagine touched people around the world who felt an emotional connection when he sung that song (YouTube comments have proof of this). In many ways, that performance set him apart for the rest of the competition in that it gained him fans and put haters who closed themselves off to him on the warpath. If there’s anything I disagree with from any critic is that David lacks musicality or doesn’t connect to his songs. He has an innate understanding for music and the emotions that it invokes and the fact that his first complete song was born of a deep empathy and sadness he felt for a girl he didn’t know speaks to that. It’s a completely different and subjective matter if a listener can’t connect to him, is influenced by the media or chooses to hold his age and personality against him. It doesn’t mean they know best. It just means he’s not their cup of tea.

The Allmusic review lacks credibility to me because the reviewer’s prejudice and dislike for a kid he’s never met was just too palpable. WTF should I care if David’s niceness irritates some cranky reviewer? I want to know if his album will entertain the demographics for which it was intended and if his singing was good? The review failed to tell me any of that so it’s pointless. Someone above nailed it when they said it made them uncomfortable. A review should not be in attack mode. A review should have at least some objectivity to it. This review didn’t and it was self-indulgent. This person made up their mind months before they listened to a single song on the album and that came across much too clearly. It was, imo, unprofessional and it’s a shame that it’s attributed to a reputable source like Allmusic.com.

I wish reviewers would talk to musicians who’ve worked with David because maybe they’d understand that that he’s worked so hard for this at such a young age because he genuinely loves music and wants to improve on his talents. I wonder if Stevie wonder was ever shunned and underestimated because he was too young.

Since youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re a big fan, I can understand your reaction. That particular reviewer is the main pop reviewer and that is simply his take on it, lumps and all. I expect heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll jump all over Cookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s affinity for post-grunge melancholy, and not favorably. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s possible his rating will be at least 3 stars if the record shows some craft and energy. I admit. Theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re becoming internet savvy, and sarcasm and cynicism run through their reviews when the music derives from a cheesy reality show. Thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not unexpected.

I ultimately don’t care what this guy thinks of the album; I’m just sad that this is the way they review albums at all. It’s not about me being a “big fan” as much as me being an intellectual (or at least I try). My career is about writing, and writing with a purpose. When I see reviews like that, I don’t see any purpose for them. They’re not helpful. Sarcasm is a lazy device used by people who want to sound intelligent but don’t have the words to express the point they are really trying to make. And cynicism in artistic reviews is a device used by those who have lost faith in pure enjoyment of the arts. This review didn’t even provide a decent historical context because “history” was mixed in with the easily digestible mass perception of who David Archuleta was on American Idol. If he were to actually base his review on history, he would have delved a little deeper than his gut impression of David on a reality TV show. I shudder to think that this review will serve as some sort of historical documentation–one person’s opinion should not serve as a historical reference for an artist’s work.

Now, as a “big fan” I’ll say that I found a lot of energy and craft in David’s album–particularly in his vocalization. So I won’t agree that David didn’t deserve more than the reviewer gave him in terms of arbitrary stars. I have no clue what AMG will give David Cook in terms of stars and, again, I don’t really care. If they review Cook’s album in the same manner as they reviewed Archie’s I’ll still think the review is unhelpful, no matter the star rating. I will simply choose not to believe what they say and go listen for myself. If that’s the reaction they’re going for, then props that they’ve accomplished that.

If reviews ever matter, AMG’s is the one, they get quoted everywhere. When I worked for the music site in my college, that was my “go-to” place as well. Knowing Stephen Thomas Erlewine…he always writes like that.(Idol or not) I’m not too into his reviews because of all the gossip stuff. I get that pop artists are not only about music, they’re always with a “image”, while indie artists may (be able to) hide behind music.

So I don’t pay too much attention to their pop reviews, I like to listen to an album and judge it myself. That being said, I will listen to AMG picks first, since they usually end up being my favorites anyway.

Right now it looks like Archie is connecting with somebody since his first single is a lock for platinum. I’m not sure how what credibility means for a critic. That’s his opinion and he’s entitled to it. I disagree with the personal comments about Archie. The 2 1/2 stars I can live with. I don’t really see the comparisons to Clay Aiken for now. Really diferent fan bases for one and Archie’s stuff is radio friendly.

This is my first year reading album reviews. I guess pop albums usually get poor reviews huh?

I wonder if Crush sales slowed down this week because of the album coming out soon? I guess we will see when the numbers come out. The spins seem to be going down on top 40 but up on HAC.

Its actually back up to 16 on itunes right now. It always gets pushed down with new releases and somehow manages to bounce back lol

Interesting, treble. And, actually, allmusic.com did review Analog Heart, after the finale, and consistent with what you predicted, referenced both Idol and his regional touring past. There were definitely things in the review with which I disagreed, as I happen to love Analog Heart, but the review of it didn’t strike me as particularly out of the ordinary for allmusic.com. (I’m a bit of a music/movie review junkie, so I’ve been reading allmusic.com for years.)

This is my first year reading album reviews. I guess pop albums usually get poor reviews huh?

No, Jonas Bros got 4 stars. (And they also got a really good one from one of my friends who writes rock reviews for the biggest entertainment site in my country. I couldn’t believe him but I didn’t/don’t want to listen to that album so I can’t argue…) They just have a lot of background stuff(in some people’s eyes, unrelated to music) in them.

Thanks Elisad. EW and Rolling Stone gave JB 4 too I think. and Miley Cyrus got better review than Archie’s LOL I don’t understand this music biz.

She will also soon be seen as the host of the new Mark Burnett CBS gameshow, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Jinglesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  (premiere date TBD), as well as the new MTV reality show, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“P.Diddyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s StarMaker,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  produced by Mark Burnett and Sean à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“P.Diddyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  Combs and set to premiere in January 2009.

So does this mean Kimberly Caldwell won’t be covering the upcoming season of Idol?

Well, I definitely feel like a debbie downer for bringing over that review, but I know that allmusic is one of the few big databases.
treble, I read some more reviews generally and they all do follow that same way of organization, including pop culture references and perceptions, the last main work before the new one and all that. I think Star Search and AI as his only point of reference musically is a disadvantage for now.

The same writer did the review of Analog Heart. As a Cook fan, I wasn’t thrilled with it, but I did see some truth in it and took it as a positive that this reviewer actually listened to the album and gave his opinion. It’ll be interesting to see how he reviews DC’s album since he basically predicted AH 2.0 for DC’s post Idol release and speculated that as the reason for AH being pulled from Amazon.

By the way the All Access critic doesn’t hate all pop music. He’s famous for his rave review of Paris Hilton’s album:

“Make no mistake, Paris is a very good pop album, at times deliberately reminiscent of Blondie, Madonna, and Gwen Stefani, yet having its own distinct character à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  “”

He loved Taylor’s album and gave it 4 stars and said:
“Taylor Hicks make an album that will surely satisfy anybody who loved to hear him on the show, and an album that stands as one of the best Idol-related records yet made.”

And writing about Jordin: “On Idol, all this unformed youthfulness was endearing, but on this debut she just seems green, not quite ready for the big leagues she’s been pushed into.”

Anyway, he’s an interesting writer and I agree with some of his reviews (not these) but you know different strokes and all.

I have listened to the Jonas Brothers’ album (I don’t own it, I was just curious). While some of the songs are catchy (and others not so much), their voices ruin the album. I think they got bonus points from critics for writing it and for being a band in the sense that Hanson was a teen band that also wrote their music and played their instruments (and generally got decent reviews for it). But writing music and performing on instruments don’t mean as much to me if they sound like dying cats.

Sorry… tangent.

Though pop albums–the ones maximized for singles potential (and I will admit that David’s is maximized for singles potential)–don’t get a fair shake a lot of the time. And I think this comes from the fact that a lot of music critics recall fondly the old days when albums weren’t simply 12 songs, but a whole story (not to say David’s album isn’t cohesive, just that it isn’t a story album). Most pop albums coming from major labels aren’t like that anymore. Even if an artist waxes poetic about how their album is a cohesive journey, most of the time it’ll still be maximized for singles potential. Labels would be hard-pressed to release anything else the way albums are selling nowadays. I’m talking newer mainstream pop artists, mind you, not older mega-popular artists or bands that can sell a bajillion no matter what they release. So to review an “album” nowadays is to review 12 individual songs. Some critics would just rather not do that.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Make no mistake, Paris is a very good pop album, at times deliberately reminiscent of Blondie, Madonna, and Gwen Stefani, yet having its own distinct character à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

Oh gosh, that’s just all kinds of wrong.

Oh… I don’t want to fight over my beloved Gwen Stefani LOL. His review for Paris Hilton(I know the rumor about that album not using her vocals but demos) was a fabulous one. “High-school bitchy” is just right for club dance. No?

So does this mean Kimberly Caldwell wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t be covering the upcoming season of Idol?

No, she will still be covering it. She won’t be in that other TV Guide reality show she had though.

But at the end of the day it was ten times more useful and well written than the NyMag review, which was just ridiculous, yet it was positive (or looked positive, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m still not sure) so fans didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t complain and were happy with it.

Sorry I disagree, that review from allmusic was mean… he just talk about the album 9 lines, he only analize 1 song, Barriers, that I think is one of the best songs of the album… the rest just attack David in a personal level… if he doesn ´t like the album I get it, but the reviewer doesn ´t need to attack David Archuleta…

At least if they were neing sarcastic I will get it, he was seroius… so that review don ´t have a use for me…

So it’s fine for NY Mag to be sarcastically mean? OK.

The Allmusic review lacks credibility to me because the reviewerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s prejudice and dislike for a kid heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s never met was just too palpable. WTF should I care if Davidà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s niceness irritates some cranky reviewer? I want to know if his album will entertain the demographics for which it was intended and if his singing was good? The review failed to tell me any of that so ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s pointless. Someone above nailed it when they said it made them uncomfortable. A review should not be in attack mode. A review should have at least some objectivity to it. This review didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t and it was self-indulgent. This person made up their mind months before they listened to a single song on the album and that came across much too clearly. It was, imo, unprofessional and ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a shame that ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s attributed to a reputable source like Allmusic.com.

I agree with this…

So ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s fine for NY Mag to be sarcastically mean? OK.

The difference for me is the intent, Vulture has always wanted to be funny in some level funny… if you read all their reviews they also made fun of Archie calling Idolbot 2008… they also said that Jeff was “their Idol” for being a “controlling dad” … but they are trying to be funny…weather you get or not, that will depend of your sence of humor…

In the allmusic review, the guy isn ´t even joking, like Slezak or Jim Cantiello did during Idol (once again they were funny)… he is just making sure that every body understand that he doesnt like David at any level…

Here are another Vulture article about Jeff:
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/04/david_archuletas_father_modest.html

And last time Soundscene mentioned and article of and special article of Vulture lamenting David ´slost in Idol, and a cute video that thet made, here is the link… they use Fix You from Coldplay to made it…
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/05/vulture_is_officially_in_mourn.html

I don’t read reviews about Archuleta nor do I want to. But of course AMG is being serious because it’s a serious site, they don’t write reviews by making fun of people like NY Mag does, which I still don’t get why would be considered fine, people can funny and extremely mean at the same time, say…Bill Maher. You might not agree, but how did they “attack”?

^If you haven ´t read the review that they made, then you don ´t understand what are we talking about….so your arguments made no sence, at least to me…

Here are the part that attack him…

Archuleta sidesteps saccharine pitfalls through much of his eponymous debut à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  delivered six months after AmIdol season seven drew to a close à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  but he never shakes his reputation as being a safe date, a grandmotherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s pick for a blind date. This may make Archuleta the oldest teen star ever à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  certainly compared to the youthful Jonas Brothers, he seems stiff and arthritic à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  but ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s also true that heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s comfortable acting far beyond his years. Whenever he faces something modern, as on the wretched modulated hip-hop call-and-response à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Barriers,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  he shuts down and stumbles. His awkwardness is so apparent that the producers wisely keep him away from anything rhythmic through most of David Archuleta, with only the overly busy rhythm tracks distinguishing this as a 2008 release.

There were other parts from the article that was attacking David ´s for being a good person… now the article in the allmusic page is gone….
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll

Oh, wow, congratulations. The emails worked I guess.

Deleted..

I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t read reviews about Archuleta nor do I want to. But of course AMG is being serious because ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a serious site, they donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t write reviews by making fun of people like NY Mag does, which I still donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t get why would be considered fine, people can funny and extremely mean at the same time, sayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦Bill Maher. You might not agree, but how did they à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“attackà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ?

I never said Vulture was helpful, or a legitimate review. I don’t recall anybody saying that, in fact. I said that it’s possible the person that wrote the blog actually liked the album, at least on some level, since that person has been serious about Archie in the past (and actually mentioned tracks that he/she liked). But the Vulture blog post wasn’t mean to be an actual review–it was meant to be comedic. I don’t rant about every blogger that makes some witty, but kind of mean, remark about Archie. If I did it would take up far too much of my day. I understand humor. Vulture has always been that way about Cook–that’s never going to change unless they change writers. Just as there are several other blogs that are that way about Archie. But none of them claim to be reputable music websites. If something is meant to be funny, then a “mean” comment, if worded correctly, is intended for humor. If something is meant to be serious, then a “mean” comment is just mean.

Archuleta sidesteps saccharine pitfalls through much of his eponymous debut

Not for nothing cruzceleste, but that one’s actually a compliment. lol.

American Idol seventh season runner-up David Archuleta was the same age as Jordin Sparks, the season six winner, but he always seemed much, much older à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  a creature from a different era, a time where Up with People peacefully merged with the sound and sensibility of the pre-Nirvana ’90s. Modernity seemed foreign to Archuleta, a hang-up that would be an Achilles heel on any music show outside of American Idol, which lives in a permanent oldies fantasia where it’s still rebellious to sing the Allman Brothers some 35 years after their breakthrough. Rebellion is anathema to Archuleta. Maybe it’s instinctual, maybe it’s learned behavior imprinted from being a showbiz kid, but Archuleta is so gosh-darn eager to please that he’s at once ingratiating and irritating. There’s no doubt that the kid is sweet, something that shone through on the show, but he’s always verging on being a simpering sap, all pressed shirts and boutonnieres. Archuleta sidesteps saccharine pitfalls through much of his eponymous debut delivered six months after AmIdol season seven drew to a close à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  but he never shakes his reputation as being a safe date, a grandmother’s pick for a blind date. This may make Archuleta the oldest teen star ever à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  certainly compared to the youthful Jonas Brothers, he seems stiff and arthritic à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  but it’s also true that he’s comfortable acting far beyond his years. Whenever he faces something modern, as on the wretched modulated hip-hop call-and-response “Barriers,” he shuts down and stumbles. His awkwardness is so apparent that the producers wisely keep him away from anything rhythmic through most of David Archuleta, with only the overly busy rhythm tracks distinguishing this as a 2008 release. This makes the album the squarest record in the Idol universe since Clay Aiken’s debut but that at least had the benefit of overpowering hooks, where David Archuleta has quietly whispered melodies that never catch hold, no matter how well Archuleta sings. And he does sing well à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  maybe not with a sense of storytelling, but as a highly coached performer who can hit the marks with accuracy but not much feeling. So, it delivers exactly what Archuleta promised on the show: something sweet and safe, utterly old-fashioned and forgettable.

I don ´t care if he actually talks about the album, but he attacks with out telling anything important about it…

Eh. He’s verbose to be sure, but he basically said Archie can sing but he’s too old fashioned (and awkward, and corny), and his album while well sung technically plays it too safe, doesn’t have enough hooks and is kinda forgettable. I don’t agree, but I get it.

Not for nothing cruzceleste, but that oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s actually a compliment. lol.

Ups , sorry , got to excited with bold lol…… :blush_tb:

So this reviewer calls David a “creature” (hmm I don’t even want to speculate at what the guy was really thinking here…but highly inappropriate IMO)

“verging on being a simpering sap”

“irritating”

what on earth does any of this have to do with the music on his CD?

Hey, is this three page response all about a bad review for Archie? I don’t have the energy if that’s the case. He’ll be fine.

^lol Pj… I think there are some news about Kimberlly Caldwell (sp?) in the first page…and some Cookie in the first or the second one…

what on earth does any of this have to do with the music on his CD?

Exactly. That review is a disgrace but looking at this guy’s track record with reviewing other albums, he clearly doesn’t have much credibility left.

Thanks, Cruz.

Well I’ll get the cd in 24 hours. reviews are always interesting. meatime I’ll go listen to that simpering sappy irritating creature sing “Barriers”.

E – LOL!

Archie’s probably should NOT read this one. Just sayin’. Or wear your Kevlar. haha!

http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/reviews/view.bg?articleid=1131179

But Cookie’s will like this one from the same guy…

http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/general/view/2008_11_07_David_Cook:_the_grungiest_Idol/

Although I think that one might have been posted a couple of days ago. Sorry if a repeat.

Here’s ananother interesting review: it’s a D

Here we have another à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  album of pap pop and would-be adult-contemporary duds fit only for Archieà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s most devoted tween girl fans. At its best, you get
à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Running,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  which sounds like Clay Aiken 2.0. At its worst, you get à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“My Hands,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  which is Justin Guarini 2.0. Either way, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“David Archuletaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  utterly fails
to convey the qualities that made the Utah teen an à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  favorite.
http://news.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/reviews/view/2008_11_10_DAVID_ARCHULETA/srvc=home&position=also

Jabkmc we posted the same one LOL

Are these guys competing who can write the worst review oh what. I’m enjoying them actually.

E – Wait! It’s a D PLUS…don’t forget the PLUS. LOL!

Although this one might ease the pain for us Archie’s a little. LOL!

http://www.dailycal.org/article/103479/album_reviews

I can’t believe I’m reading all these reviews. I haven’t been invested in an artist like this in like….I can’t even remember back that far. Probably the 70′s and John Denver or James Taylor. But I wasn’t even THAT gaga over them (I like me singer/songwriters – heh). Help! LOL!

Archieà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s probably should NOT read this one. Just sayinà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. Or wear your Kevlar. haha!

http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/reviews/view.bg?articleid=1131179

But Cookieà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s will like this one from the same guyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/general/view/2008_11_07_David_Cook:_the_grungiest_Idol/

I’m shocked–SHOCKED, I tell ya. Does this guy happen to know Chris Willman over at EW, by chance?

Ouch! A D-plus? Baton down the hatches. That guy is in for a lot of comments/emails. LOL.

IMO When these guys are so over the top with hate for David, I doubt people will take them seriously. I think the real people are going to like his album and there aint nothing he can do about it.

Hmmm….so, do you think “Crush” kept it from getting an F? Just wondering…

Yeah. I guess you can’t explain giving a failing grade to an album that has an “about to go platinum in a couple of weeks or so” song on it. tee hee!

IMO When these guys are so over the top with hate for David, I doubt people will take them seriously.

In my opinion, just because a reviewer gives an artist a bad review does not mean that they personally “hate” them.

Two new positive reviews to balance things out:

http://www.dailycal.org/article/103479/album_reviews

Archuleta is an extremely talented singer with a voice that defies his age, height and personality. From album-opening single “Crush” to the several ballads for which he is revered, every song shows off Archuleta’s flawless clarity and diction. He is successful at tortured-soul whisper-singing, angsty bellowing in an echo chamber and quivering falsetto.

http://www.hiponline.com/music-reviews/david-archuleta-david-archuleta-review/

Rating: 7.5/10

The good:
à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Crushà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  – A great choice as a single. It lets Archuleta pick up where he left off on Idol with a confidence and power that made him a fan favorite. It doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t hurt that the song is smooth as honey.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Touch My Handà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  – Love the falsetto. This isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t the vanilla pop song everyone would expect. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s great to get the unexpected.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“My Handsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  – Big, bold and surprisingly potent.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Desperateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  – This song makes Archuleta sound maturer than he ever has.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Your Eyes Donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t Lieà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  – Starts off interesting and never loses that cool vibe that carries throughout. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m not sure why one of the albumà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s best tracks is hidden at the end of the album.

Jabkmc oops D PLUS! haha I’ll always have a special place for “Crush” that little song is a fighter.

E – Yeah. Weekend Power (David totally needs a Super Hero T-shirt with a big C on it to add to his huge collection – LOL!) kicked in again. Yesterday, Crush was down to 20 on iTunes… fought it’s way back up to 16. The Little Engine That Could. Chuga chuga chuga chuga … LOL!

I know Cruch is selling, but didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t Clay sell out the box? Critics are not looking at the sales value of this cd but how it compares with Pop music today.

I know his debut album sold over 2 million, but I don’t really know how Clay’s singles did back then. At any rate, that’s neither here nor there. I was responding to the assertion that since Archie is not a performer of the same ilk as Chris Brown or JT he is incapable of becoming a successful male pop artist. So far, the success of Crush is proving that is not the case. At this point, no one can say (without sounding silly) that it’s just his Idol fans buying up that single, so the other listeners who have bought the download don’t seem to care that he doesn’t have the dance moves or sex appeal of CB, JT, or Usher. As I said earlier, it remains to be seen how his album and subsequent singles will do, but so far he seems to be off to a great start.

http://www.hiponline.com/music-reviews/david-archuleta-david-archuleta-review/

For what ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s worth I thought Archuleta should have won American Idol and now he has a chance to take on David Cook once again. I think history might prove that Archuleta was the real winner. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s great to see that Archuleta didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t go in the obvious direction of recording mindless pop songs. Instead he took a few risks and they paid off.

No bias here.

Daughtry also did well right out of the gate. And there’s a lot of revisionist history after an artist is successful but I’m sure he was panned by some critics too as was Jordin and Carrie and probably even Kelly. A lot of critics can be pompous jerks.

No bias here.

I think it’s safe to say all critics have biases. It’s just some cross over the line from giving a critique to personal attacks.

No bias here.

I know. While more palatable to the Archie’s they couldn’t resist a dig at Cookie. Booo… I think I’ll just hibernate for a while and peek my head out a week or two after Cookie’s album comes out. It’s gonna be brutal.

I wanna put both the David’s in a bubble until the dust settles.

shell29- I keep hearing that the music business has changed so much in a short time. Someone had a chart showing how to compare today’s sales with even a few years ago. Was that Kirsten or soundscene. It would be interesting to see that chart again.

No bias here.

Heh, I was just about to mention that quote you posted Trixee. I’d toss that review onto the same pile with the EW one. When the bias/agenda is that obvious, I tend to dismiss those reviews (whether I agree with them or not).

Congrats to Elliott on “Wait For You” being certified platinum. His ringtone for “Wait For You” was recently certified Gold in Japan. (His CD was certified Gold in the USA and in Japan.)

LOL! Im liking the Love-Hate reviews on Archie’s debut album……I wonder if they conduct a poll on the results?………..Love vs. Hate? ooops Im not giving anyone any ideas here…although I would love to see the findings in this section tomorrow morning……….Go Big D!

For an example of a fair review that’s not all sparkles and sunshine, try the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/arts/music/10choi.html?_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

This reviewer cared enough to listen to the album and understand what the songs were about. He didn’t love everything–the album is pop and it’s made for radio, so I don’t expect reviewers to be extolling its innovative virtues–but he understood the make and model of the album. What he says about innocence in pop being boldness is quite true. Half of the things Archie is dealing with right now as far as credibility is concerned is the fact that he is who he is–unapologetically gracious and good. Sweet in the way that makes more cynical folks confused. And that comes across in the songs. See, he used the person but tied it back to the music, rather than using the person as a means to ignore, disregard or dismiss the music.

I do like how one of the songs he points out as good writing was one that Archie co-wrote (he doesn’t mention this though). And he does well by mentioning Archie’s voice.

Oh, and he heard hints of Coldplay. Heh.

Oh, and he heard hints of Coldplay. Heh.

Lisa! OMG. hahahahahahaha! {high five!}

^^ LOL. {hive five back}

From idolforums:

“Crush debuted on MTV ASIA 4 weeks ago and entered the chart at 12 (12-9-4-1). Now he finally reached that number 1 spot just in time for the album to be
released in parts of Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea) this week. I’m buying the album tonight after work!!!!”

Jabkmc you night shift again?

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LOL I thought the NY times was pretty funny! ok he is also about the persona and a little condescending using words like “gooey” and even “gosh”. He found something to like, I guess. I like the TPain review. Um, isn’t the NY mag’s review a satire? They’re like The Onion, it has nothing to do with the music.

Correction. He never used “gooey” I got caught up in the visual of “smiles in wistful acknowledgment of the eternal mystery of everything.” Hee. Funny stuff.

Four pages of discussion about reviews? Let me add just couple of words, there is no review like objective one, that’s it. And no review will tell you that you surely will or won’t like an album. Too bad at least two that have been mentioned are based only on whole AI past and turns to mean attacks about it, not on actuall songs from the album. I guess Love-Hate relationships are just inevitable and don’t be suprised seeing booth good and bad reviews.
Somebody mentioned that good reviews didn’t help Taylor to sell the albums, they didn’t help Blake either and bad ones didn’t hurt Carrie. Dang, I had never read any albums’ reviews until this year when I became an AI fan and still I own pretty big amount of various original records. What would hurt is lack of promo and bad managing and we’ve been having pretty good experiences about this part of selling records by D.A.

Oh, and he heard hints of Coldplay. Heh.

I wonder if he was referring to the song “Don’t Let Go”, since he mentioned it. That’s the best song on the album, for my money, and the one that would fit into an adult oriented format like Coldplay would.

LOL I thought the NY times was pretty funny! ok he is also about the persona and a little condescending using words like à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“gooeyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  and even à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“goshà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ . He found something to like, I guess. I like the TPain review. Um, isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t the NY magà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s review a satire? Theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re like The Onion, it has nothing to do with the music.

Are you talking about the NY Times or NY Mag? Or are you referring to the NY Mag conversation from a few pages back? *Confused* I don’t think the NY Times review was intending to be funny. Light, but not funny.