Kristy Lee Cook – Why Wait – First Listen

I rather like Baby Believe, Plant The Seed and I Think Too Much.

You know, I’m listening to it, and I’m still alive.

I love “Baby Believe”….. As a matter of fact, that one might have made a better single.

She could use some training as far as vocal technique and enunciation, but it’s not so bad…generic…but not bad. :cool1_tb:

Ok, I listened to four of the tracks and got a little bored. I will listen to the others when I can access them.

As for what I did hear, I agree with you GwendolynD (GD), they sound generic. Of the few I listened to, ‘Like My Mother Does’ is a lovely song that could be a nice Mother’s Day anthem, it might even make a commercial. However, it’s still a bit sappy. I had concerns that an album produced in four days would have much merit, and I think this could easily be ignored because from what I’ve heard of it, nothing actually pops out and grabs me and stops me in my tracks, and I do listen to some country, like my mother does…

I also think vocally she was mixed like crazy. I remember Kristy having a few power moments on the show, but she consistently went off pitch. I believe that’s a music theory issue more than a talent issue. With experience, that will change.

Kristi is an incredibly attractive young woman though, and that makes her marketable, if only her label would push her. When she first appeared on Idol I thought, Okay, they’ve got a new Carrie on the way, but with a less innocent vibe and a bit tougher. I think she’ll manage in the genre, but she’s got some learning to do musically, performance wise, and artistically.

Based on what I’ve heard and seen, I give it a C.

Do you have to sign up for the e-mail updates to be able to hear it? I’m not hearing any of the songs.

I also think vocally she was mixed like crazy. I remember Kristy having a few power moments on the show, but she consistently went off pitch. I believe thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a music theory issue more than a talent issue. With experience, that will change.

Yes, and even with that excessive mixing, I could still hear flatness throughout the album. That attributed to the generic sound, making her sound very amateur. She has little to no vocal support, especially on her power notes – singing from her throat, rather than supporting the voice from her diaphragm.

I’d agree with your “C”. Definitely average.

I don’t mind generic so much, since almost all the Idol debut albums have been generic. It works when the singer is so good that they can infuse the songs with personality through great interpretation skills (Fantasia) overwhelm the songs with their OUTSTANDING pipes (Underwood, Daughtry, Leona Lewis), have such a strong personality they can stand out in a marketplace (Pickler), or all of the above (Clarkson). The problem here is I’m not seeing/hearing any of that with Kristy. The most memorable thing about her is her looks. And the “sold her horse” thing. Ehhh.

That said I still expect moderate success, because enough songs seem generically catchy enough to get some radio play. She’ll be like the country version of Kat McPhee.

Do you have to sign up for the e-mail updates to be able to hear it? Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m not hearing any of the songs.

No, you don’t have to.

I know nothing about country so no comment about this album. But if this album flops, it’s not Kristy’s fault, recorded in 4 days or not, her vocal is okey on it.

Yep Arista doesn’t promote anyone besides Alicia Keys. But Kristy is under Arista Nashville, which is better at that? I don’t really know.

Cà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢mon Arista! Your girl needs some promotion!

Arista doesn’t do promotion very well.

But she’s an attractive blonde and her music is passably generic, so that’s enough to have some sort of career in country music. Idols making a transition to country music have it much easier than the popsters.

I like the CD cover. I don’t like country music enough to listen to the songs and I know that I won’t buy the CD but I wish Kristy well. I hope it will be a success for her.

Is Kristy with the same Nashville label as Kellie Pickler?

Does the picture on the cover mean she got the horse back?

hoodathunk Sep 12th, 2008 at 3:22 pm

Cà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢mon Arista! Your girl needs some promotion!

Arista doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t do promotion very well.

They did just fine for Carrie Underwood. They have to want to promote an artist. If 19 tells them she is low priority then that is the kind of promo she’ll get.

This is pretty much what I expected for a 4-day album, but it’s still a bit of a disappointment because I want Kristy Lee to do well.

There are some decent songs on the album. The songs are generic; but most of what is played on the radio is “generic,” primarily because there are certain styles that are popular now and people want to hear those styles. What makes these songs especially generic, however, is the complete lack of individuality in the ultimate result–the vocals, the tonal inflection, the interpretation, the production, the instrumentation. This isn’t a “Kristy Lee Cook” record. Stick any country girl who can carry a tune on the cover and give her these songs and you’ll get roughly the same result. I’m not sure what a “Kristy Lee Cook” record should sound like–maybe someday we’ll find out. This, however, is a color-by-numbers take on what somebody thinks a country album should sound like.

If I was being completely honest and rated this album against other country albums I own, I would give it a D plus. Some nice moments earned the plus, but overall it sounds like something my Dad would pull from the $3 bargain bin at Wal-Mart.

Sorry, that sounds really harsh. I like Kristy Lee, and she really deserves better than this. She deserves better production, more time to choose songs and record them, and a label who will promote her.

I have been listening – expected to hate it – and I don’t at all. Her voice sounds good and some of these songs sound better than I hear on radio. I am not huge country fan so not planning on buying whole CD but I might download a song or two…….will link to iTunes from this site of course

If 19 tells them she is low priority then that is the kind of promo sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll get.

19 is her management. The label isn’t going to take their marching orders from her management.

Another thing,

Kristy might be the one to have put a hold on promo until the tour was over. She’s doing Regis and Kelly on the 19th, that’s six days off after the last show. Plenty of time to rest and prepare for a promo tour of her original work. We just might see a lot of promo for this album come next week!

I really like Not Tonight. It’s too bad it wasn’t the first single released. It’s catchy. I like the album cover too.

Actually, compared to what I heard on AI, this is good for Kristy Lee. She might have gotten one or two good recaps from me, but that was it.

From this album, I really expected less, and I got more.

mj Sep 12th, 2008 at 4:51 pm

If 19 tells them she is low priority then that is the kind of promo sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll get.

19 is her management. The label isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t going to take their marching orders from her management.

19R aka the Simons get 50% say in song selection, selection of singles and promotional decisions and 19R owns half of every Idol that signs with Sony/BMG.

If you don’t think that the idols are played like pawns on a chessboard then you aren’t in possession of the facts. Has it occurred to anyone why it is that no idols from other countries have been allowed to release a single in the US? Why only a very few American idols have been promoted overseas? There are agreements in place and non compete arrangements. The idols are not treated like other artists on the label. They are in a special class and treated like a sub group.

If you donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think that the idols are played like pawns on a chessboard then you arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t in possession of the facts. Has it occurred to anyone why it is that no idols from other countries have been allowed to release a single in the US? Why only a very few American idols have been promoted overseas? There are agreements in place and non compete arrangements. The idols are not treated like other artists on the label. They are in a special class and treated like a sub group.

I think alot of this is not quite true. I think that it would be foolish to not promote the idols overseas simply because they are this sub-species you speak about. It hasn’t stopped Kelly, and Daughtry particularly. While he might have not been ‘promoted’ Taylor also went overseas, the Davids both seem to be headed that way as well. Frankly I think that whoever makes these decisions make them with the bottom line in mind, and if they think there is money to be made, and the product is viable overseas, there is no reason to assume they would not promote them there. All of these rumors about 19 squelching their own product is just fanciful at best. Why would they do that?

Onto KLC, my problem with her is that I am just not interested enough in her…there is no ‘what will she do next’ interest for me. I am interested in the Davids, Carly, Sy, even Jason who I didn’t like in the contest of the show has made me interested in him because of the tour. And it’s not that I don’t like country that much. I loved Pickler and Phil Stacey and have some of their stuff on my ipod. Pickler’s material is just more interesting, and her voice is too. Phil’s voice is phenomenal, material meh, but the voice speaks for itself, KLC just doesn’t have that calling card. I started listening and wondering either who wrote this dreck, or what Carrie or Kellie would sound like singing said material. Gonna take a pass on this idol product. Oh, Why Wait? I guess for better material, and a reason to record besides the fact you have a contract.

All of these rumors about 19 squelching their own product is just fanciful at best. Why would they do that?

Exactly. It’s tempting to latch on to conspiracy theories when our favorites don’t perform up to expectation, I get that. But, I can’t imagine labels not trying to wring as much money as they can out of the artists they sign. IMO, failure is a complex matter, rather than a simple case of willful sabotage.

If it is not willful, then explain the reason why Daughtry and Kelly, who are/were managed by 19 got overseas promotion and others didn’t. Taylor was sent to Asian Idol but did not tour and his songs were not promoted. A few mall appearances don’t count as a tour.

Why are some Idols promoted to radio with singles coming out months before release and plenty of push, while others like Taylor (managed by someone other than 19) gets a single casually dropped after the CD release with no push? Can you imagine Sony treating their other label artists like that? I haven’t seen it done to any of their non-AI artists.

Kelly got great promotion and label support for Breakaway because she was with 19 at the time. She left 19 and her next CD wasn’t promoted to radio and her sales plummeted.

I’ll tell you why. its because 19 doesn’t get their huge cut if they are not also getting the management fees. They don’t give a damn about these kids once the show is over. Its all about the money to be made and 50% of everything from those they manage is worth more than a small percentage of millions of CD sales from the ones they have on the label but don’t manage. They’ll put out a souvenir CD for the kids they think were popular but they don’t invest anything but the bare minimum if they don’t get a sizable chunk of their earnings. These are not conspiracies, they are trends.

The information that when they sign with Sony they also must sign with 19R is a fact. It is not a conspiracy.

I think alot of this is not quite true. I think that it would be foolish to not promote the idols overseas simply because they are this sub-species you speak about. It hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t stopped Kelly, and Daughtry particularly. While he might have not been à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹promotedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Taylor also went overseas, the Davids both seem to be headed that way as well. Frankly I think that whoever makes these decisions make them with the bottom line in mind, and if they think there is money to be made, and the product is viable overseas, there is no reason to assume they would not promote them there. All of these rumors about 19 squelching their own product is just fanciful at best. Why would they do that?

I think it has a lot to be with what is listend in the international market…

Until now just Kelly has ever being playing in Latin America, Jordin has started to made her way in to the radio with No Air, but is not doing that well maybe because her voice is to generic IMO (I totally didn ´t kne it was her until the Dj said so)…Kelly is really popular in Latin America, while Carrie and any country artist won ´t be play in the radios…I haven ´t listen to Daughtry in the radio ever neither…while Archie has became more or less popular already because her mother is from Honduras and his father is Spain ascendent…I know some International Cook Latin american fans but not that much either…

I guess we will listen to that MTv will put in their video rotation… I won ´t be seing any of KLC in here…

By the way, Jordin Sparks is being promoted in the UK, and she’ll be touring Australia with Alicia Keys this fall…

Kristy Lee is being managed by 19. I can’t think of a single scenario in which it would be advantageous to their bottom line for her to fail. If she’s not being promoted properly, the failure is coming from inside Arista, imo.

The information that when they sign with Sony they also must sign with 19R is a fact.

Yes it is. That wasn’t my argument.

For someone who doesn’t follow country music I think the album is really good, very respectable and better than expected. If it is marketed properly it should do ok.

The idols are not treated like other artists on the label. They are in a special class and treated like a sub group.

Yes, under RCA.

Kristy is under RCA music group, too.

I still don’t get why they signed her and yet hardly promote her. What’s the point?

mj Sep 12th, 2008 at 8:33 pm

By the way, Jordin Sparks is being promoted in the UK, and sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll be touring Australia with Alicia Keys this fallà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

Who is getting the major label support for airplay?
Jordin, Carrie, Daughtry, Leona and the Davids.

Who is getting A-list promotional opportunities?
Jordin, Carrie, Daughtry, Leona and the Davids.

Who is getting endorsements?
Jordin, Carrie, Daughtry, Leona and the Davids.

Who is in the 19 stable?
Jordin, Carrie, Daughtry, Leona and the Davids.

Who gets a huge chunk of their income?
19Entertainment/Recording/Management/Publishing/Merchandizing

Is it a coincidence? Not on your life!

geffling, Blake and Ruben are still under 19 and Simon Fuller. Just sayin..

ETA: I haven’t listened to Kristy Lee yet.

hardkandy Sep 13th, 2008 at 12:01 am

I still donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t get why they signed her and yet hardly promote her. Whatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the point?

If they sign her and give her a record deal she is off the market. Potentially for years. If they don’t sign her she might get signed by another label and if her career with the competitor label takes off due to good promotion and label support she becomes competition for the dwindling music buyer’s dollars and has the potential to make money for another label.

Notice that they only sign the ones they feel have potential to succeed. Some they fully support and others are signed so that no one else can have them. The music business isn’t about the artistic process any more. Its a cut throat dirty game played for high stakes.

Notice that they only sign the ones they feel have potential to succeed. Some they fully support and others are signed so that no one else can have them. The music business isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t about the artistic process any more. Its a cut throat dirty game played for high st

Oh, that’s why Bucky and Elliott did so well.

The music business is pretty cut throat. They aren’t going to waste money on anyone these days that they don’t think will make them a buck. That doesn’t mean they’ll sink a ton of money in them on promo.

But seriously, they don’t need to “prevent the other guys” from scooping up the talent. Most of these kids are lucky they got a break on a tv show. There are plenty of more talented people out there. Trust me.

pj Sep 13th, 2008 at 1:21 am

geffling, Blake and Ruben are still under 19 and Simon Fuller. Just sayin..

They were dropped by Sony/19R so they are out of the equation.

pj Sep 13th, 2008 at 1:21 am
Oh, thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s why Bucky and Elliott did so well.

They were not given contracts by Sony/19R probably because they didn’t think they would be marketable. Their mistake because both Bucky and Elliott found supportive labels and are making money for them.

pj Sep 13th, 2008 at 1:21 am

There are plenty of more talented people out there. Trust me.

I’m sure there are but AI is an open audition process that showcases these talented kids for many grueling weeks. The other labels get to pick and choose between the ones that Sony doesn’t snap up. The other labels don’t need to lift a finger or spend a dime. If there are so many others out there, why aren’t they being found more often? Even Colbie Caillat is a failed AI auditioner.

Blake was dropped by Arista, but is still with 19 ABC. Same with Ruben, I think. So I’m pretty sure that means 19 has no influence on the labels.

I really think the TV show and the labels have very different agendas, but knock yourself out!

pj, you are mistaken. All of the Idols sign 2 contracts when they come off of Idol (if they get a deal with an arm of Sony) whether it is J or Arista, Jive or RCA. One contract is with a division of Sony and one with 19Recordings. These are both recording contracts. Sony and 19R each get an equal say in the way the artists are handled and promoted. No other artists have such a handicap. 19 most definitely has a huge amount of control. The relationship between Sony and 19E (the Idol machine) is very incestuous. Add in the other arms of 19E, the management, publishing, and merchandizing contracts and you have a stranglehold on the artist. The bottom line is that AI decides if they are going to make you or break you.

If there are so many others out there, why arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t they being found more often? Even Colbie Caillat is a failed AI auditioner.

That kinda proves the point. AI is above all a TV show. They pick people to make a tv show. Do you think a major label would have given Clay or Taylor a chance if not for AI? Nope. But they made good TV.

That said, Colbie is pretty hot right now. BUT, there are LOTS of artists out there that can be found if they wanted someone other than the generic pop/rock stars that major labels go for these days. Perhaps the initial round of judges didn’t deem Colbie as someone who would be good on TV.

I’m pretty sure Blake and/or Ruben could sever ties with 19 if they wanted.

Also, if they were trying to “stifle” non-19 affiliated artists so much then why would they have invited Elliott back to sing on the show?

Did you notice that none of the really successful idols were invited to sing this year?

pj Sep 13th, 2008 at 1:55 am

Do you think a major label would have given Clay or Taylor a chance if not for AI? Nope. But they made good TV.

The same can be said about every other idol that appeared on the show.

Well my fav song is “NOt Tonight” which is written by Carrie Underwood….but I think it’s a left over from Carnival Ride..doesn’t matter it’s still a great song.

Did you notice that none of the really successful idols were invited to sing this year?

What? Didn’t Jordin, Carrie and DAUGHTRY all appear on the show this year? Aren’t they the most successful idols right now? Or am I dreaming that?

Kelly and DAUGHTRY are heavily promoted here, I tend to think that’s because pop/rock is the genre that does well globally, just check out LastFM to see what people are listening to. That’s exactly how normal artists are treated by label, they will only promote you, if they think you have the chance.

“If they donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t sign her she might get signed by another label”

When did KLC become such a superstar than 19 has to keep her away from other labels? She’ll get her promo when the tour ends with TV appearances etc. As far as I can tell RCA/Arista is very predictable when it comes to marketing Idols. just throw stuff against a wall and hope it sticks. The more that sticks, the more they throw until they have a superstar (they hope).

Why would they want their artists to fail? On the other hand, promo ain’t cheap and if she’s not moving the units quickly enough, bye, bye Kristy. I think Blake got less than a year so the clock is ticking even more quickly.

Someone posted in another thread tha KLC will be opening for Lonestar so it seems she’ll be getting plenty of promo pretty soon.

“I think Blake got less than a year so the clock is ticking even more quickly.”

There was a bigger spend on Blake’s album with samples and people like Ryan Tedder and Lupe Fiasco working on it. It’s obvious Kristy Lee’s album was put together quickly and cheaply so I’d think the expectations are lower. If they’re releasing it this early without proper advance promotion they can’t be expecting big sales out of the gate.

It’s not a bad album and Kristy Lee sounds better than she ever did on the show. She’s got a good recording voice but you can hear the processing on it. I like Not Tonight, Plant The Seed, Baby Believe, and I Think Too Much the most. But I don’t see why they couldn’t have waited and tailored the album to her a little more. Kristy Lee’s got a better voice than Julianne Hough, Kellie Pickler, and Jessica Simpson and her album didn’t need to be this generic. But maybe if she has a single catch on it’ll do OK anyway and she’ll have the chance to make another record and make it more distinctive.

This is not a bad album at all. In fact, it’s pretty good. Yeah, it’s disposable, but how much of music isn’t these days? Especially Idol music. Kristy’s songs are no less substanceless than “Crush”. Ok, Archie’s a better singer, but the main difference is that his single/ album have his NAME on them.

And looking at other Idols, even successful ones– I don’t see much music being made other than what is simply “music of the moment”. They’re not really producing any material that will be hailed as “classic” one day. Daughtry hasn’t exactly broken any artistic ground, for instance.

On to KLC’s album, it seems to really pick up between tracks #4 – 8. She has a quite a few single-worthy songs in this mix. I’m not much of a country fan, but I will recommend this CD to my sister who is.

Anyway, if Kristy can fashion some success for herself, her feat will be immensely more impressive than even that of Jordin Sparks. I think Jordin deserves credit for slowly establishing herself as an artist, with a very small beginning fanbase (relative to other Idol winners and even several non-winners). But, compared to Sparks, Kristy Lee has virtually no fanbase at all.

“its because 19 doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t get their huge cut if they are not also getting the management fees.”

This actually makes a lot of sense to me. Not that I am very knowledgable about how the music business works.

Sounds like some so-so Pop Country to me for the most part, but, it may still do well. Country is a whole other animal when it comes to idol – they tend to be more lenient about the raw talent, enbrace the kids more easily, and they do seem to give them a good shot by opening for bigger names.

I agree that those who don’t sign for that 50% cut with 19M or leave it later, are stifled promotionally by 19R. I will be interested to see if 19R is credited on Taylor’s sophomore CD. I’m not privy to specifics, but, I do know from Ruben’s camp that 19R/M has cost him a couple of deals, since he re-signed with them, because 19 kept raising what they wanted.

Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s tempting to latch on to conspiracy theories when our favorites donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t perform up to expectation, I get that.

That is exactly what this beef is about. And believe me not promoting KLC doesn’t fit in this argument at all.

abbysee Sep 13th, 2008 at 8:18 pm

Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s tempting to latch on to conspiracy theories when our favorites donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t perform up to expectation, I get that.

That is exactly what this beef is about. And believe me not promoting KLC doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t fit in this argument at all.

You might try backing up your POV a bit. Otherwise it is only an opinion. Why not share your thoughts?

I don’t want to start a civil war at MJ’s it’s unnecessary. This is a blog that allows posters to espouse their opinions at times, this is mine. I’ve been down this road, and I’ve seen these arguments and I know what camp they come from, therefore I don’t need to provide FACTS for a POV. Alot of your FACTS have been shot down by pure logic.

If you look back at all the 19E winner’s CDs and the runner ups and then compare them to the also rans of which Kristy, Kellie, and Chris are the only three that come under those categories as 19E signees, and then look at the other also rans who got record deals with other labels, I would have to say I personally like Kristy’s to rank about….3rd. The only freshman CDs that are better are Carrie’s “Some Hearts” and Chris’s “Daughtry”.

Kelly’s “Breakaway” is actually my favorite but it is her sophomore CD.I am no big fan of Country music but I have to admit that since Carrie busted out I have actually ventured into that genre with an open mind and have found that it ain’t all that bad. And if we look at the AI artists who have put out a Country CD (Josh Gracin,Carmen Rasmusen,Carrie, Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington, and Phil Stacey) Kristy Lee’s Cd is far far superior to all them but Carrie.

As for those of you who think the music is bland and generic, you may need to take a second or third listen. This CD actually does not have one weak song on it. And if you want a mild comparison just check out Kristy’s “Cowgirls” cover to the original singer of that tune Kerry Harvick (Google her).

Unfortuantely Kristy is starting out in a very hard place. She was likely the most hated contestant since Scott Savol. I never could figure that one out. Check out my full review at http://www.idolheaded.com