Paul McDonald “Counting Stars” First Listen (Audio)

By On 09/10/2012 · 20 Comments · In American Idol, Paul McDonald

Share on TumblrShare via email

Season 10 American Idol, Paul McDonald, begins his recurring role on Parenthood this Tuesday, and Reality Rocks has the exclusive premiere of the song he’ll sing on the NBC hour-long drama.

“Counting Stars”, a pretty piano ballad, is the first track off the long-overdue post-Idol album the indie rocker has been working on.

“I’m off to Nashville to record the full-length the next two months–with real musicians and some folks from my old band [the Grand Magnolias],” Paul told Yahoo Music. “It will hopefully give it a cooler vibe. Writing in L.A. was a much different approach than my norm, mostly drum sounds on computers and crazy programs–which are cool, but I think I prefer the way it was done back in the day, with a bunch of dudes in a room playing music with real instruments. It’s more fun that way, at least.”

I’m sure his wife, Twilight actress Nikki Reed, will be right by his side.

Via Yahoo Music Reality Rocks

Listen

Tagged with:
 
  • http://twitter.com/mcdeallover Sunny Mc

    MJ I think your twitter got hacked.

  • thirdtime

    Hmmm…I’m kind of indifferent to the song.  Don’t really like it or dislike it.  But I love the show Parenthood so I can’t wait to see Paul on there!

    Oh wow…just saw he’s going to Nashville for the next two months to record – that’s where James is. Maybe they can get together for a visit.

  • Pat S

    Paul needed to turn down the quirky in his voice. Not completely, but some. I can barely understand the words he’s singing in the verses. He needs to go back to that soft vulnerability he showed on “Blackbird” with Kendra. He also should avoid full on belting. He needs to go more folky than this. I like Paul’s voice and style but I can’t say I’m digging this. Sorry Paulie.

  • DB987

    I like Paul and his quirkly little voice but I think he is doing too much quirky not enough voice on this song. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6709126 Zoey Giesberg

    Ugh, where can I download this???

  • fuzzywuzzy

    Well, at least he’s not croaking out songs anymore. lol

  • girlygirltoo

    This song is a little bland for what I’d expect from Paul. But I’m glad to hear he’s finally focusing on recording an album — I was tired of seeing all those pap pictures of him with his wife, he was starting to turn into “Mr. Nikki Reed”.

  • http://www.facebook.com/maria.romeo.900 Maria Romeo

    i forgot about his goofy voice hehe, and i mean that in a good way!

  • abbysee

    I like it. Not jumping up and down but what I like about his voice is that I’d know it anywhere. In this cookie cutter world that’s something.

  • Pippygirl

    Is this what he sounded like on the show? I was taken aback when the vocals began! Not sure about this one but it might grow on me.

  • chillj

    I kind of like the song, but,  those vocals sound seriously altered.  I didn’t initially recognize him; they took away the husky and replaced it with ?.

  • brightones

    Nikki Reed @NikkiReed_I_Am
    By the end of the year! Hopefully Nov!“@NikkiReedFansUK: @NikkiReed_I_Am any idea as to when @thePaulMcDonald will be releasing an album?”

  • wordnerdarchie

    He was diagnosed with vocal nodes on the show.  I think he’s had those taken care of.

  • girlygirltoo

    That doesn’t jibe with what Paul himself says in the Yahoo! interview, though, which is that he is going off to Nashville to record for the next 2 months. If he hasn’t even started recording yet, and he plans to record for 2 months, there’s pretty much no way the album will be out in November. Even getting it out by the end of the year would be pushing it, although that is doable.

    He isn’t signed to any label, right? So I assume he is self-releasing this?

  • Caro3278sweet

    Well, you have to admit, McDonald has a distinctive voice. 

    Not a compliment.

  • angiedb

    I really like this! I was a big Paul fan on AI and have been watching him since. I loved the song he did with his wife. Looking forward to hearing more! 

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/57KPQ4K7HIGPGR7PDW333QMZJQ Steppen

    Sounds like a good song for a TV drama. Good exposure for Paul! Glad he’s getting back to what he loves – music, while leveraging his wife’s connection. 

  • overthetop1

    This song would be better with a better singer. I like Paul; maybe he’s a good actor. But there are so many singers who are better.

  • DragonFly

    Like it a lot!  The background music is so refreshingly different again than most songs being shoved down our throats today.  Hope he doesn’t mind the Rod Stewart comparison again like suggested on the show.  Very much like the piano going on there too.  Nice…. for me!

  • teekee

    I like it. Agree that it’s nice hearing something about Paul, that’s about his career.