CD review: Elliott Yamin, “Fight for Love”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Pop
Elliott Yamin “Fight for Love” (Hickory Records)
Former “American Idol” contestant Elliott Yamin croons about loving, leaving and crying on the uncommitted, carefully calculated and unremarkable follow-up to his self-titled 2007 debut album.
“Fight for Love” practically serves as a 12-track standard bearer for what’s wrong with the music industry and the reality TV method of talent scouting. The album boasts unimaginative, mediocre songs penned by committee (only one track has fewer than three co-writers), lackluster production values and a performer who doesn’t have the star power to overcome these deficits.
Yamin, second runner-up on the fifth season of “Idol,” possesses a decent if not particularly distinctive voice, but he doesn’t deliver the love songs with any real charisma or emotion. The musicians don’t distinguish themselves, either.
The songs are sappy adult-contemporary ballads with snappy hip-hop beats and a bit of neo-soul affectation. They have been precisely crafted to fit as many chart categories as possible. And they are so homogenized that if the three-second pauses between them were removed, it would be difficult to tell where one ended and another began.
The standout track happens to be the only one that really stands out. “Cold Heart” ventures into old-school territory, offering a funkified Motown vibe and letting Yamin sound as if he’s actually, gasp, having fun.
- BAM
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Comments
HI, I’m a great friend of Elliott Yamin’s and I think this CD Review: Elliott Yamin “Fight For Love” is very bad! It says he doesn’t deliver the love songs with any real charisma or emotion. Elliott always sings with charisma and emotion! Elliott always sings from the heart! Elliott can sing anything! Elliott always has brillant charisma and emotion! If you have never seen Elliott in person or live in concert then you really don’t know what kind of singer he is and to say the songs are sappy is very wrong because every song on the album is brillant! Each song is unique in there own way and Elliott makes each song his own! No song on the album sounds the same! The only part that is true is about “Cold Heart” ventures into old-school territory, offering a funkified Motown vibe! Cold Heart is writen by Elliott Yamin! Yes this is a great song just like all the other songs on the album! Where you got your CD Review I will never know. Elliott is one of the most brillant singers in todays music! “Fight For Love” album has all the makings of a #1 album! Elliott’s two Music Videos “Fight For Love” & “Say You” are also brillant Music Videos! Elliott Yamin is our one and only original Funky White Boy and will be forever! Elliott is a VOCAL MASTERCLASS!!! As Paula Abdul said Elliott this is what this compitition is all about you are an American Idol!!!
I totally disagree with the writer’s assessment of Elliott Yamin’s sophomore CD “Fight For Love”. I hear raw emotion in his music, and love how he turns a phrase in his interpretation of the songs. Unfortunately, no one will read these comments, but will judge his music based on your unflattering opinion. It’s like you and I listened to totally different tracks. It’s all relative I suppose. I LOVE Elliott Yamin’s voice and music, and hope other’s take the opportunity to judge for themselves.
brandy, i must conclude that you reviewed this album because the regular reviewer was on vacation. i have no idea what your daytime job is, but i hope you have more experience there, than at this. most reviews of this cd have very positive. you are entitled to your opinion, but i have to disagree with you. this young man has a terrific voice, and you can feel his heart in the lyrics. please give this cd another listen, and try to imagine that you’re in love!!!!!or had your heart broken!!!!!
Interesting read, but way off the mark. What this article proves is your inexperience in music reviews. Quite frankly, I believe if I looked around the internet your article would serve up various quotes from others. If you think this is what is wrong with the music business, I would suggest you listen to top 40 radio more. That will explain what is wrong….only a few artists with big backing getting music played. While maybe this CD is not your cup of tea, but it deserves far better than what you have said about it. I would suggest read up at billboard to see what they have to say. What this CD lacks is the radio airplay it deserves to showcase Elliott Yamin’s incredible talent to people who love his kind of music.
disagree: Elliott Yamin has a really cool voice, distinctive. Agree: guy needs to get some good stuff to sing.
(While giggling):Hmmm, I wonder if this Brandy is, well, drunk with brandy? Or has she listened to the CD at all? Or is she from another planet whose inhabitants don’t have a sense for music? Yamin singing without emotion? What’s that? She must be a deaf-mute, masquerading as a know-it-all.