If you’re a fan of American Idol contestant Taylor Hicks — the guy with the salt-and-pepper hair who seems to be trying to channel Ray Charles — you don’t have to wait till the mens’ semifinals on Wednesday to hear him. AOL’s TV Squad has a link to WBHM, an Alabama NPR station that’s featuring three tracks from Hicks’ CD, Under the Radar, which appears to be a self-released affair. ”Hell of a Day” isn’t half bad, but to my ears, ”Soul Thing” and ”Heart and Soul” are no better than middling. As far as blues-tinged Idol pop goes, in fact, I much prefer Season 4 reject Judd Harris’ band, Visible From Space.
How about you? Are you digging Hicks’ music, and more importantly, will you be rooting for him on Idol?
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I, for one, don’t get the appeal of Taylor Hicks. His epileptic delivery makes it hard for me to pay any attention to his actual singing. I will stick with Chris as my favorite guy so far. I also want to say thanks for the link to Judd Harris’ band. I was really bummed last season when he was eliminated in the semi-finals so it’s great to hear he is making music.
Is anybody buying for a second that this guy is 28? He looks like he could be my dad… and I am 27.
Finally, real talent
Does anyone remember Joe Cocker? This guy is actually talented. I have no idea why he’s even on American Idol. The contestants on this over-hyped reality show, are VERY, and have always been, middling and average. My friend told me to watch because of this guy. I hope he doesn’t win, I hope he gets his own record deal, and plays the next Woodstock. Rock rules, Pop sucks!
This guy plays at the Florabama, home of the interstate mullett toss. That’s all I need to know for him to get my vote.
I think He is just absoultly great! UNIQUE and wonderful! His sound is very differnt from the “clones” of everyday stars! He is one of my top fav’s!!!! Keep singing!!!!
I liked Taylor when he first audition, but his histrionic way of singing in the Hollywood round and in that scene when they told him he was Final 24 just grated on me. He needs to stick to singing and stop schticking, cause he is talented. No more Ray Charles impersonations, please. It’s bad enough we have to endure it every time Jamie Foxx shows up somewhere.
Does it seem like a disproportionate number of American Idol contestants are religious? It seems like every season, half of the people say the first person they would thank if they won would be God. I can’t imagine that’s a representative sample of young Americans’ feelings.
Looking at Taylor Hicks and the hair makes me think of Holden from Catcher in the Rye.
I’m 31 but look 25…he’s 28 but looks 38… maybe I should’ve tried to get around the rules and auditioned this year. Regardless, the guy’s got a heck of a voice.
I like him better than the Frank Sinatra wanna-be dude – although because he is young and (supposedly) cute, he will probably go further in the competition than Taylor.
Ryan and Heather are right: Taylor is unique. He reminded me immediately of Joe Cocker. Taylor is one of the few contestants who will do well if he does or doesn’t win the competition.
Taylor has got to go. He is not an American Idol. He is a pretentious, pathetic Joe Cocker impersonator. His singing style is more painfully affected than Jessica Simpson’s. If this passes for “originality” and “talent,” God help us all.
This guy is amazing, but if he makes it to the final show he won’t win. Her is not the “American Idol” standard. However, I would download his music anyway. We need a young Joe Cocker or Van Morrison.
I don’t get him but he will be fun to watch on Showtune Night, Disco Night and Barry Manilow Night. He just doesn’t have the chops, outside of his genre.
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