Singles and Love Songs Reviews

[tracylee]

OK, now that our Amazon.com orders have arrived or we've all rushed out to the store to buy these, what does everyone think? I've seen opinions on other threads but I thought it'd be nice to have them in one thread. Since these were mixed in the studio and are not exactly what was performed on the show, let's review just the CDs, please.

[srs_in_Oregon]

i loved loved loved TITN...i could listen to that song forever and ever and ever! BOTW grows on you after listening to it the second time. The first time it is kinda dissapointing because were so used to hearing clays beautiful voice..but it really is sweet 5 stars

[ruvin]

Clays singles are excellent!! (havent heard Rubens but Im sure they are good) This Is The Night is even better then the live version (if thats possible!). Correct me if I am wrong anyone but I seem to remember Elvis doing a gospel version (somewhat like Clays version) of Bridge Over Troubled Water. I know we will be dating ourselves but does anyone else remember that?

[clay crazy]

Originally posted by ruvin
Clays singles are excellent!! (havent heard Rubens but Im sure they are good) This Is The Night is even better then the live version (if thats possible!). Correct me if I am wrong anyone but I seem to remember Elvis doing a gospel version (somewhat like Clays version) of Bridge Over Troubled Water. I know we will be dating ourselves but does anyone else remember that?

I don't think I've heard an Elvis version of BOTW. As far as the Clay/Ruben's singles go, I haven't heard Ruben's (neither of them seem to be getting any airplay in my area) but some of the Clay fans who've heard both seem to feel Ruben's may have been produced more carefully. My feeling on Clay's are that they both are good, but could have been better. On BOTW, I think they could have balanced things out a bit more. The choir and background music overpower his voice in spots. The final note to me doesn't have the same punch and impact as it did on AI, because it blends in too much with the choir and seems cut off sooner than when he did it live. I think TITN sounds like they did a better job producing, but he sounds just a tad weak on the final note. I know that must be a hard note for him. I just feel like they rushed to get this single out.

To Ruvin:

[RubenFan#205]

Flying Without Wings
SuperStar

[Boredom]

ruben_of_205, i do believe your wrong. It's more like

Superstar

FWOW

[drkim]

This is the Night is very good. Clay sounds really good on this track. Bridge over troubled Waters is good - yes the choir is too loud in places. It sounds more like a choir singing with a soloist, rather than a solo male artist with background vocals.

However the production quality is just OK. Also I think the musical background on both is rather karioke (sp?)

[TB25]

Clay

BOTW - Overall it was great, but the choir can be a little bit too loud at times. Well, hey, I liked it.

TITN - I love this song. It's gets better each time I hear it. I can see this as a song that I wouldn't get tired of.

Ruben

FWW - This song doesn't do anything for me, so I tend not to listen to it when my sister puts it on.

Superstar - Excellent, excellent. I also really liked this song. I think he possibly did better with this than he did on the show. The better of the two songs, IMO.

[korndog]

I think Clay is better than either of those 2 singles. Sure BOTW is a fabulous song but this version is so overproduced. And FWW... sorry guys but the song is boring. Clay could do much better. I can think of at least 5 songs from the AI show that I think would showcase him more.

[abrahammy]

I am about to say something unpopular.

Ruben SOUNDS great on Superstar. He's smooth, he's expressive, his voice is at its rich, melodic best. He's singing a gorgeous love song to a lost love.

Except... that this song is not a gorgeous love song to a lost love. It's a really melancholy, grim commentary on how rock stars use their groupies and toss them aside. The speaker in the song is kind of pathetic - and I don't think a cheerfully smiling soulful *man* expresses what is really happening in this song well at all. The whole thing skeeves me out. It's one of three songs Ruben has sung that I don't think he shows even the slightest sign of comprehending; the other two were "Imagine" and "Sweet Home Alabama."

Ruben sounds gorgeous. Please tell me, in the overwhelming wealth of R&B standards out there, there are sufficient songs suitable to Ruben Studdard that he doesn't have to pretend to be a lovesick discarded groupie.