Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Reviews are pouring in for Crystal Bowersox’s debut album, and they’re surprisingly mixed.

Yesterday, I dubbed it the best Idol debut yet from a finalist. And I’ll stand by that.

Crystal is far from the most commercial Idol finalist. Yet she avoided a fate that has befallen several similar finalists: Idol attempts to make them more commercial, and their identity is lost in the process.

Crystal’s identity is all over “Farmer’s Daughter.” And check out this interview with MTV, which explores her successful push to release the title track as the first single rather than the much safer “Hold On.”

But enough of what I have to say about the album. Here are links to other reviews, both good and not so good.

New York Daily News: Crystal gets 2 out of 5 stars from a reviewer who says there’s “a bar-band mediocrity to her melodies.”

The Chicago Tribune: Crystal gets 3 out of 4 stars from a reviewer who agrees — it’s among the best of Idol debuts.

Chicago Sun-Times: Crystal gets 2.5 stars from a reviewer who writes that “her famed gutsy voice receives its deserved showcase, but it also wears after a while.”

AllMusic.com: Crystal gets 2.5 stars out of 5 from a reviewer who thinks 19 should have played a bigger role in the crafting of the album.

Entertainment Weekly:  Crystal gets a C from a reviewer who writes that “if Farmer’s Daughter feels like one of the most genuine Idol-contestant debuts yet, it’s also one of the dullest.”

Dallas Morning News: Crystal gets a B+ from a reviewer who says her “explosive, expressive voice commands your attention.”