Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Editor’s Note: Regular visitors to this blog will notice a completely different look. But in transferring blogs to the new site, I’ve fallen behind on reviewing Idol music. Now I’m catching up. For capsule reviews of all the Idol CDs released in 2010, go here.

Seeing that her first two albums were pretty much commercial flops, I’m not sure the music world was clamoring for a Christmas album from American Idol season five runner-up Katharine McPhee.

The good news. Kat is back to brunette after going blonde for the release of “Unbroken” back in January. And the foldout for this CD includes a sultry, albeit out of place, closeup of Kat biting her thumb.

As for the music, we get nine covers and one original, an unremarkable tune named “It’s Not Christmas Without You” that Kat co-wrote.

When reviewing “Unbroken,” Entertainment Weekly called Kat’s voice “pleasant, but unremarkable.” That pretty much sums up this album, too. You can find better versions of these Christmas classics elsewhere.

And if you want a well-done Christmas album by an Idol alum, I’d suggest David Archuleta’s “Christmas From the Heart,” released this time last year.

Kat’s “Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You” is decidedly FDKFO — for diehard Kat fans only.

One highlight: A very tender vocal on the final track, “Who Would Imagine a King,” the song Whitney Houston sang on “The Preacher’s Wife” soundtrack.

Grade: C-

Download worthy: “Who Would Imagine a King”

Other reviews:
AllMusic.com: Gives Kat 3 stars out of 5

Katharine McPhee
Christmas is the Time
to Say I Love You

1. Have Yourself a Merry
   Little Christmas
2. Jingle Bells
3. It’s Not Christmas
   Without You
4. O Holy Night
5. Silver Bells
6. Christmas is the Time
   (to Say I Love You)
7. Medley: O Little Town of
   Bethlehem/Away in a Manger
8. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve
9. White Christmas
10. Who Would Imagine a King