Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Little doubt, Tim Urban is smiling right now.

After all, he smiled through some pretty brutal critiques on American Idol.

So there’s no reason not to smile now that he’s among the first season nine finalists to release new music, especially since he wasn’t supposed to be in the Idol finals in the first place.

In case you don’t remember, Tim only made it past Hollywood because Chris Golightly was disqualified from the competition.

Given a second chance, the 21-year-old from Duncanville, Texas, made the most of it, advancing past the semifinals, making it to the big stage, qualifying for the Idol summer tour and eventually finishing seventh.

Now he’s released a six-track EP entitled “Heart of Me,” available via iTunes. The songs were released one per day over the course of the past week.

Without the backing of a major label, it’s doubtful you’re going to be driving down the highway listening to those songs on Top 40 radio.

But one of the songs — “P.S.” — sounds radio ready. Quite catchy. even if the lyrics seldom rise above cliche. (“You’re the reason the smile / sits on my face/ you’re the reason I can be happy / on the rainiest of days.”)

“Blur” is the rocker of this bunch — well, as rocker-ish as Tim gets — and has grown on me with repeated listens.

My biggest gripe with the EP comes on a tune called “Lullaby.” The version on Tim’s MySpace is beautiful in its simplicity.

The version on the EP sounds like something you’d hear in an elevator, with a few extra “ahh, ahh, ahhs” and too much musical clutter thrown in.

About as wise as singing “Under My Thumb” raggae style.

But you know what?

Tim Urban fans are also likely smiling right now.

Because the music he just released is more his style than what he wound up singing on Idol — music that shows promise and allows a very pleasant voice to shine through.

Download worthy: “P.S.” and “Blur”

Grade: C

Tim Urban
“Heart of Me”
1. Blur
2. Heart of Me
3. Wheels Touch Down
4. I and You
5. P.S.
6. Lullaby