Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Turns out we won’t have to wait until Friday to listen to Katharine McPhee’s new album.

Billboard is streaming the entire album here.

And even if you weren’t a fan of Katharine’s last two albums, you might want to check it out.

“Hysteria” is a bit hit-and-miss, but features more standout songs than 2007’s “Katharine McPhee” or 2010’s “Unbroken.”

The title track and “Stranger than Fiction” jump to the top of my favorite Kat tracks to date. And make me wonder why “Lick My Lips” was the first single released.

“Burn” and “Feather” are catchy pop songs. And Kat sounds great on a ballad called “Round Your Little Finger.”

Judging from the Billboard piece, American Idol’s Season 5 runner-up enjoyed the album making process a bit more this time around.

“I have made records in the past, but I’ve always felt that I really didn’t get the full experience of making an artist record. I often times felt rushed for time or uninspired,” she said.

“The making of this album spans through several of the last few years of my life. I have gone through many personal ups and downs and also have been fortunate enough to have gone from one television show (‘Smash’) to another television show (‘Scorpion’) both uniquely different in style. All of these experiences have allowed me to make a record that is so personal to me and have allowed me to stretch myself in a very creative way.”