SOUND CHECK.KATHARINE McPHEE: ``Katharine McPhee'' (RCA See RCA connector and video/TV history. ) - Two stars By allowing herself to be packaged to look like an escapee escapee A popular term for older relatives of those at risk for Huntington's disease, who didn't develop the disease. See Huntington's disease. from the Victoria's Secret catalog first and a singer second, McPhee could be naively setting herself up for a career of sitcom and county-fair cameos. This instantly dated set of cooing pop-r&b cliches, computer-edited to within an inch of its life, badly lacks the goofball goof·ball or goof ball n. A barbiturate or tranquilizer in the form of a pill, especially when taken for nonmedical purposes. charm that made Kat a household favorite last season on ``American Idol.'' The problem here is McPhee doesn't yet know what sort of music she does best. So, a committee's cynical idea of what ``the kids'' want to hear leaves the Sherman Oaks-raised beauty sounding like a guest wandering through her own album. Some tracks, though, like the standard-issue ``Love Story'' and ``Over It'' are passable pass·a·ble adj. 1. That can be passed, traversed, or crossed; navigable: a passable road. 2. Acceptable for general circulation: passable currency. 3. confections, but most others are just heaping spoonfuls of frozen treacle treacle: see molasses. . Time to clean house, Kat. -- Fred Shuster LILY ALLEN: ``Alright, Still'' (Capital) - Four stars You get the feeling you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of this 21-year-old Brit, but listening to Allen's debut album will make you smile even as she's telling you to ---- off. ``Smile'' just happens to be the title of one of her songs, an infectious pop-friendly ditty dit·ty n. pl. dit·ties A simple song. [Middle English dite, a literary composition, from Old French dite, from Latin dict that revels in the pain of a cheating ex-boyfriend. While Allen sugarcoats the music -- a bit of calypso Calypso, in Greek mythology Calypso (kəlĭp`sō), nymph, daughter of Atlas, in Homer's Odyssey. She lived on the island of Ogygia and there entertained Odysseus for seven years. here (``LDN''), reggae and ska everywhere, hip-hop and even a little oom-pah-pah (``Alfie'') -- she's the kind of girl who will say anything on her mind and that can be nasty, cheeky, ironic, vindictive. The breezy ``LDN'' is a perfectly classic summer tune about tooling around London with its catchy chorus of ``Sun is in the sky/ why would I want to be anywhere else?'' But the rest of the lyrics talk about seeing a ``pimp and his crack whore'' and an old lady getting mugged. Not exactly ``Good Vibrations.'' Known as ``the queen of myspace'' because of her blog and fans, Allen has funny takes on lame bar pickup attempts (``Knock 'em Out''), more digs on an ex-boyfriend in ``Not Big'' (you know what she's referring to), and unsolicited advice from those who think they're older and wiser in ``Take What You Take,'' which is a bit more anthemish than her other songs. Allen succeeds better with the irony of ``Everything's Just Wonderful,'' and she even shows a softer side in ``Littlest Things,'' about the end of a relationship. A lot of praise has already been heaped on Allen -- this CD was out in Britain last summer -- and she deserves them. Besides, I wouldn't want to get her mad. -- Rob Lowman KENNY & AMANDA SMITH BAND: ``Tell Someone'' (Rebel) - Three and one half stars This bluegrass bluegrass, any species of the large and widely distributed genus Poa, chiefly range and pasture grasses of economic importance in temperate and cool regions. In general, bluegrasses are perennial with fine-leaved foliage that is bluish green in some species. couple and their tight little band have finally made the gospel album that acts of God (literally; there was a fatal tractor accident) tried to delay. The result is marked by Amanda's clear, rich, Alison Krauss-like singing and an energized fundamentalist fervor. Indeed, there are so many references to Christ's blood that it sometimes sounds like the whole thing was inspired by ``The Passion of the Christ'' -- only much sweeter. Hear them live at the Supergrass supergrass Noun Brit, Austral & NZ an informer who names a large number of people as terrorists or criminals, esp. one who gives this information in order to avoid being put on trial Noun 1. Festival in Bakersfield this Saturday and Sunday. -- Bob Strauss TONY DeSARE: ``Last First Kiss'' (Telarc) - Three and one half stars Among contemporary jazz singers, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of vocalist/pianist DeSare has left the Buble/Cincotti/Cullum triumvirate Triumvirate (trīŭm`vĭrĭt, –vĭrāt'), in ancient Rome, ruling board or commission of three men. Triumvirates were common in the Roman republic. behind. Despite some deep-rooted Sinatra-isms, his is a distinct musical package as evidenced on a second album that sparkles with updates of standards and interpretations of modern hits. Playing very credible piano on more than half the tracks, DeSare makes such familiar songs as ``Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You'' and ``How Deep Is the Ocean?'' his own while transforming Prince's ``Kiss'' into a slow, organ-driven shuffle. Even better is a brooding remake of Carole King's normally upbeat ``I Feel the Earth Move.'' A fine album is lifted further by the always dependable rhythm guitar of Bucky Pizzarelli. See DeSare on Thursday at Catalina's in Hollywood.-- Steven Rosenberg CAPTION(S): 6 photos Photo: (1) no caption (Katharine McPhee) (2) no caption (Lily Allen (3 -- 6) no caption (CD covers) |
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