Search - Clay Aiken :: A Thousand Different Ways

Nedda H. (ladytotempole) from BLAIRSVILLE, GA
Reviewed on 3/22/2011...

Great CD, and great artist. Can't believe I never listened to him before.
What talent this young man has.

Pamela G. (blessed1) from WHEELER, TX
Reviewed on 4/30/2007...

Very nice! He does some of the old songs very well.

Carol S. from PARADISE, CA
Reviewed on 3/6/2007...

Smooooooth!

WOW! Just .... WOW!

30000Sunsets | 09/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a Clay fan, I know Clay has the ability to take a cover song and make it his own, as evidenced by his Jukebox Tour summer of 2005. But, I had a few concerns when I saw the covers selected for the album. The 30 second clips I heard first were OK. Of the 10 covers, I could hear a "retooling" in maybe half of hem -- and I loved the preview of the 4 new songs. But, when I first heard the full tracks when they became available via ClearChannel -- GOODNESS!! They were SO much better than the 30 second clips. I adore every one of the 14 tracks, but here are my favorites.



Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting" -- this song is much better than the original. I liked the original OK, but it just seemed to drag a bit. This retooled version holds the listener's interest and moves forward much better.



Harry Nilsson's "Without You" -- this is a perfect song for Clay. It really showcases his amazing voice and contains both the tenderness and huge glory notes that Clay can sing like no other.



Bryan Adams "Everything I Do" -- this is ~totally~ reworked and has a kind of celtic flair throughout. Georgous!



Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again" -- this was a concern for me, but he knocks it OUT OF THE PARK (those low notes; how DOES he do that?? Especially when coming from a higher register??)



Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me" -- it is a bit faster with a stronger percussive beat that makes me like it so much more than the Celine Dion version.



Mr. Mister's "Broken Wings" -- the first time I heard it, I was kind of like "OK, it's not bad", but the more I listen, the more I like; I'm now addicted to the song. The poetic voice strung throughout was a bit of a distraction at first, but now I can't imagine Clay's version without it. And, pay special attention to the very last line. It explains why this beautiful track is last.



Elton John's "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" -- this is another one that surprised me, as it is so very different from Elton's version. Clay sings it with such emotion, and the phrasing and falsetto he uses in the "sad sad situation" parts gives me chills (in a very GOOD way!)



The new songs:



"A Thousand Days" -- fans who attended the JBT last summer are familiar with this song. This studio version is quite good; they came very, very close to capturing Clay's "live performance" intensity.



"These Open Arms" (written by Bon Jovi and Desmond Childs) -- this song was not a favorite based on the 30 second clip. But again, when I finally heard the whole track, it is a really, really good song. Some of the lyrics make me think it was custom-written for Clay, but I don't believe that's the case.



"Everything I Have" (featuring William Joseph on the piano, who opened for Clay during his holday "Joyful Noise Tour 2005") -- this song is so very tender. It is a very quiet song -- no big glory notes, no big instrumentation. Basically an acoustic version that truly showcases Clay's amazing vocal talent.



"Lonely No More" (co-written by Clay) -- This song is quickly becoming a favorite. I can't explain why, exactly, but I do find myself humming it while doing other tasks. It's got a nice hook that pulls you in.



While I relly liked "Measure of a Man", this album is far superior to that; it is a masterpiece. The cover songs chosen really do showcase Clay's wonderful voice, and demonstrates Clay's ability to take VERY different songs, make them his own, and make one forget what the original sounded like (much like he did for "Bridge Over Troubled Water"). I can see this album becoming a classic. At least it will be for me. I can imagine myself listening to it decades from now.



I am so thankful Clay has entered the entertainment world. A voice as pure and wonderful as his does not come around often, and it truly needs to be shared. And, he is such a wonderful celebrity role model for my children. He proves that nice guys can indeed prevail.



"

The disappointment of others was my good luck...

Steven Haarala | Mandeville, LA USA | 10/01/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I noticed that a lot of people seem let down because Clay Aiken released an album of covers. But in my case, it's a good thing he did, or I wouldn't have bought his CD, and you wouldn't be reading this now. The familiar songs were what made me take notice of him. (I don't watch "American Idol".) Frankly, I hadn't expected much, but before I bought it I listened to the samples one by one, and I found myself amazed to be liking them. Clay's voice is practically perfect technically, and it is really fervent and uplifting. And I like the breathy quality, because it makes his delivery very intimate. So, how do his vocals and arrangements compare to the originals? Well, I like the added muscle in the arrangement of "Right Here Waiting", and I would say the same for "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word". As for "Without You", without a doubt it is very similar to Mariah's, but it is still gorgeous, and I can see no reason why both versions can't co-exist in the world of love Clay is trying to bring to us. I feel the same about "I Want To Know What Love Is". On "When I See You Smile", I actually prefer his vocal over the original. He sings "Because You Loved Me" in a more straightforward manner than Celine did, so the lyrics and their message reach me more easily. And his smoother version of "Here You Come Again" makes it a very different interpretation from Dolly Parton's. I want to add that in no way am I trying to belittle the other artists' versions of these great songs. I'm just saying that they sound different in Clay's hands, and there's nothing wrong with variety. My reaction to the 4 new songs isn't as immediate as to the covers, but I think I like "Everything I Have" the best of the 4. All in all, Clay has a beautiful voice, he does a terrific job, and I say, "You go, Clay, with your bad self!""