from billboard

http://www.billboard.com/...id=2005755

CLAY AIKEN
Album Title: Measure of a Man
Producer(s): various
Label/Catalog Number: RCA 82876-54638
Release Date: Oct. 14
Source: Billboard Magazine
Originally Reviewed: October 25, 2003


Clay Aiken's "Measure of a Man" is the best pop album of 2003. Every song, every note is brimming with ambition and glory. Thanks to the bull's-eye A&R talents of RCA chief Clive Davis and a cast of grade-A songwriters—including Cathy Dennis, Desmond Child, Kara DioGuardi, Gary Burr, Steve Morales, Andreas Carlsson—the "American Idol" hero's debut album perfectly matches his radiantly melodramatic voice with good, old-fashioned power ballads aimed straight for the gods. Throughout, the timeless production focuses squarely on Aiken's immense talent. "Run to Me" is arguably the sweet spot, the quintessential tear-jerker, along with show-stoppers "No More Sad Songs," "I Survived You" and the title track. In another radio era, this album could be the "Thriller" of the day, spawning hit after hit. In any case, fans have plenty to celebrate. "Measure of a Man" is an utter triumph of art and commerce.—CT


thoughts?

just curious, have you even listend to the album? Unless it flat out stinks, I always give a new album a few weeks to let my opinion evolve. But there are some great songs on this album. In addition to the tracks mentioned in the review, the track Touch is outstanding.

What I've heard on radio and television have caused dry heaves and nausea. The whole honey-drenched Hallmark Greetings style of soft-rock just isn't my bag. Maybe within that genre he's brilliant, but in my admittedly very subjective opinion, I think it's just so much more saccharine disposable pap.

[i]Clay Aiken's "Measure of a Man" is the best pop album of 2003...to sit drinks on top of, makes an excellent coaster

are they talking pop as in mainstream? or pop as in pop/standard in the vein of Barry Manilow, Barbara Striesand and Perry Como?


if i wake up tomorrow and this album is the #1 of the week on billboard I will accept armagedon is here...

Damn, is it that bad?!?!

pop as in people like Justin Timberlake - and Clay's album is clearly better than his was.

It seems clear that people posting here haven't even listened to the album. If you have the iTunes Music Store, spend $0.99 and buy Touch and listen to it a few times - the sample they have on there doesn't have the guitar work that makes the song.

well, at least he can actually sing. Though I find his music (from what I've heard) to be sleep-inducing, it's a hell of a lot better than other "pop" music out there now.

And of course, half the people who've dissed clay haven't heard the album.

It's a shame that he has to be associated with American Idol--cause that's where most of the bashing comes from, no sense in reasoning or arguing, it's just like justin, no matter what he does, he'll always be hated for being with a boy band.

No one watns to say these people are good, because of their assocciations.

Janfriend said:

probably not

sosgemini said:

Unfortunately it WILL be the #1 album tomorrow in the Soundscan reports...there were many early reports from retail and Gay...OOPS...Clay is set to come in on top in the 550K-600K range...or even higher!

VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

You know he's dating Kimberly Locke right? They live together. He said on national t.v. that he's not gay. He's just effeminent

Janfriend said:

He could be covering up for the labels sake...I always said that Kim Locke makes a great 'faghag'...I wanna hang out with her!

It's not so much that he's effeminent...it's everything about him...makes my 'GayDar' tick like you would not believe...(and it is NOT wishful thinking!)

Anyway..that's just my thoughts on it...I don't mean to ruffle any feathers...I think he has a great voice...and from what I hear..is a really nice guy!

VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

Oh, I was sooo sure that he was gay, but my point was there are straight guys out there who are feminine and they get labled as gay real quick. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt...him and Macualey Culkin

Janfriend said:

I agree with you as far as quick-labeling...and the generalization that every effeminent man is gay...I do NOT agree with that at all...it's bullshit if you ask me...

But, Honey I gave him the benefit of the doubt until I saw him do that 'Grease' performance towards the end of the competition. LOL...3 of my friends called me up at virtually the same time with "Giiirrrlll! Did you see Clay?!"

LOL...anyway...whateva he is he is...just as long as he's true to himself! and to hell with the world!

alandail said:

Where's Reuben? Didn't he win?


And whatever happened to that no talent jarhead hick, Josh Jockstrap?

JohnnyTheFox said:

I think Ruben's album comes out in December 9th
[This message was edited Tue Oct 21 23:13:08 PDT 2003 by Janfriend]

No, I haven't heard his album all the way through. You know what? I don't need to. Everywhere I go, this clown is being marketed to me. On the web. On the street. On television. On radio. There is no escape. I don't think I'm missing the nuanced secret of his mass appeal, because it's being marketed to me from every which direction and aimed toward every orifice in my body.

Yet I still have absolutely no interest in buying the man's album.

Meanwhile, other artists can come on the scene, and simply by virtue of hearing about their sound or reading a particularly interesting interview, I'll be interested in picking up their music. They didn't need to win a TV game show or release singles to be sold at my local drugstore. They just need to be original and fresh...two things Clay is, at this point, NOT.

To all you "Claymates" (eww!) on the Org, I challenge you to dredge this thread up in two years and discuss where he is and where your love for him is. He will either a) have gone through a complete image overhaul a la George Michael (remember the difference between "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "I Want Your Sex"?), or b) have completely disappeared into a world of infomercials and mysterious bouts of "exhaustion".

Case in point: what's going on with Kelly Clarkson? After that "brilliant" movie (ho ho ho), she kinda shrivelled up as a modern pop culture personality.

Eventually the concept of a game show contestant pop star is going to go miserably out of fashion, and the Clays and Kellys of the here and now will go the way of the pet rock and parachute pants, like it or not.





American Idle Edit
[This message was edited Tue Oct 21 23:44:23 PDT 2003 by Anxiety]

Janfriend said:

Please tell me you're kidding??? He CAN'T be dating Kimberly. She's way too fine for his little scrawny ass!!! She was supposed to be mine, dammit!!! LOL!

Anxiety said:

Half way through the second show, it was clear to me a that Clay was the only one from either show that would have an actual career.

On a different board, people argued with me - saying there's no way he'd outsell Kelly because she had the hype of being the first winner. That's irrelevant because Clay can actually sing. Look what happened, not only did he outsell her, he had the highest selling single since Elton John's Princess Diana tribute.

Being on the show is a double edged sword for Clay. Had he not been on the show, he never would have even gotten a chance to record because he looks too geeky in an industry that values style over substance. On the other hand, it'll take quite a while for him to get past the the negative bias of having been on American Idol.

my random thoughts...

1-the review surprises me as it's THE ONLY good review I've read out of 5...

2-Clay's QUEER, deal with it. Him being straight is as laughable as George Michael claiming he was straight. Please he's playing the game...

3-I think Clay's cute

4-I hope he has a good career, but I want him to move out of pop into the theater world. He has the voice for that.

just my two cents:


Clay can sing, he has a good solid voice but this cd sucks. You are only good as the songs you choose to sing. He should have taken his time and found some good, well written songs. I guess he was just trying to beat Ruben to a street date. There are two that are worth releasing as singles but the rest is embarrassing, even for pop standards. I'm sure it will sell like crazy the first week (a la Da Band) but this one is just for the Clay fanatics.

.
[This message was edited Wed Oct 22 7:35:16 PDT 2003 by jthad1129]

endorphin74 said:

REALLY? Clay cute? Ashton Kutcher is cute! Clay reminds me of a white Tevin Campbel
Clay's new cd sold 600k and obviously is number 1 this week
the end is near lol
[This message was edited Wed Oct 22 8:14:59 PDT 2003 by twink69]

endorphin74 said:

EVERYone from American Idol has good musical theatre chops...but they're NOT the stuff of pop stars! Even someone as technically talentless as Britney Spears makes for a good pop star because she can work the hype and performance angle - these freshly scrubbed Junior Mint American Idol drones could rock a community theatre version of 'Guys and Dolls', but they have absolutely no idea how to provoke an audience, and that kind of iconic star quality isn't even a factor for that show.

And as for Clay's alleged heterosexuality, I remember BOY GEORGE saying he had a girlfriend back in the day. BOY GEORGE!!!

Meanwhile, it's common knowledge that Clay was no stranger to the Gay.com chatrooms.

Don't believe everything that gets spun to the media...

Anxiety said:

i used to hang out in them there rooms...