Intro

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From your first performance to your last, you're simply the best! Thanks for all the great memories, Haley.

Peace & Love,
Your adoring fans

Thursday, May 24, 2012

It's a 'blast from the past,' so Listen Up!

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'This one's mine. Mine, all mine!'

Greetings Haliens, it's been a while.  Like many of you, I've been waiting impatiently for my pre-ordered copy of 'Listen Up!' to arrive.  It finally did on Tuesday and I took the time to give it a few rotations (or 'listen ups!') before I write this.  And my verdict is....... this album is groovy, baby!  More Amy Winehouse and Duffy than Adele, the 14 tracks on this deluxe edition CD gave us a pretty good feel of what type of artist Haley aspires to be.  There's the funky R&B grooves of "Follow Me," "Keep Coming Back," and "Oh My!" featuring B.o.B. (what's an album without a hip-hop collaboration nowadays, right?).  There's also the distinctive Motown sound of The Supremes in songs like "Hit the Ground Runnin'," "Wasted Tears" and "Wonderland."  There are mid-tempo ballads like "Free" and "Undone," and a power ballad in "Spiderweb."  We even hear Haley the Disco Queen in "What You Don't Know" and Haley the laid back Cali surfer girl in the happy-go-lucky "Let's Run Away," which brings to mind the styles of Colbie Caillat and Jack Johnson, not to mention a bit of Bob Marley too.  But among my favorites are the retro '60s and '70s funky soul of 'Walking on Heaven,' 'Liar' and 'Now That You're Here,' which mark Haley as the Dusty Springfield of her generation.

Without Randy and JLo to judge her, Haley isn't trying to impress anyone with her vocal chops here and you won't hear much of her trademark growl in this release.   What you will hear, however, is Haley's crystalline, beautiful vibrato in each and every song, and a good sprinkling of jazz in songs like "Wonderland," "Spiderweb" and "Walking on Heaven."  Likely I'll find jazz in some of the others songs after a few more listens.  'Listen Up!' is sheer retro-cool aural delight, plain and simple.

Then there's the proverbial icing-on-the-cake, a personally autographed (not reproduced) booklet of 14 full-color postcards featuring our favorite American Idol (see picture).  The photos of Haley in the album show us just how much of an 'old skool' throwback fun-lovin' gal Haley is, and a gorgeous one at that.  You can bet your bottom dollar I won't be sending any of these postcards.  If you did not order the deluxe edition CD (now available exclusively from Walmart at $11.88 sans postcard booklet), you missed out on a real treat.

Lastly, let me congratulate Phillip Phillips for taking the crown on Season 11 of American Idol last night, even though I was pulling for San Diego native Jessica Sanchez.  Though I found this season more lackluster than the previous one overall, I have to admit America got it right for once with Phillip and Jessica at the top 2 spots.  Jessica is a true diva in the making with her powerhouse voice, and it is unfortunate that a girl hasn't won the top spot since Jordin Sparks in Season 6 thanks to the demographics of Idol voters, but I have no problem with Phillip winning at all.  He's a bit of a throwback folk-alt rocker himself, with a bit of a gravelly voice like Haley's.  He kinda looks like a young Norm MacDonald with the voice of John Mayer, whom I had the pleasure to see at the Greek Theatre (Mayer that is) some years ago.

Until next time, fellow Haliens, whenever that is.

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