Jump to content

#57: Oh yeah, he really is just. that. good.


ldyjocelyn

Thread Title  

40 members have voted

  1. 1. What should be the next thread title at FCA?

    • My, my, my...my boyfriend is making me feel all cougarish and slinky and growly
      1
    • I'd better hold on to my fedora cos I ain't seen nothing yet!
      0
    • He exhilarates me!
      0
    • Unremitting Fangirl reporting for duty. I'm easy and I'm proud of it!
      1
    • The man is made of awesome.
      25
    • Clay Aiken can still curl my toes.
      8
    • Clay Aiken = happy sigh
      4
    • I'm a satisfied Clay fan.
      1


Recommended Posts

YAY! Pink Armchair has her review posted this morning. Someone wrote that it was posted at CC (and I don't even know what CC is, duh!):

Well, I don't know if it will make anyone feel better, but right now, listening to probably the most gorgeous album my ears have ever been treated to in my entire life (and that's saying something for someone who is a musician and works for a classical radio station), I seem to be incapable of worrying about Clay or this album. By next week, I hope you'll all feel the same way.

At this moment, I think I've fallen in love with Dave Novik. The VOX is front and center, each of the arrangements helps to tell the story of the song without getting in Clay's way, and such obvious care and love and passion has gone into this thing -- I just can't feel anything but gratitude that Clay and Decca found each other. That's the truth, and you know I'm not the mushy type.

I've said this before, but I think Decca is looking more toward longevity for this album than a quick splashy blitz. A lot of little viral things as opposed to a week or so of Clay being plastered everywhere in the usual places and then, poof! he's gone. And I just think an album of this type is marketed very differently than a pop album or a rock album.

No, I'm not worried. I can't get the grin off my face, as a matter of fact. After seven years, this guy is still killing me dead. More than ever, actually.

ETA: Okay, you want details? All righty.

Unchained Melody, Moon River, and Crying are three of the most exquisite things I've ever heard. (The blend with Linda Eder is unreal, and so much emotion! And Vince Gill's guitar work on Moon River is such an incredible asset to the song.) There's an undercurrent in Unchained Melody (arranged by Ben Cohn, BTW) that is very poignant because of what the percussionist is doing -- I'll be interested to see if anyone else picks up on it. I don't want to spoil it by saying what I think it is, but it's very different.

Every one of these songs has its own distinctive personality and tells its own story, and I think the Billboard reviewer's description of Clay's "swagger" is dead on. He just sounds so happy -- so comfortable and easy and at home singing these songs. Mack the Knife has such an assurance about it...and such a vicious glee. He sounds like he's having the time of his life.

Misty and It's Impossible (two songs I've never cared for, till now) are almost hypnotic. The only word to describe It's Only Make Believe is...cheeky. There's a Kind of Hush has a real joy behind it. And Clay somehow makes all of these songs sound as if they're the first time anyone has sung them. And I guess that's what a great artist does.

There were moments during Clay's tours when I would suddenly choke up at something he did vocally. My throat would close and I would find myself crying (maybe some of you can relate). That has happened quite a few times while listening to this album. I think a lot of what I feel is happiness for him.

I am just back from the grocery store where I planned to buy just milk and yogurt. Standing, waiting at the check out I see a cheesecake cookbook, Junior's Cheesecake cookbook.

Any recipes for sugar-free cheesecake? When I think cheesecake in NYC, I remember that wonderful sugar-free version I had a Lalo's!

Oh man, the Beatles were always sort of ...like, old! Not like the Monkees. Or Keith Partridge. Or Michael Jackson.

KA, maybe I'm reading your post wrong, but the dang Monkees are the same ages as the Beatles!! I think 1942 is the average birth year of both groups. And they were contemporaries in the late 60's, with the exception that The Beatles were a REAL group!! Who the hell is Keith Partridge? And, Michael was younger, but at least Paul and Ringo are still alive!

I remember back in the day when the only way you knew someone had a new album out was to walk in the record store and see it on the shelf; the only way you knew if someone was appearing on TV was to see it in the TV Guide...such a simpler time.

Or go to the record store and actually listen to the new-release vinyls in a booth, or have the proprietor play them on the store speakers. Ah, for me many days spent at Evolution Records, Infinity Records, and Cactus Records.

Of course my Beatles love is well known. My iPod has about 5500 mp3s on it....probably 1000 are Clay of some variation (I love live stuff), and 1500 are Beatles or Beatles related (i.e. solo Beatles, etc).

So, I will leave you with a picture of my new puppy, Ringo, who is settling in nicely after his long trip. I got him through a pug rescue organization in Ottawa. tongue.gif

My numbers are similar, but I don't quite have 1,000 Clay songs ... I'm catching up though!

Love the pug pup, and, Ringo, what a great name!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Luckiest Forgot to mention how cute and adorable Ringo is! We were at our local nursery on Saturday which also has a pet area inside and they had the cutest pug puppy...It was all I could do not scoop him up and take him home!

Kim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the record I am very excited about the CD and I am not going anywhere (no matter how happy it might make people *g*). The snippets are awesome and we already know how he's going to blow people away 'live'. I believe Decca has a plan for Clay to meet their expectations. My angst at this point is over Clay personally - and I really, really hope that all those niggling worries will seem very stupid, very soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the record I am very excited about the CD and I am not going anywhere (no matter how happy it might make people *g*). The snippets are awesome and we already know how he's going to blow people away 'live'. I believe Decca has a plan for Clay to meet their expectations. My angst at this point is over Clay personally - and I really, really hope that all those niggling worries will seem very stupid, very soon.

Awwww, cindilu2, we luuuurves you. thbighug-1.gif I hope that Clay will show himself soon and ease everyone's minds.

Thanks for the comments on Ringo....when he was taken into rescue, he had no name (except "pug" :P) so his foster owners called him Timbo. I wanted something that sounded similar so Ringo seemed the obvious choice! He seems to respond to it already....I guess to doggy ears it's close enough! cryingwlaughter.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nah, I realize now they probably are the same age - but in the 60's for me, the Beatles were on stuff like Sullivan and Dick Clark that people talked about but I hadn't seen, which meant it was eons ago - stuff grownups and teenagers watched...the Monkees were on Saturday morning on stuff I watched right then. Actually, I think by the time I actually noticed the Beatles, which would have been really late 60's or early 70's they seemed to be breaking up or in Wings already. They just never felt like a "young" group to me.

As for "young", I think Clay is now old enough that I can hang up my cougar status!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nah, I realize now they probably are the same age - but in the 60's for me, the Beatles were on stuff like Sullivan and Dick Clark that people talked about but I hadn't seen, which meant it was eons ago - stuff grownups and teenagers watched...the Monkees were on Saturday morning on stuff I watched right then. Actually, I think by the time I actually noticed the Beatles, which would have been really late 60's or early 70's they seemed to be breaking up or in Wings already. They just never felt like a "young" group to me.

As for "young", I think Clay is now old enough that I can hang up my cougar status!

Felt may be the operative word, KA. When the Beatles recorded their last sounds together in 1969, they were all still in their 20's. George at 26 was the youngest when they broke up. Funny thing is that the Monkees Saturday morning show was based on the Beatles schtick from their movies A Hard Day's Night and Help!. As to the Monkees, I did like Daydream Believer very much. That was a really good song. And Davy Jones was kind of cute (even if he was about 5'2"). But I understand of what you speak, by the time the Beatles were on your young radar, they weren't so much for kids anymore (even though I have younger relatives with fond memories of Penny Lane, Yellow Submarine, Obla Di and Your Mother Should Know, etc., from their skating rink days).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cindilu - I get where you're coming from.

One week to go. I finally pre-ordered last night. And I like to go into the store and purchase as is my habit. Can't wait. This time it will be Borders since it's the closest to my work. Happy Tuesday!

I don't know much about the Beatles. I know their hits I guess and they had a lot of those. I like the music of John Lennon and know more about his solo career than the Beatles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the record I am very excited about the CD and I am not going anywhere (no matter how happy it might make people *g*). The snippets are awesome and we already know how he's going to blow people away 'live'. I believe Decca has a plan for Clay to meet their expectations. My angst at this point is over Clay personally - and I really, really hope that all those niggling worries will seem very stupid, very soon.

Awwww, cindilu2, we luuuurves you. thbighug-1.gif I hope that Clay will show himself soon and ease everyone's minds.

Thanks for the comments on Ringo....when he was taken into rescue, he had no name (except "pug" :P) so his foster owners called him Timbo. I wanted something that sounded similar so Ringo seemed the obvious choice! He seems to respond to it already....I guess to doggy ears it's close enough! cryingwlaughter.gif

Hee - ty. I gotta say it is pretty bizarre to be on this side of Angstville. It's all well and good to reminisce about the good old days of brick & mortar record stores and getting our info from the tv guide - but for better or worse, those days are gone. Our so-called official source is the OFC and beyond promises of an exciting!new!site!SOON! there is nothing there about upcoming promotional appearances. Nothing new from Clay himself since February (and that is a blog about downtown Raleigh hotels). I don't think anybody could convince me this is normal pre-new release happenings. Will the new!improved!site! be ready for next week? Who knows - but their track record certainly isn't confidence-inspiring. And the silence from Clay remains, to me, deafening and puzzling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Clay at LAX

Now there's something to squee about!!!

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! Gah, he's beautiful.

The title says it's a screen-shot. From whence, pray tell!?!!

ETA: thanks ldjy.*snerk*

So was he arriving or departing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I knew Clay would show up sooner or later! He looks yummy! So maybe an AI appearance? Ruben is in L.A. also.

(Of course, all the people who looking for the nearest ledge yesterday are now very happy and waiting for a Clay appearance...you could get whiplash!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I knew Clay would show up sooner or later! He looks yummy! So maybe an AI appearance? Ruben is in L.A. also.

(Of course, all the people who looking for the nearest ledge yesterday are now very happy and waiting for a Clay appearance...you could get whiplash!)

Me? Because frankly, I can eeeeeeeee over the photo and still get whiplash from shaking my head at three-plus months of silence.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And if he doesn't look like the cat who ate the canary 5 oz. swallow.

Screen_shot_2010_05_25_at_102851_AM.png

Still don't get the angst over 2 months and 13 days of silence since the OMG Concert. He did a few video and print interviews then.

He went into hiding between AI5 and ATDW. One Mr. David Foster is on record as counseling a media blackout in advance of unveiling a change. Clay can't trust inside information to the OFC -- it's been proven that certain tabloid types lie in wait at OFC to broadcast his news and blogs. It's clear to me that the major promotion for T&T will be PBS and it will happen as different stations program the special during the summer and beyond. If it generates memberships they will replay as long as they can wring a nickel out of it. My PBS station replayed The Moody Blues - A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony during every pledge drive for at least two years. Not only was it one of the biggest pledge hits for PBS, but it was a huge DVD and CD hit for the Moodies independent of PBS.

I am so good with everything you wouldn't believe it. This is IT, baby!!! And it wouldn't shock me at all if Clay is on AI Wednesday night with Ruben. I wouldn't put money on it, but it could happen and the timing would be insane.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If all the TV we know about is in NYC next week ... and he's in LA now with Quiana (and REED???) ... I guess he'll be singing Suspicious Minds somewhere in LA this week. And I say ....

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You suppose he's taking this to Reed, if that was Reed with him? He's tall enough, and Reed wears those caps. He's holding a camera, but not using it. Hmmmmmm. If it is Reed, I can understand him lagging a bit behind and masquerading as paparazzi to fool the paps! That would be a good one.

CUTE.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And if he doesn't look like the cat who ate the canary 5 oz. swallow.

Wait. Was that smut?

Well, in my mind it was :whistling-1:

What I find fascinating is that TMZ chose to lead with the very best pic of Clay at LAX! Now that's a first. lol

Slurp :flirtysmile3:

eta - And no, I don't believe that was Reed in those pics. The guy was holding a camera. Besides, it just.doesn't.look.like.him. heh

I'm pretty sure he is back in NYC rehearsing for his BB show. Just a guess of course.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Look at my hairy boyfriend! Heh. I don't know if it's Decca, or Clay's publicist or the man himself, but there seems to be a lot of subtle praise out there...from Newsweek's article about the going-away of Simon Cowell:

Remember the first time you heard Kelly Clarkson sing? Don't feel bad, because neither did Simon Cowell, and he had a front-row seat. He couldn't even recall Kelly's name. "I just don't like this girl," he mumbled to Paula Abdul, after a performance. It was one of the few times Cowell was wrong about something. For the last nine years, he's been our pop-culture oracleor as the New York Post dubbed him, a modern-day P. T. Barnum. He's acted as the driving force behind the majority of our biggest music icons (Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken, even Susan Boyle).

Our biggest music icons, huh?

And KF, while Paul was 20 in '69 - I was, ahem, eight, and he didn't run around acting like a monkey (which all FOUR of the Monkees did lots! Including monkey sounds! I'm sure he would have if he knew how cool it was.) My favorite Beatle song at the time was "Yellow Submarine" and as far as I knew, it was actually about a Yellow Submarine! Of course, now I look at pictures of him in '69 and he looks like a high schooler...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

eta - And no, I don't believe that was Reed in those pics. The guy was holding a camera. Besides, it just.doesn't.look.like.him. heh

I'm pretty sure he is back in NYC rehearsing for his BB show. Just a guess of course.

When I first looked at that picture I thought it was Reed. I'm still not convinced it isn't. Why would a tall, thin guy with curly hair who looks so much like Reed (who has been photographed countless times wearing his hat like that) be following right behind Clay if it were not Reed? If that was a photographer he wasn't shooting anything. And I keep thinking ... subterfuge, subterfuge what a great plan to disguise Reed. Also, when is the Broadway Bares show? And just how much rehearsing does a master dancer like Reed require to strip??? Clay has probably had him in private rehearsals for a good long time now!

GAWD! Clay looks so fantastic!!!

Oh, and me smut? I can dig it!

ETA: Broadway Bares is June 20th.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...