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BHATCT isn't one of my top faves, but for me that and CRoCS were the best examples of Kat elevating middling material. CRoCS is at best a so-so standard, but made outstanding through Kat's vocal interpretation and stage presence. BHATCT under KT Tunstall has a slightly creepy vibe, but on the show Kat makes the song more inviting without losing its edge. I thought the floor dancing was bizarre, though.
All we need now are those songs by great writers and musicians who would work with Katharine minute by minute, realizing her superior vocal ability, to make those songs even greater.
That's the problem. It seems that there aren't many great songs being written these days, and for those few great songs there are many good talents fighting for them.
Well, I said CRoCS was a so-so standard, not a terrible one. There are IMO some truly awful standards, though I can't think of one right now. (Personally, I can't stand Cheek To Cheek, but I wouldn't label it terrible.) The following 2 performances seem closest to Kat in caliber and style (not as a ballad, unlike most interpretations), but Katharine tops both AFAIC:
Judy Garland - 1956 Kathy Kirby - 1971
I thought I had a decent understanding of the standards, but besides the well-known STWOM, Kat sang 3 mid to up-tempo numbers (SIFFY, CRoCS, AGNBTB) I wasn't familiar with, during competition weeks where she could've easily avoided the standards, which was all the more impressive since (IMO) it's easier to sound good (or at least passable) on a ballad than on a faster piece. And it was amazing that she could sing "Someone to Watch Over Me," which is frequently covered with lyrics that make it almost impossible to sound bad, and still take it to another level. All this was like an unintentional tease to those of us who were anticipating that sort of album.
Strategically, I don't know what type of record Katharine should make next. Selfishly, I'd prefer for it to be standards and/or a decent dose of balladry. Part of me thinks she should finish what she started in the pop arena, though.
Believe me, at least in the circles that I'm in, that if Kat put an album full of "Do What You Do's" or similar, she would be lucky to sell 100,000 units. It was an experiment, it really didn't work, and she should learn from it.... That is if she wants to have a viable recording career.
Don't take this wrong, but a couple of those type of songs on her CD kinda reminded me when Pat Boone recorded his "Heavy Metal" album a few years ago. An experiment, a curiosity, but certainly not a long-term recording style.
OK, I listened to all of the songs Katsfan1 listed. I remember "No Such Thing" now - that was right before I gave up on radio/MTV/VH1. ('I want to rock the halls of my high school...' ) "Gravity" actually is pretty similar in style to "Better Off Alone". Other than that, I can see that John Mayer hasn't altered his music that much (at least in his radio hits) from when he first became a star. He's got that "pretty boy, kiss the girls and make them cry" sensitive thing going that girls love and guys despise. I think Kat can do this kind of music, though it's kind of hard for me to envision how it would sound from her.
"No Such Thing"
"Daughters"
Katharine McPhee fans around the world