DeAraugo's "Places" Offers Great Vignettes of Great Balladry
T. Yap | Sydney, NSW, Australia | 12/17/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Prime Cuts: Heaven, If This is Love, The Most Beautiful Place
Kate DeAraugo hardly breaks the Australian idol mold. Rather, she's perfect replica of what our pop culture has long venerated: she's young (20 years- old), she's pretty and she does sing well. Blessed with a sustaining high reaching set of pipes, like all the Idol winners (especially her American counterpart Carrie Underwood), she knows how to sustains her notes well. However, there's nothing that really that sets DeAraugo apart from the countless numbers of Diana DeGarmos, Mandy Moores and LeAnn Rimes. Therefore, it all comes down to it, it's still about the songs. As she has demonstrated this past season, her voice is at its best display when she croons a ballad. Naturally, the ballads are this album's high points.
In the spirit of the Idol tradition, DeAraugo's cover of Bryan Adams' "Heaven," is indeed star making stuff. Hats are off to DeAraugo for transforming Adams' rock ballad into a piano driven spiritual ode to the power of love. From her whispery introduction to belting out those big punches, she easily transforms this song to ambrosial levels especially when she sings "and love is all that I need/And I found it there in your heart/It isn't too hard to see we're in heaven." Another top notch ballad comes from the pen of folk singer turned disco, Jewel. Unlike any of Jewel's folky endeavors, "If This is Love" is a straight ahead Diane-Warren type ballad that leaves no romantic trinkets intact when dealing with the ups and downs of a relationship. Quite poignant is the autobiographical musings of "The Most Beautiful Place," the haunting sounds of the piano coupled with DeAraugo's verve delivery nudge out a spirituality that is truly engrossing.
DeAraugo does get sassy on the swaggering upbeat opener "Faded." With some swirling guitars and propulsive beat, DeAraugo gets into Lindsay Lohan territory with panache. Glenn Cunningham's "You Brought the Sunshine" has a basking glee to this 70s tilting melody with a contemporary punch. Though the lead single, "Maybe Tonight" has a quiet desperation on this surprisingly quite subdued ballad, but it just does not stand out as an Idol vanguard single. It just lacks the aplomb and somehow DeAraugo's indomitable vocals are under-represented. "World Stands Still," despite its over-promising title, is easily forgettable. With a meager 10 tracks, this further works against "A Place I've Never Been"
Like most Idol albums, there are some high points luxuriating from this set. The ballads, by far, are breathtaking, balancing between precision and restrained ache. They truly showcase DeAraugo's loving and ruminating interpretations. Unfortunately, not the same can be said of all the uptempoes, one would certainly hope with album number 2, DeAraugo would expand her brilliance to wider swath of turf. With over 1.5 million Australian votes behind her, DeAraugo can't be wrong."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1