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| Elliott Yamin | 
 enlarge | Artist: Elliott Yamin
Label: Hickory Records
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $5.49
You Save: $13.49 (71%)
New (41) Used (26) from $3.50
Avg. Customer Rating:  314 reviews
Sales Rank: 1203
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 90019
UPC: 805859001921
EAN: 0805859001921
ASIN: B000N60HD6
Release Date: March 20, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New! Drilled Case--- New York's largest selection of CD's, DVD's, books & games at the lowest possible prices since 1976.
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| Tracks:
| • | Movin On | | • | Wait For You | | • | Find a Way | | • | One Word | | • | You Are the One | | • | I'm the Man | | • | Trainwreck | | • | Free | | • | Alright | | • | Take My Breath Away | | • | A Song For You |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Elliott Yamin's debut is so agreeable and well-executed it may well convert hardened R&B experts--the kind who'd normally distance themselves from a disc with a TV pedigree. With sincerity and a voice that vaults itself to places no talent-show contestant should be able to go, Yamin bares his soul here in a way that would do his hero, Donny Hathaway, proud. Tracks like "Take My Breath Away" and "You Are the One" find him twisting a wrench around love-stained lyrics; "I'm the Man" and "Find A Way" flow with hat-in-hand grace (and, in the case of the latter, a scat worthy of a vintage jazz stage); and opener "Movin' On" immortalizes the season five judges'-table words of Paula Abdul: Ellliott Yamin is "one funky white boy." As he proves with this five-star album, he is also among the most gifted artists ever to a turn a stint on the show into a recording career. --Tammy La Gorce
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| Customer Reviews: Read 309 more reviews...
 A Talent DEFINITELY Worth Exploring; Strong Debut March 24, 2007
99 out of 162 found this review helpful
Elliott Yamin was personally one of my favorite contestants on American Idol Season 5; he was likeable and he was the other "soulful white guy" of the show. Unfortunately, I saw Elliott's demise coming just prior to the final round based upon the inevitable final between retro-soulster Taylor Hicks and pop-jazz diva Katherine McPhee. Honestly, neither was anymore deserving of the crown that Yamin, or surprise voted off Rocker Chris Daughtry. Despite losing the crown, a number of season six vocalists have/are releasing albums and Yamin becomes the next from the season to bring his R&B chops to album.
First single "Movin' On", also the first track on the album, proves to be a great opening number as well as an excellent choice for a single. Yamin sounds as soulful as ever, and compared to his contemporaries from the season, his voice might just sound the most preserved from the show. Compared to Katherine, Yamin sounds nearly as full as he did on the show where Katherine comes over breathier and slighly less refined. His inflections, ad libs, and nuances all trump Taylor Hicks as Yamin easily sounds like a more refined vocalist. "Movin' On" isn't the second coming by any means, and it's 'hit potential' factor is slim, but it is a nice representation of how Yamin ultimately sounds and proves as a studio vocalist.
"Wait For You" slows things down from the mid-tempo opener and puts Yamin's silky smooth tenor vocals over the ultimate Urban drum programming. The song isn't quite as memorable as it should be, but it is another strong number that showcases Yamin's great vocal skills. Here, Yamin feels more natural than a number of other Idol Alum who are forced to record things as opposed to staying true to theirselves. Third track
"Find A Way" proves to be just as energized if not more so than "Movin' On". The programming is killer here and the piano within the production adds a very nice touch. Yamin takes some risky, but worthwile vocal risk here adding a plethora of runs (which always seem to connect) and even scat, which takes you back to his exceptional rendition of "Moody's Mood For Love" on the American Idol soul. The songwriting here is top-notch as it bridges retro-soul and modern soul simultaneously. It is one of the best of the album.
"One Word" explores the realm of adult-contemporary and pulls it off well for the most part. It isn't nearly as exciting as "Movin' On" or the better-than-expected "Find A Way", but it is strong enough. The hook feels the slightest bit abrupt and throws the listener for a slight loop where they expect to here a short interlude to seperate the verse and chorus. "You Are The One" slows things down a bit more with melodic piano lines underlying Yamin's pure, resonating vocals. Again, Yamin plays into the adult contemporary realm of R&B, which once again reveals ample results for Yamin. "You Are The One" might trump its counterpart, "One Word" by a bit because it feels freer and allows Yamin to truly stretch his vocals more. "I'm The Man" also focuses in on adult contemporary as opposed to merely "urban" ruminations. Unfortunately for Yamin, the third straight AC tune isn't quite as convincing where songwriting is concerned. As always, Yamin sounds great, which is ultimately the reason for ELLIOTT YAMIN. Unfortunately, the repetitive nature of "One Word", "You Are The One" (the best and most credible of these three), and "I'm The Man" (the worst of the three) does hold ELLIOTT YAMIN back some.
"Trainwreck" brings ELLIOTT YAMIN back to its original momentum set by the great "Movin' On" and "Find A Way". Finally here, the neo-/retro-soul vibe returns after a brief hiatus (the three adult contemporary tracks). The songwriting is first-rate here (once again), making "Trainwreck" among the best of the best tracks on ELLIOTT YAMIN. The grit Yamin achieves here is just chilling! "Free" isn't quite as convincing as the very best, but it isn't bad. The production is once again great (organs, piano, drum programming) though the background vocals sound a little "cheap" to me, if you know what I mean. The hook isn't the best I've ever heard, but it does stick in your head. "Free", if it does nothing else does keep the momentum going, which is always a positive thing.
"Alright" finds the producers finally being more exploratory. This track reminds me a lot of "Everything I Can't Have" from Robin Thicke's THE EVOLUTION OF ROBIN THICKE. It emplores the horns (the big band sample), and a killer, if somewhat 'offbeat' drum groove underlying the production. The track doesn't always work, but it is close enough and Yamin sings the hell out of it either way. The bridge is cool where everything seems to click for perhaps the first time within the song and I understand the reason why the producers and Yamin LIKED and PICKED the track; it is fun (or theoretically so) and it changes the pace of the album from merely being urban or adult contemporary.
"Take My Breath Away" has a nice six-feel to it and an incredibly soulful feel. The progression proves to be a bit odd at first, until you adjust to the idiosyncrasies of the songwriting. The vocals are lovely as always, and Yamin's vocal touches are flawless. "A Song For You" concludes the album on a high note and proves to be one of few covers that even comes close to rivaling the original; it turns out to be one of the strongest of the album.
Essentially, Elliott Yamin proves that he has the vocal chops on his self-titled debut, despite some missteps (a few two many Adult Contemporary Numbers and "Alright"). It isn't perfect, but it is representative of the great vocalist that Yamin is and is "burgeoning" into. 3 stars for a very nice job Mr. Yamin!!!
 Worth the Wait March 20, 2007
97 out of 156 found this review helpful
Well, we've had to wait quite a while for Elliott's CD but I have to say he has done a fine job. His voice sounds great and several of the songs deserve to be hits. My personal favorites are You Are the One, Trainwreck, I'm the Man, Wait for You, Take My Breath Away, and A Song for You. I heard the whole CD on AOL music and I received my Amazon order today, right on schedule.
Someone else posted that they thought all the songs sounded the same. I don't agree. Elliott sings his heart out on each track and makes each song his own.
I do think the lyrics are sometimes too simple but that does not take away from the quality of the album.
And the album gets even better after the first listen.
Now I just hope those who didn't watch American Idol will buy the CD, too. They are in for a huge treat.
BTW, there are bonus tracks at other places to buy the album and Elliott does a fantastic version of Whiter Shade of Pale.
 American Idol's Underdog Competitor Shares His Day In The Sun March 28, 2007
53 out of 89 found this review helpful
'American Idol' presently holds a strange position in contemporary American culture. Watched religiously each season by millions of Americans from every walk of life, the program continues to be disparaged as the ultimate in lowbrow entertainment by many prominent media figures. Note, for example, how MSNBC's Keith Olbermann and Joe Scarborough regularly ridicule and mock the American Idol phenomenon, while CNN's Larry King and Fox's Bill O'Reilly treat it with varying degrees of curiosity and respect (whatever their primary motives may be).
Among the faux-sophisticates of New York City, many of whom claim to reject both regular television viewing as well, in some cases, as television ownership, watching `American Idol' is also proof of an individual's blatant lack of cultural development and taste. Enthusiastically discussing the program in public, whether in a cafe, while riding the subway, or around the proverbial office water cooler, is, for the 'hip,' a cardinal sin of the first magnitude (nevertheless, Yamin's recent appearance at Time Square's Virgin Megastore drew telling record crowds).
But as no-nonsense cultural critic Camille Paglia underscored more than a decade ago, television IS American life, and has never been more so than in 2007, when access to cable and satellite television practically ubiquitous in this country, despite increasing competition from the internet.
More to the point, there is a lively record of public competition throughout history; it's fairly safe to say that public competition was one of the first forms of entertainment among ancient, even primitive, man. Thus, in essence, American Idol is only the latest incarnation of a literally age-old tradition, and one that assists in bringing a divergent range of people together to share a pleasurable and occasionally educational experience.
Genuinely sophisticated persons probably agree with writer and novelist Rebecca West, who, some eighty years ago, said, "What a boring place the world would be if there were only room for first-rate art." Such individuals might be conversant in the works of Euripides, Dante, Chaucer, Cervantes, Shakespeare, Milton, and Blake, and may know an Ionic column from a Doric, but probably also enthusiastically enjoy watching reruns or DVD collections of 'Rawhide,' '77 Sunset Strip,' 'Green Acres,' 'Keeping Up Appearances,' and/or 'Entourage.' Thankfully, when it comes to music, people everywhere aren't limited to listening to Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Satie, and Richard Strauss.
Even when considering previous seasons of American Idol, Elliott Yamin was arguably the show's ultimate underdog. Comparatively short of stature, initially of awkward physical appearance, 90% deaf in one ear, a diabetes sufferer, and of Jewish/minority heritage, in addition to his beautiful voice, Yamin had one quality that set him apart from most of the other contestants: like previous winner Fantasia Barrino, Yamin had genuine soul. He sang, and in singing, cast a shadow across the stage and screen that directly touched the hearts of millions of American viewers. Ace Young, Bucky Covington, and Katherine McPhee might have been better looking, but Elliott was more lovable--and talented.
Who will ever forget Elliot's semi-triumphant return to his home town of Richmond, Virginia, advancing down a thoroughfare in an open convertible as the throngs of the Richmond population cheered him on, the tears streaming down his face--and down the face of his mother?
A year after the end of season five, Yamin has released his first album, an event many feared might never come to pass. Highly listenable throughout, 'Elliot Yamin' is, first and foremost, real music, the kind of genuinely moving, grooving, touching, and comforting music rarely produced since in this country since the mid-Seventies.
Though many of the lyrics err on the side of the generic, most of the songs are catchy in the best kind of way, and Yamin's vocals, which are disciplined without any sacrifice of energy or spontaneity, soar far beyond anything heard during his tenure on American Idol.
This is an album that deserves to go right to the top of the charts, be played on radio stations everywhere, and reach as large and diverse an audience as possible. The appeal of its pop-jazz-soul fusion may be universal.
Four songs are particularly riveting: 'You Are The One,' 'I'm The Man,' 'Trainwreck,' and especially 'Free,' which is the kind of joyous, driving, and potentially liberating youth anthem the world hasn't heard in thirty years. When Elliott emotes on these tracks, the listener believes him--and believes in him--utterly.
 Incredible voice, but songs lacking April 1, 2007
51 out of 60 found this review helpful
My mind was made up, the moment I fell in love with Elliot on the show, that no matter how bad this album was going to be, I was going to own it. The reason was simple: A voice like that cannot be allowed to disappear into obscurity, as have been the fate of many idols.
That being said, Elliot's voice is gorgeous and restrained, making mediocre songs sound halfway interesting. The lack of imaginative, diverse, and real instrument (would love to have heard some serious horn section) is one reason why this album sounds thin and abrupt. The other just boils down to unoriginal songwriting. Some songs have the potential to be winners, but the production side was repetitive, making some of the few-note melodies even more monotonous.
Granted, Elliot doesn't have the clout yet to choose giants of the industry to work with, but let's give him some time. So fans, buy the cd, nurture this incredible talent so he gets to pick better producers next time.
An ok first album. March 29, 2007
47 out of 53 found this review helpful
I really like the first song "Movin On". Elliott has a phenominal voice. Would have liked to have heard some songs similiar to the ones he sang on American Idol.
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