Clay Aiken CD Review: "Tried and True" and Perfectly Suited

I’ve kind of gained a reputation among some of my friends as the go-to-person when it comes to putting together music for certain events. I painstakingly try and match the music perfectly to the occasion and the audience in attendance.

But when the event calls for light and jazzy, I admit I struggle. It’s hard to find the right combination of subtle, yet not depressing or annoying.

Well now I’m happy to report that dilemma has been solved forever. Because the next time someone makes that request for their event, I will simply present them with a copy of Clay Aiken’s latest, “Tried and True.” It really is the perfect mix for that jazzy evening with a good combination of slow and fast songs.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed that Clay decided to do a CD of classics instead of a new pop CD. But when he’s this perfectly suited for these songs, it’s hard to argue. Clearly Clay understands his audience and they’re going to love this one. The CD has a big band sound throughout that suits Clay’s voice perfectly. And that voice is in fine form as Clay tackles “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “What Kind of Fool Am I?” (featuring David Sanborn), “It’s Only Make Believe,” “Misty,” “Mack the Knife,” “It’s Impossible,” “Unchained Melody,” “There’s a Kind of Hush” and “Moon River” (featuring Vince Gill). He also turns the Roy Orbison classic, “Crying,” into a gorgeous duet with Broadway star Linda Eder. Plus he takes on my dad’s favorite Elvis song, “Suspicious Minds.” And in case, you’re wondering, yes, I am already trying to turn it into my dad’s ringtone.

The deluxe edition of the CD includes “Who’s Sorry Now” and “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” plus a DVD with a live performance of “Build Me Up Buttercup” and other clips from Clay’s PBS special, which is scheduled to premiere later this month.

Now in the interest of full disclosure, I should probably confess that I would listen to Clay sing the phone book. So I’m probably not the most objective person when it comes to reviewing this CD. But I have to believe that even a non-Claymate would find something to like about this one.

“Tried and True” is now available in stores and online…

Photo Credit: Amazon.com