Katharine McPhee - Unbroken

How committed am I to this concept of listening to a newly released album every week? Enough to have to choose between some rapper's back-up singer, a New Zealand hardcore band, or this - an American Idol cast-off.

I have no idea what would distinguish Katharine from any other white girl pop singer whose name isn't Kelly, but I'll give her this- it's produced right. It's not over the top with Timbaland beats and pop excess. It's more adult contemporary pop. A song co-written by McPhee even has a Alicia Keys feel (missing some soulful vocal). "Surrender" would not be out of place thematically from my own Xmas release.

There's lots of piano, acoustic guitar, some light strings. Decibels rarely exceed balladry. The songwriting quality varies. A good minor chord riff in "Faultline" gives us an achy chorus, but then is immediately followed by the rudimentary "Anybody's Heart". "Lifetime" is trying to be cute and Feist-y, but ends up sounding silly with the breathy hook and the repetitive word verses.

I had to listen to something. It could have been worse (2 of 5 stars)