The roller coaster ride that is TOSOD continues when you listen to the 7th cut of this album, “Parachutes & Airplanes”. I’d say it is well placed in the CD setlist, coming after “Falling Stars”.

Nicknamed “PANDA” by the arch angels, it is probably the 2nd track that the fan base is most familiar with (aside from the used-to-be-carrier single “Something ‘Bout Love”), given that David debuted this song during the BYU-ID Rexburg Concert sometime in June 2010 along with “If I Could Only Be” and “You’re Not a Very Good Liar”. PANDA received mixed reviews back then but it was my favourite among the three songs.

PANDA adheres to the feel-good theme of the album but veers away from the “soft-verse/full chorus” format found in most of the cuts in this album. The melody is bouncy from the get go and as the lyrics intimate, PANDA “never hits the ground”.

The lyrics are simple yet they are full of imagery. They reflect the always-curious David, not hesitant to ask whenever unsure.

Wise innocence shining through.

Interestingly, David seems to be taken with the idea of being in suspended animation. Just like in “Zero Gravity”, the sense of being high dominates PANDA.

And even if a parachute is a contraption that takes you down, it does so safely – no dropping like a hot potato for Mr. Archuleta, eh?

Meanwhile, PANDA shares a similar sentiment taken up by “Who I Am” — about the wish for a break, of getting away. Easy to imagine that the unexpected speed, at least to him, by which his career has taken leaves him with little room for a breather.

And I don’t ever want to say goodbye
I just want to steal this moment
Right away from time

Melodically, PANDA is strong. The tune stays with you after the 1st listen. The light but brisk piano-vibe in the introduction is a nice contrast coming from “Falling Stars”. It however reminds me — and this may surprise you — of the introduction of The Who’s “Baba O-Riley”. Listen to this live performance years ago and tell me if it is just my imagination –

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKUBTX9kKEo

Of course, the tempo between the two songs is different but I think they share the same diatonic chords of D-A-G. Not 100% sure though if I got the chords down pat as I don’t have my guitar right now while writing this. I may have to get re-visit this some day

Then, the melody progresses into a robust chorus that is strikingly similar to “Come On Get Higher” chorus by Matt Nathanson, both in melodic and numerical progression. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHx4BlF6V2o

See what am referring to? That higher-note/lower note looping pattern in the two lines of the chorus. Is something wrong here? Certainly not.

A lot of songs share the same chord progression even if they don’t sound alike. Would it shock you to know that Green Day’s “Basketcase” bear the same progression of “Pachelbell’s Canon in D Major”? Or that there are about 36 popular songs with the same chords progression? This is just a small sampling of this occurrence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWFu2dU8bGM

So do not fret. This happens. We are not being hoodwinked. Songs may share the same progression but what would make each song stand out would be the lyrics, arrangement, styling and interpretation. The last two is where David shines the most. His musical styling is inimitable. His lyrical phrasing, impeccable.

This brings me to one of the most notable changes made on PANDA’s final arrangement. The album version carries a chorus that has been punctuated with strings similar to Beethoven’s Symphony Nr. 5 – have you noticed?

Now I have always regarded PANDA as the most fleshed out material, more radio-ready, among the three songs that David debuted three to four months prior to the album’s official release. But the addition of the string component to the album version was a very pleasant surprise. It upgraded PANDA’s production value, IMHO. At the very least, it made PANDA more appealing, more memorable to me.

And despite having a full-complement of instruments, PANDA doesn’t sound over produced. David’s voice is front and center. Here, David’s falsetto is rounded and full.

PANDA abounds with low registers that bring out the beautifully maturing voice of The Archuletor, the primary reason why we ain’t hitting ground.

Take another listen and let me know what you think, ok?
Parachutes & Airplanes

There’s something crazy ’bout this day
Like I’m walking on a trampoline
I couldn’t get much higher

(REPEAT REFRAIN)

- jackryan4DA

Listening to David’s sophomore pop album, “The Other Side of Down” is like opening a gift swathed in several layers of wrappers or boxes. Each layer, heightening the excitement; Each peeling, revealing or confirming another facet of David’s enigmatic persona.

This Time it’s Personal

So when David says “this album has more of me” and that “I want people to see me, hear me. It’s like re-introducing the real David Archuleta”, that’s exactly what we get – an album stamped with his personality and his own experiences. It brims with delightful pop textures, unbridled positivity and that quirky sense of “Davidism” on life and its challenges.

TOSOD makes you smile, moves you to tap your feet or bob your head or rekindle some not-so-distant romantic sentiments. Par for the course for a pop album, right? Well, not exactly.

Because TOSOD is anything but simple. At closer inspection, TOSOD reads like a coming-of-age novel. I hear it as a declaration a David’s transition from one life-stage to the next. It tells me growth, wisdom, insight, and the ways in which David develops a mature and conscious understanding and expression of himself and his circumstance.

As fans, we know only too well of David’s genteel side. He may be honest and to most of us, entertainingly candid, but David is unfailingly circumspect with his public dealings (although I would bet a Pad Thai dinner that he is the same even with his private interactions!)

By words and deeds, he is a man for others. His zeal in helping people and supporting his loved ones is probably only outweighed by his passion for music. Even when visibly dead tired, he would still make time for fans. And never one to hog the limelight, David tends to redirect the focus on others’ achievements. Heck, he even promotes other artists during his own promo tour!

Which makes “Who I Am”, a refreshing detour.

A “Me” Time for the Consummate Giver

Out of the 10 songs David co-wrote, there are about four songs which I find more introspective. “Who I Am” is one of those. But what makes “Who I Am” different is that for once, you hear David claim a “Me Time”. And wisely so.

I’m gonna take this moment that I’m in right now
Stop the craziness somehow
Leave it all behind me
And no one’s gonna find me…

The insatiable demands of others can be overwhelming. That’s why a “Me Time” is crucial. The book “Why Men Never Remember and Women Never Forget”, explains: “If you never have any time except reactive time — things you must do for others — you don’t have a sense of control”.

In “Who I Am”, David shows how he takes control from the whirring madness he finds himself in – even if it is just a brief time in a back of a cab. He shares the importance of stopping and taking stock of things with a humorous twist like ignoring a call from Jeff Fenster himself (there is that dry wit, again!).

It takes maturity to stake this claim and not be apologetic about it. To press the escape button when one needs it and be candid about it, I guess helps make a consummate giver like David continue to give.

It may get crazy at times, but David can always go back to who he is and never go wrong with the abundance that that entails.

The Medium is the Message

I really like how the melody and instrumentation were used to match the message of the song.

“Who I Am” starts with a situationer, placing David in the midst of a typical busy day. Listen to the music. You hear this semi-monotonous beat from a guitar that stays for the 1st two verses. It steps up in the 2nd verse but the repetitive thump persists.

Then you find a build-up which starts as soon as David declares “Days like these, it’s hard to breathe”, then release… you hear the melody metamorphose into this infectious chorus. More instruments join in – the piano, the drums and you get a euphony of sounds bearing an unmistakable celebratory jam.

In going back to “who he is”, the monotonous thump (regular verses) drops away leading to an exuberant groove (chorus). It’s like in claiming his “Me Time”, David is able to slip and slide between the crazy world of entertainment and his real life, while maintaining his balance.

The transformation becomes more pronounced after the bridge – when everything gets quiet except for the piano – yes the piano, not a guitar! See the symbolic shift? We all know that David is a piano man. So what starts out as a rhythmic guitar-led verse, crescendos into this brief, quiet piano-focused moment – cos we need to hear him out. At this point. his stake to claim is fulfilled and we are left with jubilant, liberating, declaratory kick-filled chorus to finish the song. Yeah!

The Craziness of Ranking

As I write this, the 1st week sales started coming in. And so begins the anguished, horrified and disappointed reactions from die-hard fans. What do you know? “Who I Am” has a message for those of us baffled by album’s 1st week sales.

Sometimes (sometimes)
You just know (just know)
When to hold on
When to let go

Of course we want the best for David. We wish a stellar musical career for him. Who has not dreamed of accolades and awards for all his hard work? We shake our heads, dumbfounded when we don’t even get to hear his songs on radio. Instead, we are treated to a barrage of mindless, same-sounding, cookie-cutter, badly written stuff that sell like hotcakes. This speaks volumes about the current state of radio-America, but that piece shall be saved for another day.

I think David has chosen his battles. Instead of kowtowing to Corporate America to create an image to sell to the fickle public, he chose to present authenticity. But by going against the grain, he risks his chances at instant, commercial success.

I got nothing to win and I got nothing to lose
Just trying to walk in my own two shoes
Gonna take the time now
It’s time for me to find out
Who I am

I think that as long he can keep making music, he is OK not being a super pop star. We should therefore take the cue from him.

He has given us a beautifully crafted record, a must-have for anyone who wants or needs to hear what feel-good, great-sounding pop music is all about, delivered with a superb, once in a lifetime vocal power. As fans, we have done our part. Let’s enjoy the music. Meantime, let’s see his Label genuinely push for this album. If it doesn’t, that’s s shame cos there are a lot of songs in this album that deserve airplay.

“Who I Am” is one of my personal favorites. It is deceptively simple. I suppose that’s what I love about it. Yet, it exemplifies how David has progressed through entirely new passages, into a life of deeper meaning. By going back to basics and doing what he does best: by being, as he would say with that megawatt smile, “Who I Am”.

- jackryan4DA

Click to Listen:

There is nothing about this song that would make you say, “Oh, that’s David Archuleta,” except the Voice.

Most people don’t associate David with a rock sound – in fact some people haven’t quite gotten tuned into David’s pop-star status. There are still some who only remember the 17-year-old sweetheart with the gorgeous voice who sang ballads on American Idol. Truly, some people are just not tuned in. And they would surely be surprised to hear David perform this song, with it’s disquieting lyrics and clear rock sound.

During the introduction, the bare bones of basic drum beats and single guitar notes, lays the rhythmic backdrop for the rest of the song. Then we are treated to David’s clear voice accompanied by a simple staccato bass guitar and drum.

Wasting time, just going mindless
Watching your charades
When you were younger, did it occur to you
10 years from then, you’d act the same age?

When the band kicks in with a vibrant rock background we feel the full depth of emotion the words imply.  The power of David’s voice is amplified by the background vocals – David’s own voice in harmony or in counterpoint – that add a richness and complexity further contributing to the rock vibe.

Did you feel like stomping the roses?

At a recent performance in New Albany, David literally stomped on the stage during this song. The Archustomp, only ramped up! He turned up the rock vibe and gave us the intensity of some recent performances of Don’t Let Go. And perhaps just as Don’t Let Go is very personal to David, this song is, too.  Written by David and Bryce Avery (The Rocket Summer), this pop-rock sound is not what we expect to hear from David. And yet, there’s nothing better than when David rips on a rock song and makes it seem almost as natural as hearing him sing a ballad.

What makes this song truly unique for David, though, is the lyrics. They’re edgy and much more raw than anything he’s done before.

Edgy David

Did you feel like stomping the roses?
Smashing out all the feeling inside of them
It’s bad business
The way you’re stomping the roses

We’ve always known that there was strength in David, a backbone of steel disguised in his sweet countenance and manner. But recently we guessed from his tweets that he was making that backbone known in his management meetings at Jive… hints from him of having to stand up for what he wanted on this album. And now we know that he’s changed managers as well.

I’ve always been your token nice guy
I know that you rule your whole world
Thought I could live in it
But I just can’t

Sounds like David is putting out a little bit of sass! This rocked-out, edgy song may just be David’s declaration of independence.

Go David!

Click to Listen:
Stompin' the Roses

David Archuleta w/ 97.1 ZHT’s Patio Party @ Noah’s Event Center, South Jordan, UT

SETLIST

01 Something ‘Bout Love
02 Things Are Gonna Get Better
03 Elevator
04 Crush
Plus: Promo Vid
Plus: M&G Vids
Plus: Photos

PERFORMANCES
01 SBL, 02 TAGGB & 04 CRUSH thanks to ClearChannel 97.1FM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZXapqlR4bM

01 SBL thanks to 15263457689

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozHMkfDd3X4

01 SBL w/ Intro thanks to rhed31

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_iP07nJwig

01 SBL p1 thanks to pattycake04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCqyZ5r3V4o

01 SBL p2 thanks to pattycake04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOBWU7BEVu4

02 TAGGB thanks to 15263457689

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJQMURqtcGY

02 TAGGB thanks to pattycake04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqejiCoExfU

03 ELEVATOR thanks to 15263457689

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjBvVUX6hHU

03 ELEVATOR thanks to pattycake04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t862ly9Lw3I

04 CRUSH thanks to 15263457689

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2mhqDXm2tI

04 CRUSH thanks to pattycake04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V3Jfktvb4s

EXTRAS

Promo Vid by ClearChannel 97.1FM thanks to dg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nol8V-SF9jw

David Talking to Fans thanks to pattycake04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHUUzmOCuDQ

David Talking while waiting for TAGGB set-up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr0fN4f_5wo

David Singing Happy Bday to Audience thanks to rhed31

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJzae5C6lV8

PICTURES

01 97.1 ZHT’s Gallery

David Archuleta @ WNCI 97.9 Columbus, OH

SETLIST
01 Something ‘Bout Love
02 Elevator
02 Crush
Plus: Interview
Plus: Photos

PERFORMANCES

01 SBL Acoustic HD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLYyuMTAtnk

02 ELEVATOR Acosutic HD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfwymhKseac

03 CRUSH Acoustic HD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29YkkLSlgLs

PICTURES

01 WNCI 97.9′s Photo Gallery

David, who usually expresses uncertainty when talking to fans about his upcoming music, is overcome with excitement in his latest video blog when talking about his upcoming album:

I just can’t wait for you guys to hear these songs! … I feel you guys will really get to feel me in these songs because I’m… a part of the writing, and so part of my ideas and just how I feel are in these songs.

Aside from the involuntary joy one feels while viewing a David video blog, one can’t help but feel enormous anticipation with this one as well. For David—who is a perfectionist in many things and admires the musical greats of the past—to feel a sense of accomplishment and joy in sharing his own musical production can only bode well for the quality of his second pop venture. David’s unique choices in selecting and styling his songs reveal an impeccable musical instinct.

How many frikkin songs has David written already? It seems like it’s almost every day we receive a tweet announcing a new song that David helped write. David’s first album was largely written for him, and recorded in hasty sessions at different stops over the course of the 2008 Idol Tour. David had very little time and/or experience to “find his voice” in the decision-making process regarding the larger choices for the album. Now, David’s initial forays in wielding a hand in his own destiny in both business and music will show their first fruits. David, Part Deux promises to surpass the original.

Okay, so David says that the next album will better reflect him? That we’ll “really get to feel” him in these songs? What will come from David’s self-admittedly and wonderfully “weird” and “spacey” mind? What should David’s confession of “me-ness” tell us about the musical styles and lyrics we can expect on the album?

Hardly anything at all, I’m afraid.

We have even less of an idea of what music is in store this time around, precisely because David has had such heavy involvement in the process. Any look at David’s musical and thematic inclinations will show that they are wildly varied. He can command a variety of genres, best exemplified during his American Idol days. One of the sources of excitement in following a young prodigious talent like David is the constant potential for surprise and discovery.

David has provided us with no hints. We’re left with looking back at what David has written or helped write in the past, to get any idea of what might be on the menu for his next album. So, shall we?

1. “Works for Me” – Sassy, Bluesy, Attitudy David?

How many of us thought David had a song like “Works for Me” in him? The song was co-written with Daniel Bedingfield and, with its soul influences and bluesy guitar hook, calls for strutting and finger-snapping. We also hear little bluesy, soulful touches that David brings on in full glory in his covers of “Crazy” and “Waiting on the World to Change.” All that’s missing is a glimpse of the Archuneck that David whipped out while singing “Shop Around.” In one interview, David has said that his new album will show more how he thinks. Looking at the lyrics to WFM, we see a witty, confident, and humorous side of David. Perhaps we’ll get to see some of this David in the album?

2. “Somebody Out There” – David the Love Balladeer?

Surprisingly, David’s first album did not include a ballad that had strong radio potential, especially given that this genre was the box many people put David in after his singing “Imagine.” It will be interesting to see whether David and the label opt for a strong ballad as one of his singles this time around. I thought that “Somebody Out There,” co-written with Mike Krompass, may not have had the potential of becoming a pop hit, but still it was the most musically interesting and lyrically strong of the three love ballads on David’s first album (though this was only on an extended version of the album). The lyrics and music expressed a simple, earnest, generous affection, spoken as if in an intimate conversation, that one doesn’t hear in many love ballads. Perhaps we will hear David bring some new ballads on his next album. The pop world needs a fresh, sincere voice like David’s.

3. “Don’t Tell Me” – The Rhythmic Pop Supah-Dupah Star?

This is another possible route that David and his management could use to establish some early commercial success off his album. While a young teenager, David apparently wrote the melody and lyrics to “Don’t Tell Me” while another musician filled out the arrangement. With a catchy melody that progresses well from one section to the next, it is an amazingly proficient piece of pop work, especially considering it came from such a young artist. When I first heard this, I immediately thought it was influenced by Christina Aguilera’s “Stripped” album – David probably could rock some rhythmic pop if wanted to. The verses to “A Little Too Not Over You” – also co-written by David in tandem with Mike Krompass – also show his melodic creativity in this mode of music.

4. “Falling” – David the Soul Artist at the Piano?

In my opinion, this song, though it didn’t cause a sensation in the fandom (see #5), gives the clearest glimpse of the heights David can potentially reach with his music. The MUSIC (ahh, the music!), with its dramatic chord passages and his tenor voice soaring above them, show a David that is prepared to and entirely capable of bringing forth big emotion in his music. Perhaps David will bring us something spiritual and transcendental? A message of social relevance? Or something exploring the painful side of the human experience? We shall see.

5. “Zero Gravity” – David the Club King?

Ahh, “Zero Gravity.” Did any of the fans expect David to produce a song that, with the right production, would comfortably fit on the same station with Ke$ha and Lady Gaga? Like “Don’t Tell Me,” ZG’s catchy hooks and natural progressions from one section to the next make it a very strong pop song. But even more than DTM, ZG is such an earworm that it just has you singing along after a few listens – which is a key ingredient for a pop radio hit, and means that this was possibly a lost opportunity for a second successful single. With pop music becoming increasingly influenced by techno and other kinds of dance music, one can see David and his label trying to experiment with a dance track or two on the new album, at least as bonus tracks.

Given David’s wide range of musical inclinations, one wonders how he and the label will come to an agreement as to what will be on his next album. Perhaps David’s album will be eclectic? Or perhaps it will be a cohesive mission statement that declares, “This is me”?

On that, we don’t have an answer either(!). And perhaps everything I have said has been worthless drivel based on wild speculation.

But that doesn’t make speculation any less fun.

So everybody join in!! What do you think will be on the menu? And what are you craving!

-Ronaldsf

When David revealed on Twitter March 5th that “She’s Not You” was from “a while back”—and therefore wasn’t a candidate for the second album—I felt relieved.

No, no, no… it’s not that I hate the song. I like it: it’s catchy, and in particular the melody and the guitar in the verses create a nice vibe. (Though the chorus is a bit too bland for my liking.) When I first heard it, I felt anxiety about the second pop album… was this the direction it was headed?

We now know that it was a track recorded for David’s first album, but still my day or two of not knowing this made it a useful reference point for thinking about where David’s studio production was at 18 months ago, and what new directions it could and should go in now.

“She’s Not You” resembled much of the first album in its level of quality, and in that it was quite conventional—it dealt with simple young boy-girl love, and fell squarely in that space between R&B and pop that characterized much of the album. This approach made sense at the time—it was perhaps the smartest thing to try first to create commercial success, and after all there was little time for David and the label to define jointly the best approach for the album. But now David and the label have the benefit of time to create an album that paints some bold strokes—bold, first in the sense of having some particularly strong, standout songs, and second, bold in expressing who David is as a person and an artist.

Because, let’s face it: we, his fans, know that David is capable of greatness. Still, we have yet to see a musical composition that summons an emotional gravitas that is commensurate to David’s ability to convey it. I am not asking that the perfect song be on David’s second album. However, it is fair to want and expect that a genuine attempt be made.

That means songs that feature David’s voice. Songs that David can connect with. Songs that can summon some of that earth-shaking emotion we know David is capable of delivering.

This doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning the pop route—in fact, if we are to speak of industry formulas, it seems to me that a pop power ballad, putting that stellar voice on a pedestal, would be the best approach. But what can I say? When it comes to what makes a song a hit, I’m not an expert. Still, as amateur fans we know enough to know that some things work for David that should be done.

In terms of arrangement and production, David’s fans are now more aware than before that, when it comes to David, it is often true that less is more. The bare instrumentation of “Contigo” put David’s voice front and center. As listeners, we honed in, not on the melody or the instruments, but on the subtleties of David’s voice. No fancy, expensive studio tricks, no synthesized hooks vying for our attention. Just us, and The Voice—a direct emotional conduit between the listener and the artist.

Another aspect of “Contigo” and of other songs (“Fields of Gold,” “Prayer of the Children,” “Imagine”) is that they were dear to David, on a theme that David could relate to. In my opinion, “Somebody Out There” was a much stronger ballad than either “To Be With You” and “You Can,” which I think comes down to the fact that David co-wrote SOT and could relate directly to what it said. “Falling” is gripping because we know these are David’s words, and that this music comes directly from his heart.

So I hope to see some movement in these directions with the second album. I am not saying that the album should be comprised entirely of soul-wrenching ballads. (Though I actually wouldn’t mind that.) In fact, I am hoping that there is some freedom given to David to express his rich musicality in a variety of musical genres.

In the first album, there was some variation in styles in the official twelve-track version, but they were a bit outside of David’s own inclinations. Unlike songs such as “Desperate” or “Running,” which because of the production were kind of hybrids of other styles, a conventional-pop melody with some stylistic dressing—some of the compositions David himself worked on, from the sassy “Works for Me,” to the club-thumping “Zero Gravity,” to the intimate “Somebody Out There,” jumped fully into the genre, spoke its language, and expressed a clear idea both lyrically and musically. Thus, a unity between words, music, and artist.

The most promising fact about the second album has been David’s extensive involvement in the writing process. This suggests that the folks at Jive/Zomba are trying a different approach and want this album to express David the Individual, whoever that may be. It is thrilling to think of what might be in store.

For now, “She’s Not You” is my new David music fix to sustain me through this long, extended Archudrought. Still, I do this with full knowledge that this isn’t the David that made me fall obsessively in love with him in the first place. Greater things await.

If this song were a person, then it would be the musical equivalent of a rebound—entertaining and pleasant enough for now, but just someone to hold me over while I’m really thinking about someone else.

“He was really nice… but he’s not you, David. I just know you’ll come back to me. I’m burning a candle in the window…”

-Ronaldsf

The human dilemma has always been our innate sense of perfection combined with a vivid awareness of our distance from it: our knowledge of the fall from grace, to put it in the vernacular of this album’s topic. There are those for whom an analysis of the proximity to perfection only emphasizes the curse of our distance from it, and those for whom it emphasizes the blessing of our having a sense of perfection in the first place. I am in the latter category. I tend to notice what’s missing. I undertake a critical analysis of Christmas From the Heart also because it represents, according to all reports (including the liner notes from the singer himself), the closest we have yet gotten to who David Archuleta is as an artist and indeed as a person. If ever there was a moment to take him seriously, this is it.

Ships in the Night
The difficulty in trying to evaluate David’s work at this stage of his career is that he is not yet surrounded by talent that is equal to his own. The production people currently available to him are by no means slouches — Emanuel Kiriakou is a very successful (if not entirely distinguished) producer, for example — but neither are they of David’s caliber. This tends to result in either David sublimating his talents to the requirements of the producer (or the material), or in a disparity between performance and production.

There is obviously much to be happy about in Christmas From the Heart. David’s vocal work is remarkable in many ways, and the arrangements are certainly sumptuous and even inspired in touches. Kurt Bestor’s “Ave Maria” and “Pat-a-Pan” are clear standouts, and it’s great to hear David take on classic material and even a few charming lesser-known pieces. Most engaging, luminous even, is David’s overall approach to the material.

Anandamayi Ma, "Blissful Mother"

These are cherished songs for him, and in a stroke of genius that was undoubtedly instinctual, he treats them like love songs. I am reminded of the way people spoke and wrote about Anandamayi, the 20th century Indian mystic and spiritual teacher, a woman of intense beauty and great wisdom who devoted her life and energy to God. She is described as being in a constant love relationship with Him, and brought to the world a resplendent tenderness that touched everyone she encountered. I think David is in that same relationship. He treats the more religious songs like love songs because indeed they are love songs. Songs of the beloved One.

I only wish that a better understanding of what David was up to had been conveyed in the production that surrounds him. Even aside from the spiritual aspects, from a purely musical perspective David was obviously going for a great deal of intimacy and simplicity with his vocals. Why then, in the name of heaven, does virtually all the production work accomplish precisely the opposite effect? The enormously elaborate arrangements sound as if they were meant for the Metropolitan Opera House, while David is singing with a gentle tenderness like it’s him and the baby Jesus alone in a manger. Despite its many pleasures, the central problem with Christmas From the Heart (and it’s a big problem, at least for me) is that the approach of the artist and that of the production are at significant odds with one another. And the results compromise David not insubstantially.

Much of the album suffers from a heavy handedness that has the unfortunate effect of burying David’s incredibly nuanced vocals to all but those who really listen beyond the extravagant production. “Silent Night,” which contains some unique and really lovely arranging work by Richard Parkinson and Sam Cardon, is suffused with more orchestral gravitas than a James Cameron movie. “What Child Is This,” also arranged by Parkinson and Cardon, begins quite promisingly (if not at quite the degree of simplicity it might), and David does some of his best work here… the vocals are stirring, riveting… but then, with the orchestration at the second verse, it’s as if we’ve been thrust into a glider soaring over the Serengeti watching stampeding antelope while Meryl Streep delivers a eulogy.

I’m not suggesting that David’s voice can’t handle such extravagance, but when you’ve got the sophistication of an Archuleta vocal, especially one where the obvious intent is a close and personal communion of the spirit, it is a contemptible crime to drown it in layers of grandiosity.

Orchestral software reportedly used for CFTH

And not even real grandiosity, mind you, but in most cases synthesized grandiosity (only Kurt Bestor’s few tracks contain a live orchestra recording, of the Prague Philharmonic). It is ironic that synthesizers replace a cost-prohibitive orchestra when the approach of the artist might have been better served by small group accompaniment, both affordable and real.

Follow the Voice
Let us consider for a moment two of the performances in the Archuleta canon that have galvanized audiences far beyond his core constituents: “Imagine” and “Contigo en la Distancia.” The common denominator of these two, apart from the fact that both were live rather than studio takes, is the accompaniment of what is essentially a single instrument (violins emerge toward the middle of “Imagine,” but with enormous restraint). David Archuleta’s voice has so much subtlety of expression that its impact is most intense when accompanied by smart, elegant arrangements, not a wall of sound better suited to the 360 voices of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Lest anyone think I am suggesting the extreme minimalism of, say, the lone guitar on “Contigo en la Distancia,” I don’t necessarily mean that at all. There are ways to incorporate meaningful orchestral accompaniment without having it feel like a sweeping movie soundtrack, a style that is just all wrong for this vocalist singing these songs in the way he chose to interpret them.

To all producers here and now and forever more who work with David Archuleta: Follow The Voice. Follow The Voice, follow The Voice, follow The Voice. Shall I say it again? Follow The Voice. David has, for the most part, unerring instincts regarding how his instrument best interprets material. My one and only equivocation in this has always been his tendency to leave a certain scope of dynamics outside the studio room door, relegated to the stage alone. This self-limitation has never been more in evidence than on Christmas From the Heart. Had he brought some of his stage-style energy to the vocals, the mismatch with the monumental arrangements might not have been so pronounced, but that would have been a case of the horse following the cart. I do think, however, that even on a production more complementary to David’s own quieter inclinations, that a few strategic moments would benefit thrillingly from his onstage power (my kingdom for a producer who can get that into the recording booth).

It’s hard to know how this profound disconnect might have come about. Perhaps David’s own producers failed to listen to him — not to what he says, but to how he sings. Had they listened — really listened — I can’t imagine they would have gilded the lily so strenuously. Perhaps they were showboating, or just lacking the necessary taste to pull off a level of sophistication that would have been more in keeping with David’s own work. It is even possible, I suppose, that it was David himself, whose well-known ambivalence about his skills and the sound of his own voice might have led to a desire to pile on the layers of orchestration… But when asked in a recent interview about the Utah contingent of producers on the album, he had this to say:

There were a lot of people in Utah who were passionate about the project and wanted to make sure the music told the story the best it could and had as much emotion.

Hmm. As we all know, David has a sense of respect and diplomacy that can render him speaking in a kind of code, such that in order to discern any real opinion one must undertake a fairly deep reading between the lines (a risky proposition, to be sure). To me, this comment conveys quite convincingly that the “emotion” supplied through the arrangements was in fact instigated by the producers, not by David. I won’t go so far as to suggest that I’m hearing, “It’s their fault!” here, but in a vocal arrangement the emotion is supplied not by the accompaniment but by the singer. The story is told in the voice, and the orchestration should be in service to the vocal, not the other way around. And while we are reading between the lines, we might consider the implications of this particular comment, in response to a question about the instrumentation that may be deployed for the tour:

I really feel like real instruments and the live feeling add so much to the music, and to those arrangements, especially.

I’m gonna go out on a limb, here, and interpret this as a thumbs-down from David on synthesized orchestras.

An Ornament
My personal grief is based around the disappointment of a missed opportunity. The material that comprises Christmas From the Heart was the ideal chance to allow David’s voice to shine with unequivocal splendor. Instead, the producers somehow got the idea that a canned version of an orchestra the size of Texas was needed for splendor. David is clearly the only one in the entire enterprise who realizes that bigger is not always better; everyone else needs to study the phrase, “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” From a certain angle, it was a near miss. Had the delicate tenderness, the glowing intimacy, the evanescence of David’s beautiful vocal work been followed more closely, with more accuracy, more reverence, we may have had an album of true distinction; of real and lasting consequence. Alas.

But let me not leave the ardent fan with the impression that I think there is little here to enjoy. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if “Pat-a-Pan” got radio play; the more secular numbers in general are lovely, and if one can listen past the production on the more spiritual songs, there are sublime rewards. Christmas From the Heart will undoubtedly live quite nicely in the holiday music collection, to be cherished among family traditions the way a treasured ornament brings a sentimental joy. But it might have been the star at the top of the tree.

– Rascal

The first half of the CD is filled with “ye olde classics” such as Joy to the World, Silent Night and O Come All Ye Faithful arranged with orchestrated classical strings and a prom style performance. The second half ventures more into a cut back, groovier take on Christmas songs featuring more modern and unusual Christmas tunes. There is a nice variation between the old and the new, the traditional and the modern, and the lavish and the restrained. Christmas From the Heart is a fantastically balanced album truly possessing something for everyone.

Each track has its own moments of vocal magic. Silent Night demonstrates that soft fuzzy quality to his voice better than any other song I have heard him sing, whilst O Holy Night and Ave Maria enable David to take the bull by the horns and belt.  David manages to capture the spiritual heart of each song so wonderfully, enhancing the beauty of Silent Night and elevating the joy in The First Noel, to name just a couple of songs. Joy to the World lets David put his take on a very traditional Christmas tune and inject some big vocals. O Holy Night gradually ascends into an epic collision of beautiful melody and David’s voice, accompanied by a full orchestra.  This is a track not for the faint of heart. Truly epic.

Towards the latter end of the CD we encounter some more unusual songs with a more modern sound.  Two personal highlights of the album include Pat a Pan, a rather unexpected pleasure, and Riu Riu Chiu. The former includes a snippet of French and the latter is sung entirely in Spanish. Pat a Pan begins with a cheeky little melody but emerges into a grooving soft rock song with some superb dramatic string work and an energetic chord progression. Riu Riu Chiu plays off a simple melodic hook but continues to build to an absolutely superb climax. Spanish is such a wonderful language and David performs this song with strong emotion and understanding.

A jazzy duet with Charice Pempengco, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, sits as a highlight of the album.  David has a chance to display his wonderful blues/soul intuition. The two voices blend wonderfully, and Charice shows tasteful restraint. Not quite sure why, but memories of Aladdin and Jasmine spring to mind when listening to this song. Maybe A Whole New World should be next on the list?! Haha.

Ave Maria is one of the most commonly covered songs ever sung. It has been performed by the truly, truly great, and thus is subject to critical comparisons.  It has the ability to pack a powerful spiritual punch but must be executed to perfection in order to do so. David’s vocal performance on this track is nothing short of a masterpiece. At 18 years of age? What can you say, really?

The final track on the album is an original song, Melodies of Christmas. This song is the link the between the debut album and the current CD. The radio beat and simple hook make this track the best one to represent the album. Overall, I like the song. It has a decent melody and chord progression. It gets a little hectic towards the end and the lyrics are a little cheesy but hey, it’s Christmas, so maybe in December I’ll be able to let that pass. David brings an uplifting sense to this song, which I think will go down well when the time is right.

The album ticks a lot of boxes here. Vocally, I think the album is a masterpiece and I haven’t heard a major label commercial release with awesome singing for a very long time. One major box I felt was un-ticked by the first album was the production value. In an earlier review, I raised major concerns with the sound, cohesion and direction of the production of the first CD, but I feel this album is a huge step forward. I was fearful that the orchestras would sound tacky, but was surprised at the lavish sound.  David’s voice sounds pure and the arrangements are, with a few exceptions, tasteful yet powerful.

There is something here for everyone. Some will enjoy the more traditional and orchestrated sound, and others will take more of a shine to the stripped-back modern stuff.  Leaving the merits of the concept aside, the album delivers in the quality. Christmas songs may not be what everyone wants David to do, but in terms of quality, the album merits itself as a very worthy Christmas album. David is growing, you can hear it both technically (Ave Maria’s climax note) and also stylistically (I’ll Be Home for Christmas). The future is looking brighter and brighter and the journey is still young, but I can say for sure – this is a very strong stepping stone along David’s path.

~chenson

(For those few people who don’t know him, chenson is a college student studying music,  and lives in the south of England.  He has hopes of becoming a session musician and writer, and has followed David pretty much since week one of AI.)

Jennifer Barry was inspired to make a promo video for Christmas From The Heart. Jennifer – thanks for sharing this with us. <3