Fight For Love [Digipak]

Performer: Elliott Yamin
Engineer: Mikkel S. Eriksen; Tawgs Salter; Andrew Dawson; Sean Rotramel; Dave Tozer; Emanuel Kiriakou; Joe Bisirri; Alex James; Calvin "Joonie" Gary, Jr.; Jeff Chestek; Josh Abraham; Ryan Williams; Terry Thomas
Producer: Tawgs Salter; Dapo Torimiro; Dave Tozer; Emanuel Kiriakou; Calvin "Joonie" Gary, Jr.; Johnta Austin; Josh Abraham; Terry Thomas; Bruce Waynne; Bruce Wayne
Distributor: RED Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Elliott Yamin (vocals, background vocals); Dave Tozer (guitar, keyboards, drum programming); Espen Linden, Randy Bowland, Ryan Williams (guitar); Emanuel Kiriakou (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, keyboards, drum programming); Tawgs Salter (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, programming); Nigel Hall (organ); Marcus John Bryant (keyboards, background vocals); Dapo Torimiro, Steve Tirpak (keyboards); Joe Truglio (drums); Aaron Goldstein, Josh Abraham (programming); Zukhan Bey, Nana Kwabena (drum programming); Lenesha Randolph, Taj Jackson, Ashley Patterson, Calvin "Joonie" Gary, Jr., Michelle Thompson, Candice Anderson (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Dave Pensado; Jonnie Davis "Most"; Phil Tan; Ryan Williams. Recording information: Annetenna Studios, Burbank, CA; Chalice Recording Studios, LA, CA; Maddhouse Studios; Pulse Recording, Los Angeles, CA; Ravenite Social Club, Los Angeles, CA; Roc The Mic Studios, New York, NY; The Salt Room, Westlake, LA; The Studio, Philadelphia, PA. Photographer: Nick Spanos. On his second (non-holiday) studio album, FIGHT FOR LOVE, AMERICAN IDOL Yamin offers up another accessible set of R&B-tinged pop. Most convincing when he's working in a thoughtful neo-soul vein (see "Let Love Be" and "How Do I Know"), Yamin also ventures into keyboard-heavy pop on "Know Better" and "Cold Heart," though often with less compelling results. While FIGHT FOR LOVE isn't terribly consistent, it does successful showcase Yamin's confident voice and earnest charm (particularly on the stirring title track), qualities that arguably make him more appealing than fellow IDOL fifth-season finalists, Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee. Part of Elliott Yamin's charm lies in how he doesn't seem to belong to his time. A disciple of Donny Hathaway (and to a lesser extent, Stevie Wonder), Yamin never felt comfortable in contemporary threads, whether it was during his time on American Idol or afterward, when he cut his eponymous first album in 2007. That record was perched between his classicism and flirtations with contemporary R&B, but its 2009 successor, Fight for Love, tips the scales decidedly in the favor of aggressive modern flavors, a shift perhaps tipped off by its combative title. Moving in this direction only makes sense -- in order to make records, he has to sell records, and to do that he has to have songs that sound like the times. Yamin remains an ingratiating presence, possessed with a natural, almost accidental charm that's so endearing that it's hard not to wish that he was in warmer surroundings than these. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Part of Elliott Yamin's charm lies in how he doesn't seem to belong to his time. A disciple of Donny Hathaway (and to a lesser extent, Stevie Wonder), Yamin never felt comfortable in contemporary threads, whether it was during his time on American Idol or afterward, when he cut his eponymous first album in 2007. That record was perched between his classicism and flirtations with contemporary R&B, but its 2009 successor, Fight for Love, tips the scales decidedly in the favor of aggressive modern flavors, a shift perhaps tipped off by its combative title. Moving in this direction only makes sense -- in order to make records, he has to sell records, and to do that he has to have songs that sound like the times. The problem for Yamin is that his husky voice bristles against the cold, sequenced rhythms that comprise Fight for Love, creating not tension but dissonance. Of course, it would help if he had compelling material, either songs or productions, but everything here feels written to convention instead of written to order. Yamin remains an ingratiating presence, possessed with a natural, almost accidental charm that's so endearing that it's hard not to wish that he was in warmer surroundings than these, or at least had a better collection of songs to sing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Billboard (p.34) - "[Yamin] succeeds by letting the listener hear and feel his pain, joy or frustration....Yamin's potent voice guides an emotional journey..."

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25