Smiling George Huff, who won viewers of American Idol over with his genial good nature and enthusiasm, takes much the same approach on his debut CD, Miracles. The difference between Huff and his Idol cohorts is that Huff took his time with this disc -- he is almost two years removed from his TV exploits. Another notable disparity is that Huff writes or co-writes six of the songs on the disc.
Huff is at his best singing R&B in the style of The Temptations or mid-range gospel numbers. "Real Love (I Got It)" does him a disservice in leading off the album, revealing his weakness in reaching higher notes. "Fortunes" fares better, a song about looking past the trappings and "bling" that seems to be standard issue with fame these days. "A Brighter Day" and "Hold On To Love" are more traditional, almost Motown-like R&B, which suit Huff like a comfortable suit.
"You Know Me" and "See What God Can Do" are the best fits, a perfect showcase for the rich soul flavor of Huff's vocal abilities. "Bounce," perhaps inevitable after Idol, is an upbeat song that doesn't add much, but will make those familiar with Huff smile. Miracles should fare better than some of the other outputs from the American Idol catalog -- it is consistent with Huff's stance on faith all along, and he does seem to be an artist to whom good things continue to happen. He may get pigeonholed in the CCM world, but I have a feeling he's not going away any time soon.
3.5 tocks
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