Music Review

The Real Thing (2005)

Bo Bice

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JUST A 'THING' If he keeps this up Bice will never be anyone's Idol

Credits

Release Date: Dec 13, 2005; Lead Performance: Bo Bice

By Tom Sinclair

Tom Sinclair

Tom Sinclair is a senior writer for EW and has been called "the handsomest man in rock criticism'' (by his wife)

Bo Bice's debut CD may share a title with a 1971 live album by Taj Mahal (The Real Thing), but the two discs couldn't be more different. In sharp contrast to Mahal's down-home warmth, Bice traffics in lowest-common-denominator power ballads and sickeningly slick corporate rock. If titles like ''U Make Me Better'' and ''Hold On to Me'' don't tip you off to the aesthetic direction, the presence of guest stars/song doctors like Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and Bon Jovi's Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora ought to. The bland hackwork arrangements only emphasize his wholly unremarkable competence. Bottom line: Skip this Thing — and go pick up Taj Mahal's.

Posted Jan 06, 2006

More

Music Review See the Light | Jonathan Bernstein
Music Commentary Reasons to turn the radio on or turn it off | Michael Endelman
In the News ''Idol'''s Bo once busted for pot, cocaine | Gary Susman

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