Reviewed by John Hebden

If you were worried that the Pop Idol tag might mean dull pop songs for the mainstream, you would be right to exercise caution with 'Miracles'. George Huff made it to the US Idol top five, which means a TV audience of about 20 million. It is interesting therefore, how he warns against a strategy of living "for money and fame" in his song "Fortunes". Apparently George was washing dishes on the poorer side of New Orleans before his Idol audition, so let's hope he really has been able to keep it all in perspective. George's more immediate problem may be that his debut album suffers from simplistic beats, chart standard R&B arrangements and an almost complete absence of engaging hooks. His singing is fine, if not distinctive, but he has no memorable material to apply it to. The credits indicate that there were five different teams of producers working on the project. In spite of this the sound is very homogenous. With the possible exception of some bits of "Bounce", there is nothing at all that leaps out to grab the listener.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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