Katharine McPhee ditches dance-pop and her long brunette locks for her second album,
Unbroken, upgrading to AAA crossover pop and a short blonde crop. The sudden departure was necessary, driven by the general disregard for her 2007 debut, which in typical post-American Idol fashion, chased after big hit singles at the expense of her show persona. On Idol,
McPhee always favored classic pop over modern, and
Unbroken returns her to that course, bringing her somewhere within the vicinity of
Paula Cole (who co-writes the title track),
Rachael Yamagata (who co-writes “Keep Drivin’”), and
Mandy Moore’s stylized ‘70s throwback, flavored with the slightest traces of modern sounds, including a vague borrowing of
Beyoncé phrasing. The vibe fits
McPhee, feeling like a deliberate blend of her “Over the Rainbow” and
KT Tunstall tribute. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine