Best known for his catch phrase “What’s up, dawg?” during all seasons of American Idolas a panel judge, Randy Jackson has now put himself on the receiving end of brickbats and bouquets, as he releases an album showcasing a star-studded cast of singers from Paul Abdul to Mariah Carey, alongside unheard-of newcomers in the music industry such as Kelli Love and Crunk Squad.

Before American Idol

As familiar as we have become with this hulk of a man thanks to his presence on well-known American Idol, it’s easy to forget that Jackson is really more a behind-the-scenes musician and music producer who’s had more than 20 years of experience in the industry working with big names such as Aretha Franklin, Bon Jovi and Mariah Carey.

He’s played bass for Madonna, Herbie Hancock and even toured with Mariah Carey. He hosts a radio countdown show Randy Jackson’s Hit List on American radio network, Westwood One.

With a remarkable resume to boast, many years of experience, and so much exposure on television, it’s no surprise that Jackson has decided to release an album to showcase just that.

Return of Paula Abdul and the American Idol Alumni

Randy Jackson Music Club Vol. 1 also marks a return of fellow American Idol judge, Paula Abdul, after a 20-year absence in the recording studio. Her song “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow”, the only single released from the album, sounds like it stepped straight out from the 80s with its funky dance beats and Paula’s vocoded voice in the chorus. The catchy and upbeat tune makes you literally want to sing and “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow” which was premiered on Feb 21 on season 7 of American Idol.

Paula Abdul isn’t the only person from American Idol who collaborated with Randy Jackson in this album. Katherine McPhee and Elliot Yamin, the first and second runner-ups on season 5 of American Idol, perform a duet on the track “Real Love”, a cover of Lee Ryan’s song from his debut and eponymous solo album. This track highlights the 2 singers’ powerful and soulful voices, and strong vocal range.

Notable tracks on the album

British songstress and powerhouse, Joss Stone, also collaborates with Randy Jackson on the second track “Just Walk On By”. With lots of urban drumbeats and minimum music accompaniment, it takes a big voice like Stone’s with a matching carefree personality to pull off such a music score.

The last track of the album is “I Understand”, an uplifting bluesy gospel song featuring Mariah Carey as background vocals, which is a waste of talent for a singer who has 18 number 1 hits on the Billboard Charts. Don’t expect too much singing from her as her part consists of nothing but her signature squeaky super high whistle notes only dolphins seem capable of producing.

The only other notable track on the album is “Something To Believe In” by trio Van Hunt, Jon McLaughlin and Jason Mraz. The Pop-rock number is a slow and soothing one with a standard ensemble of instruments, including the piano and the guitar. The voices sound harmonious with the soothing melody, without any blatant attempt from any singer to outdo one another.

The Not-so-nice Tracks

The rest of the tracks, as fellow American Idol judge, Simon Cowell would say “are forgettable performances”. The vocal ability of the singers is often there, but they lack a unique characteristic in their voices that would distinguish them from their competitors.

In general, the 12-track Randy Jackson’s Music Club Vol. 1 lacks musical direction and a focused genre. It consists of songs from genres such as Pop, Pop-rock, Rap, R&B, and Gospel. Lovers of certain genres of music might find themselves skipping tracks because they’re not fans of another genre.

That said, Randy Jackson has done a good job in improving covers such as “Wang Dang Doodle” and “Real Love”.

The Verdict

The few tracks that stood out are “Dance Like No Tomorrow”, “Just Walk On By” and duet “Real Love”. Despite their vocal talents, the rest of the singers tend to sound generic with nothing special to offer.

Instead of buying the entire album, downloading the individual songs online might be a better decision to make if you wish to support singers such as Paula Abdul, Joss Stone and Katherine McPhee.

UrbanWire rates Randy Jackson’s Music Club Vol. 1: 2.5 out of 5 stars