ALBUM REVIEW: HAYLEY SINGS

For those thinking that Rachael MacFarlane was going to bring the attitude that her character in American Dad is most popular for will be sorely disappointed by her new album “Hayley Sings”.

About a year ago Seth MacFarlane release “Music is Better Than Words”, a Sinatra influenced Jazz album that was so far removed from what we were expecting from the Family Guy creator , but probably not too surprised by the outcome as the album was never marketed as like a “from the guy who brought you Family Guy, here’s a new album”. I mean it kind of was but with the song titles and guest spots you could probably figure out that you weren’t getting the “You Have Aids Song” 15 times. As such, when I downloaded(yes,legally) “Hayley Sings” coming from Rachael MacFarlane who voices ‘Hayley’ in American Dad,  I was maybe expecting 15 songs inspired by Steve Smith’s daughter but instead we get a jazz record akin to brother Seth’s effort but comes off as a mess.

Songs like “Makin’ Whoopee’ and ‘Do You Want to Dance’ come of as sounding too overbearing especially the latter which seems like its in a 100 different directions in terms which jazz standard its trying to match up with and as such Rachael comes off trying to do too much to purposely sound like its the ’50s. The type of cover songs I like are when REAL singers take an old song and put their own interpretation of it playing to their strengths. This album sounds like Rachael at a karaoke bar for 75 minutes playing to a drunken crowd, with the song “Time in a Bottle” sounding like elevator music on a trip to hell. Instead, Rachael is better off on songs like “Since You Asked” and “Loneliness” where she sounds less like the time period and more like someone who is trying to put a personal spin on a classic.

I know Hayley Smith and have for a number of seasons. Something tells me she wouldn’t be a fan of this record, so don’t let the cover or album title fool you, American Dad inspired this ain’t.

(6.0 out of 10)