It's been five long years since Katharine McPhee's last studio album, a holiday-themed effort entitled Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You, was released. Since then, the former American Idol season five runner-up has kept busy with acting roles on TV shows such as the unappreciated Smash ("Touch Me" is still a killer pop track) and CBS' current Scorpion, as well as films including You May Not Kiss the Bride and Shark Night 3D.
With the recent announcement of McPhee's upcoming fourth studio album, Hysteria, set for a September release, the artist has jumped back on the music promotion bandwagon for the first time since 2010. Following the release of the project's lead single, the slightly unsatisfying "Lick My Lips", McPhee has moved forward with a new promotional single. The mid-tempo ballad "Stranger Than Fiction" is a return to form for the pop artist as she sings of finding strength in unusual places.
"Stranger Than Fiction" is a piano-heavy effort that acts as an inspiring tale of the strange plans that life has in store for certain people. McPhee's vocals come off strong but still able to withhold the appreciated delicate charm that helped her previous singles ("Love Story", "Unbroken") succeed and stand out. The production assists those vocals build and build until they break their barriers.
Besides the performance and the attention-grabbing instrumentals, the song holds together thanks to an element missing in most of today's successful singles: the songwriting. Here, the message does not take a backseat, giving the release some depth. "I found love from the strength in letting go, I found faith from a night spent on my own, I found me in a place to crazy to mention," she belts on the track's soaring chorus.
McPhee is not a household name, she never really was. Tracks such as "Over It" were specifically tailored for radio airplay, but after some time off, and needed life experiences, it sounds like the artist has found the necessary confidence to allow "Stranger Than Fiction" to come off sincere and natural. It could be because McPhee co-wrote the promotional track or that critics have been waiting for new material... this one is a glorious homerun for the American Idol alum.
It will be difficult to get "Stranger Than Fiction" to the top of the charts, that does not mean it is not deserving of the recognition. McPhee gives an effortless, heartfelt vocal performance on the track, and the lyrical content should not have a problem resonating with devoted fans and pop music lovers. If released by a bigger star today, there's no doubt it would immediately catch on.
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