Track review: Katharine McPhee's "Say Goodbye"

Coming on the heels of news that her sophomore album, ‘Unbroken,’ is postponed until Jan. 5, 2010, Katharine McPhee leaves fans hanging on an extremely high note with “Say Goodbye.”

From the somber tone of her vocals to the vulnerable sense driven by the stringed accompaniment, “Goodbye” shows just how effortlessly McPhee pours her emotions into her work. The lyrics fit the song excellently, and are believable coming from McPhee (“I feel just like an actress / up on the stage”) and help convey the overall message she wants to get across to her audience. Following a rousing bridge that allows McPhee to display her vocal acrobatics, she brings “Goodbye” to a close on a solemn note, just the way she began (“So I walk this high wire / alone tonight / that way it won’t hurt so much / when we say goodbye”).

Katharine McPhee has always been an exceptional vocalist and she has delivered some solid recordings in her budding career, but “Say Goodbye” is without question the most beautiful piece of art she has ever recorded in a studio. Assuming ‘Unbroken’ includes more “Say Goodbye”s than it does “Open Toes,” fans could be in for a true gem come January.

"Say Goodbye" is now available to download on iTunes.