'Idol' odds 'n ends: Kara DioGuardi poses nude for 'Allure'

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Kara DioGuardi was one of five female celebrities to pose nude for the latest issue of Allure magazine. The photo, which can be seen to the right, shows a side of Kara none of us have seen before. Of the shoot, Kara said:

"This shoot was less about beauty than about taking a risk and showing people a side of me they never have seen," says the American Idol judge. She was proud to have the confidence to strip down for the camera after struggling with binge eating and depression in her early 20s. "Back then I was a size 6 or 8; now I'm more like a size 2. Food is not what I use to anesthetize myself anymore." She didn't diet or work out like a maniac in preparation, but she did make one change: cutting way back on salt. "I can really retain water," she says.

Others to take part in the shoot, which was titled "THE NAKED TRUTH: 5 CELEBRITIES BARE IT ALL FOR ALLURE," include singer Colbie Caillat and actress Regina Hall.

>Katharine McPhee has been busy filming her new NBC pilot The Pink House, and there have been a few moles that have gone to tapings to report back. Below is a very low quality video capture of a scene featuring Kat:



According to reports, Kat and her fellow female co-star Ashley Madekwe are not the main focus of the show, but are still integral to the plot. Instead, the two guys who move from Mineapolis to California, played by Michael Cassidy and Zach Cregger, are the main focus.

>Kris Allen performed a set at the Zone Lounge in Sacramento, Calif, on Tuesday, where he had nothing but positive things to say to his fans, especially about Walmart and Chris Daughtry. Watch him talk about the two former topics and perform his original "Send Me All Your Angels" below:



Kris talked about how there are "three Walmarts in every town" in Arkansas and how Daughtry teased him when he visited the Season 8 Idol contestants during rock week. Daughtry helped Kris co-write "Angels," which is why his name came up during the pre-performance banter.

>Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young chatted with BroadwayWorld.com about their experiences in the Broadway music Hair thus far alongside fellow castmember Kyle Riabko. Watch the interview below:



Diana, Ace and the rest of the new tribe can be seen at the Al Hirschfeld Theater at the following times: Tuesday @ 7pm, Wednesday @ 2pm & 8pm, Thursday - Friday @ 8pm, Saturday @ 2pm & 8pm, Sunday @ 3pm.

>Ayla Brown, who joined the team over at CBS's The Early Show last week as a special contributor, appeared yesterday to do a piece on a six-year-old cancer patient named Hannah Lowe, and a song Ayla wrote and recorded for her through the Songs of Love Foundation. Watch the piece below:



The song, appropriately titled "Hannah's Song," is now available to download for a small $5 donation. Funds raised through the organization will go toward putting smiles on the faces of children like Hannah, so go ahead and donate for a good cause!

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Album review: Arch's 'David Archuleta'

At only 17, David Archuleta did what only six others have been able to accomplish - finish as runner-up on ‘American Idol.’ The culmination of his work since ‘Idol’ is embodied in his self-titled album, which follows Kristy Lee Cook’s ‘Why Wait’ as the second album to be released by a finalist from Season 7.

‘David Archuleta’ kicks off with “Crush,” the stylized mid-tempo single that reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Crush” sets the mood for the rest of the album, letting listeners know that they are in for a teen pop treat.

Next up is “Touch My Hand,” the album’s second single, which continues where “Crush” left off. The track features an angelic chorus that gives the listener a feeling of soaring miles in the air, not to mention the fact that it has a pretty catchy hook. Proof that there’s only enough room for one song on the album with the word “hand” in the title, “My Hands” falls a bit flat lyrically but is still able to maintain itself musically, though.

Another mid-tempo that shows off Archuleta’s vocals is “Barriers,” which has a throwback-meets-2008 sound despite suffering from an annoying echo in the chorus. But the most annoying track is without a doubt “A Little Too Not Over You,” which features Akon-like “eh eh”s and “oh oh”s. The R&B-tinged track would be much better without these ad-libs because Archuleta’s vocals are in top form on the song.

“Running,” on the other hand, combines a clap track with ‘90s pop aspects and a piano melody. The track is extremely dated and does not belong on this album. Another song that should have been kept off the album is “Don’t Let Go,” which is nothing but straight-up teen pop slosh. “Your Eyes Don’t Lie” is not necessarily as bad, but this Wallflowers-light track does not belong with the rest of those on the album, and the whistle loops are downright juvenile.

Archuleta strikes up the radio-friendly factor with “Desperate” features New York underground influences and heavy guitar riffs that really give the song a serious atmosphere. The synths, although seemingly out of place, actually really do a lot to enhance the track.

On the ballad front, Archuleta offers up “You Can,” which lacks elements that many classic power ballads have but the track invokes a style in the form of Colbie Caillat, which is unbelievably well suited for him. But his strongest track is unquestionably the ballad “To Be With You,” which includes stringed accompaniment and the most tender vocal performance Archuleta has done up until this point.

Archuleta caps off his debut with “Angels,” one of his most critically-acclaimed performances on ‘Idol.’ Although it does not have the same effect here as it did eight months ago, it still serves a purpose of transitioning his career from ‘Idol’ to now.

Even though this is not the highest quality debut album for a runner-up (that title belongs to Clay Aiken’s ‘Measure of a Man’), David Archuleta surely holds his own and will see a long and fruitful career ahead of him.

David Archuleta will be available to purchase in stores and online on Tues., Nov. 11.

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