This past May, America crowned Kris Allen our new American Idol. And I guess that means he's allowed to put out an album with the full backing and marketing power of Fox, Idol, 19 Entertainment, Simon Cowell, and Rupert Murdoch. Even without a single note played, I'm guessing a half-million CDs could sell given those supporters.
Is this CD worth reviewing? Better yet, is it worth a listen? And finally, would this CD have been made if Kris Allen had worked thousands of clubs, malls, frat parties, and he had spent a summer opening up for GavinDeGraw, until one day a record executive heard his white-bread voice, his whisper-sing, and sad commentary on life and love, and he might've gotten a record contract?
Yes, yes, and no. Of course, if he'd been plucked out of the club scene, Kris would've had a little more power to control his own music. On these American Idol winner debuts, I always picture a team of 10 or 20 song-writers, producers, image consultants, and test-groups (who listen to samples of songs in a room with a two-way mirror, and if those listeners, all earning $20 for their hours-worth of music sampling, if they like something, they turn a dial to the right, so the producers can determine the exact sound that will work for their 'artist'). By now you're familiar with the first single off the Kris Allen's self-titled debut, "Live Like We're Dying." It's sort of catchy. It needed to be released so that a few CDs will be stuffed into stockings and given out as presents for Christmas. At least a few songs on this CD are much better than "Live Like We're Dying" and I'll just betcha the second single comes out in a couple months when American Idol gets to Hollywood, and Kris Allen can make his triumphant return to the Idol stage and debut his second single.
Is it a formula? Do I care? No, because I'm a huge American Idol fan, and so too will most of the people who buy this CD. And will they like it?
I'll say this - put this CD on low volume in your office, or at your next dinner party. Nobody will even notice there's music playing except for 3 songs. They'll notice "Live Like You We're Dying" because they'll likely recognize it from their favorite radio station. Then they might notice "Alright with Me." This is a radio single, and actually a good, catchy song. If it wasn't going to enter the music world via an American Idol winner, thereby discrediting it's legitimacy with music snobs and purists, it's the type of song that might make those same snobs actually grab this CD off the shelf (or download it from iTunes).
And the other song that might get your dinner guests talking was Kris Allen's inclusion of his "Heartless" remake (that song by Kanye he performed on Idol last season, and at the Idol's Live Tour this summer, and everywhere else he went where he wasn't contractually obligated to perform that horrible Kara DioGuardi penned finale song, "No Boundaries." That song was so, so horrible.
Anyway, "Heartless" is just as good as it ever was, maybe even better with a little help from studio producers, voice tricks, and musical backing. Yes. It's better. I do hope he releases this as a single, even though we've all heard it. This radio version with drums and background singers, well - it works. And so what if The Fray also covered it - Kris Allen's is better, and, he's Kris freakin' Allen, American Idol winner.
As a CD, there are points where you'll get bored. But there's 4 or 5 songs worth adding to a iPod playlist, I suppose. And when I'm thinking about American Idol alumni CDs, I always try and picture the audience who voted for that winner and those who might actually buy the CD. For Kris Allen, I picture his audience as 30-something and 40-something Moms, teenage girls, pre-teen boys and girls, and just a few college girls - most likely freshman and sophomores. I mean, not all college freshman and sophomore girls, but trust me, there's a few girls who don't automatically give up on pop-music and commercial schlock the minute they get on campus.
Bottom line, all those girls of varying ages, and the pre-teen boys I mentioned who likely still watch American Idol because their friends haven't laughed at them yet for liking a horrible show full of horrible cheesy music - they'll like this CD. Music snobs, if they're being honest, might like "Heartless", "I Need to Know" (track #12), "Alright with Me", and "Bring it Back." I'm not about to suggest anyone will enjoy or remember "Live Like We're Dying" past next week.
Kris Allen will make a little money on this, and he might have a shot at a second CD released with more of his input, when he puts together a band and calls it The Kris Allen Project, and when he can exert a bit more of his own personality and musical sensibility into his work. Like all Idol winners, their second CD is always better.
Start writing music, Kris. Lots of it. See you in March or April on Fox, my friend. Overall I give your CD a B-, and I think that's fair since I'm saying there's 4 very good songs, and the rest are seemingly snoozers. B- ...or, as we say around these parts, 3 1/2 beans.
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