Album review: Kris Allen's 'Kris Allen'

Fresh off one of the most talked about seasons of ‘America Idol,’ champ Kris Allen offers up a valiant effort on his self-titled debut. Even though he is given a wide cast to work with in putting the album together Allen struggles to state his true identity because of the wide variety of sub-styles found on the album’s tracks.

Kicking off the disc with lead single “Live Like We’re Dying,” Allen is smart to begin on a positive note with a song that features a comforting message. Even though there is nothing spectacular about the songwriting or production here, his vocals fit the style fairly well.

The single is a good indication of the mixed bag that follows. Part of the problem here is the diverse range of styles covered by Allen, so many that its seems like he is trying to sound like already established artists. “Can’t Stay Away” finds Allen shooting for a more Rob Thomas kind of sound, and it actually sounds alright, but the annoying “oh uh oh / oh uh oh”s tagged onto the end of the chorus sound immature. On “Written All Over My Face,” however, a more electronic rock sound makes it seem like Allen is trying to take on the Red Hot Chili Peppers would record. Still, it has its catchy parts.

Even though “Bring It Back” is written by Allen and Francis White, it sounds like it’s right off OneRepublic’s debut. Usually listeners can tell if Ryan Tedder has some involvement in a song’s writing or production, but in this case his fingers came nowhere near “Back” and it still sounds like his work.

Aside from Allen’s apparent identity crisis, one thing that is painfully clear on ‘Kris Allen’ is the overabundance of clichés water down many songs’ lyrics, which is a little unfortunate because Allen wrote or co-wrote nine of the album’s tracks.

“Let It Rain” is the most forgettable track on the album. It literally does nothing to show Allen as an artist and sounds so recycled that it has no business being include over more worthy tracks that didn’t make the cut like “Send Me All Your Angels,” which he co-wrote with Chris Daughtry.

Despite a few clunkers, there are some potential hits found on the album. “Before We Come Undone” exhibits the commercial sound of Allen’s voice and the upbeat tempo help its viability on radio. “Alright With Me” is a fun sing-songy track that shows Allen knows how to have fun. It fits his character well and the lyrics in the verses are crafty despite the repetitive chorus (“It’s alright / alright with me / yeah it’s alright / alright with me”). “Lifetime” is awkward in its arrangement in parts, but it still is not bad.

“Is It Over” has a more country feel, which helps it stand out from the rest of the album’s tracks. Allen’s ability to adapt his vocals to fit the different instrumentation is remarkable, and it would serve him well to explore this area more in the future.

The Toby Gad-produced “The Truth” is the album’s strongest track even though it is very reminiscent of something The Fray would record. Allen’s lower register is actually solid and the verses here showcase it well.

One impressive aspect of ‘Kris Allen’ is the inclusion of his solo “Red Guitar,” which he wrote prior to gaining stardom. What’s even more notable is “Guitar” is one of the album’s strongest offerings because it is authentic Allen and shows the direction he really wants to go in his recording career.

Allen gives it his all on “I Need to Know,” which he co-wrote with Gad and Lindy Robbins. This is the second-best song on the album because it takes away heavy instrumentation and production and allows Allen’s vocals to do the speaking.

And Kanye West’s “Heartless,” which literally secured a spot in the finale for Allen, appears in the 13th slot with a revamped arrangement. Even though the song is most likely Allen’s signature song, and it should definitely be included over the dreadful “No Boundaries,” it would serve well as a bonus track instead of closing out the album.

Even though Kris Allen has a lot to learn about recording, he is one of the most proven artists to come from ‘Idol,’ and this disc is just the first step on a journey to a successful career.

Kris Allen will be available in retailers everywhere on Tuesday and can now be pre-ordered on Amazon.com.