Immediately when listening to Chris Daughtry's debut label album with his new band, Daughtry, I couldn't help but notice the definite rock infusion throughout the songs. The album is reminiscent of the better rock of the late nineties, think Fuel meets lit, with a rockier version of The Calling's Alex Band as a lead singer. There's a bit of screaming, in songs like "There And Back Again," which a lot of hard-core pop fans might not like, but the rock fans won't be deterred. No worries for those who like the more mellow side of Chris, in songs like "All These Lives," a personal favorite, there's a positive message, and no screaming. The vocals don't sound forced, and it's actually quite catching in terms of melody, saying, "Never gonna let you take my world from me." Another mellow song is "What About Now?" which talks about a relationship, and whether or not it can make it, and all of the 'what-ifs' that exist in relationships. It's actually a more commercial sounding song, and it sounds very much like a movie song, it screams "feature film," in my opinion, and I really do like it. "Breakdown" chronicles a bit of the band Tantric, and Chris' Absent Element roots. In fact, it was released with his band, Absent Element, on their EP as well. "Feels Like Tonight" is probably, hands down, my favorite song on the entire CD. It shows off the softer side of Chris' voice while not leaving behind the rock side fans came to like. I'm actually surprised this song wasn't chosen as the first single, and I wouldn't doubt if it is a single in the future. In "Used To" it's a harmonious mix of mellow and rock, making both sets of Chris' fans happy. Again, this is another song that's very, very radio friendly, and it talks about the demise of a relationship, and wanting it to work out. Much to my surprise, "Home" is also a rather mellow song, and once again, I'm impressed. The lyrics on the album are actually good, and not cheesy like a lot of people think when they think "American Idol." In this song, Chris sings, "I'm goin' home to the place where I belong, and where your love has always been enough for me," it's actually very sweet, and I think he's done well in balancing what he wanted with what is marketable, and what each side of his fanbase likes as well. Someone must've mentioned that often on "Idol" Chris' vocals seemed forced, because on this album, the vocals sound very comfortable and natural. They focus more on his voice than strained vocal chords. "Over You" shows this, talking about being able to move on after a relationship is over. It's a welcome mix of mellow verses with a rock chorus. "Crashed" is probably the most musically interesting on the album, because it sounds a bit different from the other songs, and like "There And Back Again," it's one of the more 'rock' tunes, as is "What I Want." And with "Gone" Chris shows his ability to sing radio-friendly rock, sans the screaming. It almost sounds like a song you'd expect from Nickelback, which Chris' fans are likely to like, a lot. Over all, I'm impressed with the CD. I wasn't expecting a whole lot really, and I can't say I was that excited, but after hearing it, I'm pleasantly surprised. The CD is full of some good songs, and some really great songs that are likely to do well on the charts. And in my opinion, it's better than Kellie's debut CD, by a landslide. Rating: Four out of five stars. Good effort. It's a solid CD, that's a good mix of radio friendly pop. Download This: "Feels Like Tonight" Visit the band's
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