FamilyFans Music

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DAUGHTRY

Daughtry / Atlantic Records

Fan Appeal: Teens and/or anyone who loved Chris Daughtry when he was on the American Idol television show.

Genre: Rock

I was really excited about this album because I really enjoyed Chris Daughtry on American Idol. Although he didn’t win, Chris and his band have still released a killer CD.This album is full of powerhouse rock ballads and some really cool melodies. Daughtry sounds a lot like Nickelback in their style and occasional guitar riffs.

This debut album starts off with the rocking, “It’s Not Over,” a song that begins as a slow melodic tune and then, by the time it reaches the chorus, has a full-on, hard rock beat. Also, Chris Daughtry has the perfect voice for this style of music - full of emotion and passion. He also has that rougher-edged sound that's needed to sing in a good rock ‘n’ roll band. Still, even though Chris does sing better on the more rocking tunes, his voice stands strong during some of the slower songs (or at least the slower parts of some of the songs). Another  fun song is “Crashed” which has a great chorus that just makes you want to get up and rock out.

The musicianship of Daughtry overall is also good quality. This band seems like a group of veterans that should have been discovered long ago, but are only now getting a chance because the singer became a pop culture icon through his the American Idol competition. I’m glad that they are getting a chance to show what they can do. Another grand thing about this band is that Chris isn't ashamed to claim that he's a Christian. He thanks "Jesus Christ" directly right in the first line of the “Thanks” section, so that is a nice bonus.

The downfalls of this album would mainly lie in the repetitiveness of most of the melodies. Even though there are changes, most feature the same songwriting formula: slower/tamer verses, and louder/harder choruses, with an occasional solo or fancy guitar line thrown into the mix. All of the songs are also basically of the traditional rock ballad style which can get old after a while because it all starts to sound the same. Also, I like music best when it is new and creative, and while Daughtry's musicianship is flawless, their "sound" mimics a lot like bands who have been around for a while (like Nickelback or maybe Eve 6). There also are some instances of lame lyrics such as on the song, “Over You,” which is basically just a song about a girl that sounds like every other love/breakup song that there ever was.

Still, overall, I had a good time with Daughtry's musical tracks and I'd say that this CD is worth a listen. Fans of Christ Daughtry and/or a good, rock-ballad performance, won't be disappointed.

FAMILYFANS RATING: B

--Tony Nappa

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