Kris Allen Eyes His American Idol Fans

Artist:  Kris Allen
Title:  Kris Allen
Label:  19/RCA/JIVE Label Group

The reigning champion delivers more of the same …

When a humble worship-leader-turned-contestant took this year's American Idol trophy, Christian music fans everywhere took notice. But now that Kris Allen's self-titled bow is here, we find his adoring pop public thrilled, but his faith-seeking hopefuls left grasping at one song—a song of doubt, no less.

Sure, there were other reasons to expect more. Word that Jon Foreman co-wrote and played acoustic guitar on the Switchfoot-esque track "Lifetime" and that The Fray's Joe King co-wrote and co-produced the acoustic guitar romp "Alright with Me" fueled anticipation. While "Lifetime" features some of the album's more thoughtful lyrical moments, it falls far short of Foreman's reputation. And "Alright with Me" is merely a comfortable fit on a record layered with troubled romance songs.

In the driving rock track "The Truth," Allen, who is married, sings to a woman he's "lyin' next to" as he pleads, "Stop ignoring that our hearts are mourning/And let the rain come in/Stop pretending that it's not ending/And let the end begin." One would hope the rain is a redemptive metaphor and that the end does not refer to the relationship. The funk-rock advances in "Can't Stay Away," meanwhile, also invite a double-take. "Twenty four hours a day/Ain't really enough, no way/To get to know you from head to toe," declares the virtually strutting tenor. "... Please, baby, don't make me wait/ I'm at your door/I need more." For his own reasons, the Arkansas native also includes a song about a "Red Guitar" that's "been through hell."

To Allen's credit, he wrote or co-wrote 9 of the 13 tracks on the album which does include instances of hope and determination amidst romantic struggle. People of faith, however, will resonate the most with the prayerful lament, "I Need to Know." "Roads in front of me/Taking me astray/Are you leaving me?/Or are you leading the way?," questions the sudden pop star. "... Want to see your face/Are you even there?/Can you show me?/Can you make me believe?/I need to know."

While listeners looking for salt and light in a gray pop world will be disappointed, Allen's soft rock debut is big on studio budget shine and memorable melodies. Needless to say, it's an easy fit with the material he performed on American Idol as he spends most of his time in John Mayer country, but shows he can also get his Maroon 5 on. And Idol fans will also be delighted to discover a new version of Kanye West's ''Heartless,'' which Allen covered in the AI performance that most believe sealed his victory.


**This review first published on December 1, 2009.