CD Review: Chris Daughtry's Daughtry

An open letter to Chris Daughtry, American Idol 5’s 4th runner-up: First, I just want to say “I like you.” We have a lot in common, man…hey, we could even be bros. Beyond our “separated-at-birth” physical similarities (yep, shaved heads and all…Brotherhood of the Bic, y’know), we’re both Southerners (we grew up only a few hours drive apart) and we’re both fathers to little girls.

Another big comparison: we’re just rockers at heart, plain and simple. That’s why I was pulling for you to, well, lose the competition so you wouldn’t have to be RCA’s little puppet and you could get crackin’ on your own material. With that, I got my wish. And with your self-titled debut Daughtry now out on store shelves, I can’t help but feel like you almost had something there. Almost.

Musically, your voice is as strong as ever; a sort of country-rock Nu-Metal bellow that works well with the lyrics (that’s good). But listening to the songs, what’s lacking is simply balls (that’s not so good). Honestly, I was expecting something a little heavier, a little more in-your-face aggressive, something your Idol counterpart Bo Bice couldn’t pull off. Thankfully, there’s a solid tease in the form of “What I Want,” a driving rock anthem that features classic Les Paul wails from Velvet Revolver’s Slash; also, the pulsing “There And Back Again”…with a style you should’ve stuck with from track one.

Instead, the album comes off as trying to sound too diverse, and that gives the impression you listened (or had to listen) to bad advice from the label suits telling you what “sells records.” You stated in interviews prior to the release that the album “will not be pop,” yet the country-tinged “Home,” “It’s Not Over,” and the mid-tempo ballad “Breakdown” manage to firmly contradict your promise and make your first album seem like, well, Nickelback-lite.

No need to worry, though - the good news is that Daughtry/Idol fans will buy the album based on the name alone, and honestly, I can’t blame ‘em. They’ll be happy you finally put something out, but rock fans may be a little put off by some of the staleness of the tracks.

I really can’t compare Daughtry to the releases from most of the other Idolers (since I haven't listened to them all the way through), but you - along with Taylor Hicks, in my book - have the best chance of long term success in the music biz…as long as you go with your gut instincts next time around. Even Kelly Clarkson dropped the bubblegum princess act for album #2, making it worthy to stand on its own.

What made Taylor Hicks take off was the fact he was different, and that he found his niche and audience early on; and although you might not kill in a cleavage-baring yellow dress the way Katherine McPhee does, you’ll undoubtedly go down as one of the more memorable contestants from the show. But it’s up to you to go out and win those fans over that didn’t watch the show (yes, there are some out there) and make your mark more original and true to yourself. Unfortunately, Daughtry’s not the one to do it.

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