Kris Allen, 'Kris Allen'

Release date: November 17, 2009
Record label: Jive
Official Web site: http://www.krisallenofficial.com/

The buzz: The heat on Adam Lambert was intense going into the "American Idol" finals this year, so the triumph of his competitor, pop-rock singer Kris Allen, was a surprise—but looking at it in retrospect, Allen was always the one with mass appeal, thanks to choirboy good looks and a knack for reinterpretation that also made him a charmer. This self-titled record is his first since taking the crown.

The verdict: If anything, “Kris Allen” proves that the "Idol" winner had an ear for the radio the whole time: unlike past “Idol” records, nothing here sounds like a guy proving himself, which both helps and hinders the record as a whole. Of the 13 songs, 9 were co-written by Allen; they capture him trying to find a sense of self, whether it's amid standard-issue, Maroon 5-ish white-boy funk (“Can't Stay Away”), the familiar-sounding delayed-chord structure of “Red Guitar” or the acoustic strum of “Let It Rain.” The only time he hits it out of the park, though, is on his cover of Kanye West's “Heartless”—arguably the song that won him the "Idol" title in the first place. It's too bad he didn't take the same sort of chances with the rest of this record.

Did you know? Among his collaborators are stars from across the music spectrum, including producer-songwriters notable for unlikely genres such as indie rock (the Bird and the Bee's Greg Kurstin) and hip-hop (Dr. Dre main man Mike Elizondo).