About.com Rating



It's difficult to imagine how a win on American Idol Season 5 would have boosted Chris Daughtry beyond where he stands today. Despite being eliminated earlier from the competition than most expected, Daughtry was quickly signed to a recording contract, and this album proves that his label's confidence was warranted. Chris Daughtry is a strong, confident rock performer, and this album ranks with Kelly Clarkson'sThankful as one of the best post-Idol debut albums.

Variety Adds Interest

Chris Daughtry kicks off the album with a throaty growl reminiscent of Nickelback's Chad Kroeger. He could have stayed within that model throughout the album and pleased a number of fans, but Daughtry is confident enough to add variety to the album's 12 songs. "Feels Like Tonight" is an arena rock classic waiting to be released, and "What I Want," featuring guitar work from Slash, gives Chris Daughtry the opportunity to add some bluesy metal swagger to his bag of tricks.

Songwriting Weaknesses

Chris Daughtry's true strength is as a charismatic and talented rock vocalist. This first album is also clearly intended as a showcase for his songwriting talents. Daughtry wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 12 tunes here. Unfortunately, the songs on which he is the sole songwriter are among the weakest here. For his next album, perhaps delegating more of the songwriting duties would strengthen the overall project.

Top Tracks on 'Daughtry'

• It's Not Over
• Used To
• Crashed
• Feels Like Tonight

• What I Want

A Strong Career Boost for Chris Daughtry

For now, it appears that Daughtry as a band amounts to little more than backing for their charismatic leader. The album cover illustrates this as band members are depicted as barely discernible figures behind an in-focus Chris Daughtry. It's too early to tell if the group will become a cohesive ongoing collective, but what is clear is that Chris Daughtry has a promising career ahead as a rock vocalist. This self-titled debut album is exactly what his distinctive performances on American Idol promised.