‘Idol’ fans got it right

The first album for an “American Idol” victor is always difficult to manage because the swell of hype and a producers’ “vision” can conflict with artists trying to find their way. For season eight winner Kris Allen, the road is even tougher since the man he somehow defeated, Adam Lambert, became a cultural phenomenon during his time on the program.

But just as he carved out his own unique identity during the season, Allen’s self-titled debut album proves that he doesn’t need all the headlines — he just wants to make some solid music.

Far from the overproduced, mish-mash of Top 40-baiting collection of singles penned by 50-year-old men that are typical post-“Idol” efforts, Allen’s album is organic, natural and at times raw. There are big steps forward here for “Idol”-related releases: Allen co-wrote nine of the 12 tracks and there are actually points where his voice can be heard cracking.

Opener and first single “Live Like We’re Dying” features Allen’s side-of-mouth vocal bubbling with all sorts of fast-paced swagger as he pounds on the piano, resulting in a track that would have made the most recent Fray album less of a bore. 

After that, Allen plays around in the mid-tempo sandbox on a number of solid efforts like “Before We Come Undone,” “The Truth” and “Let It Rain,” all of which combine some impressive hooks and musicianship — albeit with some overstuffed lyrics — that could fit right in against the likes of Gavin DeGraw or Jason Mraz.

But try as he might to find himself, Allen struggles just as past idols have in doing so, leaving a few of the album’s latter cuts feeling like filler. His appealing vocal performance saves “Is It Over” and “Lifetime” from being total losses.

Thankfully things end on the best note possible, as closer “I Need To Know” is the album’s clear highlight. Here Allen strains over a beautiful, bare-bones piano composition by repeating the song’s title at increasing levels of sadness as the track progresses.

For an “Idol” winner’s first album, “Kris Allen” is certainly a success for the spots of his identity that forces their way through. And though portions are derivative, this release proves sometimes “Idol” fans do make a good choice.