Audio Day
Dream - Blake Lewis
Can an American Idol contestant really make it in the world of music? While Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson have succeeded, few participants have been heard from after their elimination from the show. The jury is still out on Blake Lewis, the runner-up in this past season.
With his new album, A.D.D. (Audio Day Dream), Blake Lewis has stepped away from the beatboxing he is famous for and instead takes the white boy, hip-hop, dance music path. Of course, there will be the inevitable comparison to the wildly popular Justin Timberlake, who came from a similarly, although slightly less, embarrassing background.
Lewis started beatboxing when he was 17, inspired by various a cappella groups, and he eventually joined one himself called KickShaw. As college students know, you have to have a pretty decent voice to be a member of an a cappella group. The lack of instruments exposes any vocal flaws.
Lewis proved to America that he wasn't just a beatboxer but also a competent singer. The real test however is the release of his first post-Idol album, which is precisely where most Idols fail.
Quite surprisingly, the album is not half bad. The first track is one of those bizarre, 30-second introductions that don't really connect to the album but the producers decided to stick in anyway. After that, however, "Break Anotha," Lewis's single, is probably the best on the album. This could actually be the next big club hit, crazy, no? Granted, the lyrics are painfully cheesy, "He's a gentleman lover, get you undercover," but who actually listens to the lyrics of pop songs anymore? This track is incredibly danceable and balances the ridiculous lyrics with an incredible beat.
As is "Know My Name," featuring Lupe Fiasco. Although the verses is at best, bearable, the chorus, bridge and solo by Lupe are slick and catchy.
Lewis takes a turn for the worst, however, in the slower, more Maroon 5-esque songs such as "Hate 2 Love Her," "Surrender" and the ballad "How Many Words." And please, for your own good, just skip "Without You" and "I Got U" altogether; they are a waste of album space and nauseatingly sugary sweet. Needless to say, Lewis will not become the nation's best new troubadour.
With his new album, A.D.D. (Audio Day Dream), Blake Lewis has stepped away from the beatboxing he is famous for and instead takes the white boy, hip-hop, dance music path. Of course, there will be the inevitable comparison to the wildly popular Justin Timberlake, who came from a similarly, although slightly less, embarrassing background.
Lewis started beatboxing when he was 17, inspired by various a cappella groups, and he eventually joined one himself called KickShaw. As college students know, you have to have a pretty decent voice to be a member of an a cappella group. The lack of instruments exposes any vocal flaws.
Lewis proved to America that he wasn't just a beatboxer but also a competent singer. The real test however is the release of his first post-Idol album, which is precisely where most Idols fail.
Quite surprisingly, the album is not half bad. The first track is one of those bizarre, 30-second introductions that don't really connect to the album but the producers decided to stick in anyway. After that, however, "Break Anotha," Lewis's single, is probably the best on the album. This could actually be the next big club hit, crazy, no? Granted, the lyrics are painfully cheesy, "He's a gentleman lover, get you undercover," but who actually listens to the lyrics of pop songs anymore? This track is incredibly danceable and balances the ridiculous lyrics with an incredible beat.
As is "Know My Name," featuring Lupe Fiasco. Although the verses is at best, bearable, the chorus, bridge and solo by Lupe are slick and catchy.
Lewis takes a turn for the worst, however, in the slower, more Maroon 5-esque songs such as "Hate 2 Love Her," "Surrender" and the ballad "How Many Words." And please, for your own good, just skip "Without You" and "I Got U" altogether; they are a waste of album space and nauseatingly sugary sweet. Needless to say, Lewis will not become the nation's best new troubadour.
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Annomumus (Or whatever)
posted 1/05/08 @ 12:11 PM EST
Why do you hate this? It's a great album! The slow ones are fine! Leave Blake alone! It's a great album!
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