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Kris Allen

EMAILPRINTby Kris Allen

Kris Allen reviews
52
6.3 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 8 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 42 votes
Read user comments
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Album Info

Label: Jive

Release Date: 17 November 2009

Discs: 1 disc

Genre(s): Rock, Pop

Summary

This is the first major label album for the winner of the eighth season of American Idol.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

67

Entertainment Weekly

Despite scoring writing credits on an impressive nine of these 13 tracks, Allen gets himself stylistically lost somewhere between Fly White Guy Avenue ('Can't Stay Away') and Bleeding Heart Boulevard ('The Truth'), while rarely visiting original territory.

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60

All Music Guide

Unhip it may be by design, but at least Kris Allen delivers the goods: it’s tuneful and likeable, melodic enough to merit a close listen.

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60

The New York Times

It’s a seamless continuation of his “Idol” run, full of gentle songs that he only rarely tries to rough up. The flattening of the recording process suits him well.

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60

Boston Globe

It’s a polite mix of soft rock with hints of boundary jumping that, unfortunately, never truly come. There’s really nothing wrong with the set; it’s sweetly executed and produced.

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40

Rolling Stone

The likability that helped Allen win last season is so carefully low-key here that it's nearly lost.

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40

Sputnikmusic

Sure, there are a handful of half-decent cuts included here, but even they have limited lasting value. Meanwhile, the filler (arguably half the LP) is mind-numbingly boring.

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40

Slant Magazine

The surprising and effective acoustic arrangement of West's song demonstrated that Allen has some genuine interpretive skill, but the studio version here layers on a heavy-handed drum machine that sounds like Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight" and pulls focus from Allen's performance. It's just one of the miscalculations that makes Kris Allen yet another lackluster, characterless Idol debut.

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37

Los Angeles Times

Most of the material, though, tends toward a flavorless pop-rock sound that doesn't even do much to flatter Allen's appealingly rumpled vocals.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 6.3 (out of 10) based on 42 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

J K gave it a10:
I love this album! The songs are all really catchy, and there isn't a single track that I don't like. I especially like Before We Come Undone, Let it Rain, and Red Guitar. I think Kris did a great job on this album. Looking forward to seeing him in concert once he goes on tour!

Caroline L gave it an8:
Good, solid pop rock CD...not perfect, but it had to be made in 6 months. He sounds great (no one can listen to this and say Kris can't sing) and many of the tracks are now on my playlist. The critics are being way too harsh! His songwriting shows a lot of potential. Give the guy a break!

Lar C gave it a4:
Overproduced!!! This album is not Kris's style at all. He shines with simple acoustic accompaniment. Anything else upstages him.

Susan G gave it a1:
Disappointing, depressing, boring album -- total downer.

h m gave it a10:
I like this album , I even love the bounce track

E Max gave it a0:
On the show, Kris was good. What happened? I wish it was a better album.

Jer B gave it a0:
Honestly it's trash, I try so hard to like it, but I just can't.

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