Daughtry: Leave This Town
Daughtry: Leave This Town
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By Will Haine. |  |
Tuesday, 15, Sep 2009 04:31
19/RCA, out now.
In a nutshell...
Somehow big in the US, though helped by Chad Kroeger and Simon Fuller.
What's it all about?
It's the second number-one album in two attempts for Daughtry, who've carved a niche into the psyche of American rock fans still surfing the glory days of the lead singer. Still, the statistics don't lie: Leave This Town sold 269,299 copies in its first week, got number one on the Billboard 200, Digital Albums Chart and the Rock Chart.
It even shifted Michael Jackson from the top of the sales chart, which is pretty impressive.
Who's it by?
Chris Daughtry ended up getting into the final four of American Idol back in 2006, before losing out to eventual winner Taylor "who the hell he?" Hicks. Daughtry initially impressed Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson but not the nonplussed Simon Cowell. Still, he got through, though always chose rock songs when he had the chance, slowly shaping the direction he wanted to go in.
He's joined by others happy to use his name as a vague description of all of them, which is lucky by all accounts.
As an example...
"It's no surprise I won't be here tomorrow/I can't believe I stayed here till today/Yeah you and I will be a tough act to follow/But I know in time we'll find this was no surprise." - No Surprise
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Pretty doubtful, really.
What the others say
"That the material on Leave This Town is clearly so meaningful to Chris makes the experience worse: The songs end up being turgid in spite of what appears to be a substantial emotional investment on the performer's part. Chris Daughtry has a real band that plays really serious songs, which are, almost without exception, really, really bad." - Matthew Cole, Slant Music
"Daughtry's ferocious growl is still the centrepiece of the new songs but the band has also taken a few creative risks." - Jennifer Netherby, Billboard
So is it any good?
This one's pretty cut and dry - apologies in advance for the brevity.
You know, it's absolutely no surprise from minute one that Chris Daughtry has worked with the likes of Shinedown, Nickelback and Matchbox Twenty. Why? Because if their names were on this CD instead, you'd be hard pushed to realise it wasn't them.
What has it got that these bands haven't? Well, not much at all, really. If it's there somewhere, it's not easily detectable. Daughtry are good enough to be confused with them, if that's any consolation. However, it's doubtful their brand of rock will be that well-received over here in the UK.
You have the power chords, the reliable drum beat, the odd solo that kicks in three-quarters of the way through a song and a sprinkling of introspective, caring songs about women and how much they're loved or lost. Where's the experimentation, though? The range of instruments? The different approach to writing songs? Come on, gents.
It's just boring. You get to the end and you'll forget everything but the last lyric, and that's only because you've just heard it. You'll then go to remember it and you'll forget that, too.
Sorry chaps. You're talented - especially you Chris, though I suppose that goes without saying - but you're just like everyone else in that genre.
Please Lord, if you're there, make a good band that doesn't conform to the harmless, radio-happy average Joe American rock we're drowning in. We'll maybe even believe in you if you do. Honestly.
5/10
Matt Gardner