Kris Allen "Thank You Camellia"

Kris Allen had a better debut than I had expected, with the U2-esque sounds coming from the red guitar, and a song so heartless; which were some of the stand outs, but there were plenty of great songs before, between, and after, including the debut single Live Like We’re Dying. Sophomore albums are always tricky affairs, but this album seems to have avoided the slump, and for that we have to Thank You Camellia.
The opener reminds me of a song by the Jonas Brothers (Or Nick Jonas and the Administration) song with a touch of a light rhythm breeze, a short moment N’Sync with the fact that he feels like a superhero when with her; hence “Better With You.’’ The second song presents “The Vision of Love,” and sounds like a DJ with a higher purpose in mind than just moving people’s booties on the dance floor; the sound and tone remind me of Daniel Bedingfield. Whether it is the whistled hook, or his grammar that would make Andy proud, he hasn’t found “My Weakness,” but “…You get me everytime.” The heavenly notes that open the fifth song sound cosmic, and the breakdown, might be coming from sirens, or maybe a “Monster” luring the listener into a false sense of security scored by an addictive beat and a BEP “woo-hoo” moment.  If I was “Blindfolded” I think I would still be able to name the title of the song, and recognize the voice; if I was given three choices, and or played the track before it. We all have our own secrets, but maybe the beginning was inspired by one republic, and then the rest was inspired by one funky country where there is much whiskey to drink and pianos/keys to play; on the “Rooftops” while we’re on the subject. The next addresses a state in a relationship where the only thing the boyfriend can do to make it right is to sing I’ll “Leave You Alone” tonight.  Meiko joins Allen in a duet that “Loves Me Not.” The song is easy to relate to, and considers both perspectives instead of just one, but both probably can agree with these lyrics: “You keep me out on a wire/Somewhere between the 'you' and 'you and I'/My legs are getting so tired/From hanging on your every word.”                                                                                                                                                         Dear Piano,  “You Got a Way” with making those tender hearted devotionals, no matter how many years pass the feeling will not lose their meaning; you cannot help, when on the outside of their emotion at the time, but think they sometimes sound corny. Favorites: Better With You, Vision of Love, My Weakness, Monster, Rooftops, Loves Me Not, and Turn The Pages.