Kris Allen | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 17, 2009 | |||
Recorded | 2009 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 48:05 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
Kris Allen chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Thank You Camellia | ||||
|
Kris Allen is the second album from American Idol eighth season winner Kris Allen. The album was released on November 17, 2009, through Jive Records.
Allen has writing credits on nine of the twelve tracks on the album, including one solo credit for "Red Guitar", a song that he wrote prior to participating in American Idol . "Is It Over" was written by Allen with Cale Mills, who is an Arkansas friend of the Idol champ. [2] According to a preview of the album, [3] the tracks are:
big, widescreen adult-alt-pop records reminiscent of VH1 house bands like Carolina Liar, Maroon 5, or Augustana, all full of huge hooky choruses ridiculously readymade for radio. The album is positively teeming with potential hits, and the folks at 19 will have a tough job selecting a follow-up single for the already-released 'Live Like We're Dying'.
In a break with American Idol tradition, Allen's Idol "coronation song", "No Boundaries", was not included on his major-label debut, becoming only the second Idol winner album to do so after Taylor Hicks' self-titled album. Instead, a newly recorded version of "Heartless", covered by Allen during his run on Idol, was included as a bonus track. [4] There has been speculation that this was because "No Boundaries" was already included on the Walmart-exclusive season 8 compilation album, [5] which is the first time the winning single was included on the season's compilation since Kelly Clarkson in 2002 and is the first new compilation since season five. However, it has been included as part of the deluxe album version via iTunes.
The album was released in the United Kingdom on November 16, 2009, [6] making its official release before that of the United States.
Allen previewed three songs from his album "Written All Over My Face", "Can't Stay Away," and "Before We Come Undone" at a Miami Dolphins tailgate party before their game against the New Orleans Saints on October 25, 2009. [7]
AOL Music began streaming the full album on November 9, 2009. [8]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 52/100 [13] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [14] |
American Songwriter | [15] |
Entertainment Weekly | B− [16] |
Los Angeles Times | [17] |
Salt Lake Tribune | (D) [18] |
Slant Magazine | [19] |
Sputnik Music | [20] |
Kris Allen was met with "mixed or average" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 52 based on 8 reviews. [13]
In a review for AllMusic, critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "Unhip it may be by design, at least Kris Allen delivers the goods: it's tuneful and likeable, melodic enough to merit a close listen, ready to slip into the background at a moment's notice." [14]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Live Like We're Dying" |
|
| 3:29 |
2. | "Before We Come Undone" | Kurstin | 3:31 | |
3. | "Can't Stay Away" |
| Elizondo | 3:19 |
4. | "The Truth" | Gad | 4:40 | |
5. | "Written All Over My Face" |
|
| 3:34 |
6. | "Bring It Back" |
| Eg White | 3:42 |
7. | "Red Guitar" | Allen |
| 4:27 |
8. | "Is It Over" |
| Elizondo | 3:34 |
9. | "Let It Rain" |
| Karlsson | 3:29 |
10. | "Alright with Me" |
|
| 3:07 |
11. | "Lifetime" |
| Elizondo | 3:38 |
12. | "I Need to Know" |
| Gad | 3:34 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
13. | "Heartless" |
| Salaam Remi | 3:42 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
13. | "Heartless" |
| Salaam Remi | 3:42 |
14. | "No Boundaries" | Emanuel Kiriakou | 3:30 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
14. | "Send Me All Your Angels" |
| Elizondo | 3:29 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
14. | "From the Ashes" |
| Gad | 4:06 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
15. | "No Boundaries" |
| Kiriakou | 3:30 |
The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 11 with 80,000 sold for the week. [22]
Chart (2009) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 [23] | 11 |
Chart (2010) | Position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 | 115 [24] |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Edition(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | November 16, 2009 | Standard | [25] | ||
Canada | November 17, 2009 | ||||
United States |
| ||||
New Zealand | November 23, 2009 |
| Standard |
Measure of a Man is the debut album by American singer Clay Aiken. It was released on October 14, 2003 through RCA Records, five months after the conclusion of the second season of American Idol.
Behind the Eyes is the twelfth studio album by Christian music and pop music singer Amy Grant, released in 1997.
Simple Things is the fifteenth studio album by CCM singer-songwriter Amy Grant, released in 2003.
Beyond Measure is the fifth album by Jeremy Camp, released on October 31, 2006. It includes the singles, "Tonight", "What It Means" and "Let It Fade". A special edition version of the album was released on March 27, 2007.
5th Gear is the sixth studio album by American country music singer Brad Paisley. It was released June 19, 2007, by Arista Nashville and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of about 197,000 copies. On April 9, 2008, 5th Gear was certified platinum by the RIAA.
True Beauty is the Grammy-nominated and debut studio album by American Idol contestant Mandisa. The first single, "Only the World", was released on May 22, 2007, and the full album was released on July 31, 2007. The album covers a remake of gospel duo Mary Mary's hit song "Shackles ".
We Ran is a 1998 rock album by American singer Linda Ronstadt. The disc featured back-up from three members of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. It spent two weeks on the Billboard albums chart, peaking at #160.
Sittin' on Top of the World is the third studio album by American singer LeAnn Rimes, released in the United States on May 5, 1998, by Curb Records. The album has been certified Platinum. It contains cover versions of "Insensitive" by Jann Arden, "Sittin' on Top of the World" by Amanda Marshall, "Purple Rain" by Prince, and "Rock Me " by Deborah Allen. The album also includes three singles which were released to country radio, "Commitment", "Nothin' New Under the Moon" and "These Arms of Mine", and one to adult contemporary, ""Feels Like Home".
Something to Say is the third full-length studio album by Contemporary Christian music artist Matthew West. It was released on January 15, 2008 through Sparrow Records. The album's first single, "You Are Everything", was the most-played song on Christian AC radio in 2008. Other singles from the album include the title track "Something to Say", and West's third #1 single, "The Motions".
When Love Finds You is the sixth studio album from American country music artist Vince Gill. It was released in 1994 on MCA Nashville. It features the singles "Whenever You Come Around," "What the Cowgirls Do," "When Love Finds You," "Which Bridge to Cross ," "You Better Think Twice" and "Go Rest High on That Mountain."
David Archuleta is the debut album by American singer David Archuleta. It was released first released in the Asia on November 10, 2008, by Jive Records. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on January 29, 2009. The first single, "Crush", was released to radio on August 1. The album was released in the UK on May 11, 2009. The UK album release was set to coincide with his UK tour with Rock/Pop band McFly in April/May 2009.
Unstoppable is the sixth studio album by American country music group Rascal Flatts, and their final album to be released with Lyric Street Records. It was released on April 7, 2009 and produced four singles on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in the U.S. with 351,000 copies sold, making it the band's fourth consecutive number-one debut on the chart. It topped the 1 million mark on October 31, 2009. As of June 2010, the album had sold over 1,230,638 copies in the United States. This was the band's final album to top the Billboard 200.
Freedom is the third studio album by American Idol contestant Mandisa. The album was released on March 24, 2009. On April 2, 2009, the album debuted at number 83 on the Billboard 200 selling over 7,000 copies in its first week. In 2010, the album was Nominated for Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year. After just over two years of her album "Freedom" being off the Billboard 200, it re-entered at 178.
City of Black & White is the third studio album by Mat Kearney. Released on May 19, 2009, it follows his 2006 major-label debut, Nothing Left to Lose. The first single, "Closer to Love", was released on March 10, 2009, as a digital download. To promote the album, Kearney toured with Keane and the Helio Sequence. On the day of its release, the bonus track version peaked at #7 on the iTunes Top Albums, and the standard version peaked at #19. Kearney wrote the title track while traveling in Turkey. He explained that this song "was born on a ferry as I crossed the Bosphorus River, which splits Istanbul in two.". "Fire & Rain" was also released as a digital download to MySpace the week of the album release. Immediately after the album was released, "Lifeline" was used in commercial advertisement for season 3 of Lifetime Television's Army Wives. The commercial has been aired not only on Lifetime but ABC as well.
Unbroken is the second studio album from American Idol season five runner-up Katharine McPhee. The album was released on January 5, 2010, by Verve Forecast Records, her first album on the label. It debuted at number 27 on the Billboard 200, selling 15,000 copies in its first week. As of January 2011, the album has sold 45,000 copies in the US.
Moving On is the fifth album by American vocalist, pianist and songwriter Oleta Adams, released in 1995. It saw Adams move towards a more straightforward R&B sound, working with established R&B producers Vassal Benford and Michael J. Powell who helped to mix her usual soul, pop and gospel styles with R&B. Adams wrote or co-wrote six of the twelve songs on the album, and for the first time produced two of the songs.
Somewhere Down the Road is the seventeenth studio album by Christian music and pop music singer-songwriter Amy Grant, released in 2010. It is a unique album featuring eight new songs, a new recording of the song "Arms of Love", from her 1982 album Age to Age, and rounded out with three of Grant's previously released story-songs.
Thank You Camellia is the third studio album and second major-label album by American singer-songwriter Kris Allen. It was released on May 18, 2012.
Horizons is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Kris Allen. It was released on August 12, 2014, by Allen's independent label, DogBear Records. Allen also organized a Stageit show as a release party for the record where he performed the full album set and also a song called Unique. A portion of the proceeds from the album go to benefit Music Empowers Foundation.
Letting You In is the fifth studio album recorded by American singer/songwriter Kris Allen, released through the independent label imprint DogBear Records on March 18, 2016. It is Allen's second record to be released independently after parting ways with his post-American Idol label, RCA Records, in 2012. The lead single, "Waves", was released to digital retailers on February 19, 2016 alongside pre-orders of the album.