Kelly Clarkson, “All I Ever Wanted” (Sony). You’ve heard the dance single that’s already a hit”My Life Would Suck Without You.” And now it’s time to see if the rest of the album is that pop-centric and strong. The many producers who get credits on the album are familiar names, especially Max Martin, who made his name creating hits for Britney Spears and her boy-band buddies in the ’90s, and Ryan Tedder, a Colorado-based writer and performer (with his band OneRepublic). “All I Ever Wanted” is the “American Idol” winner’s fourth full-length effort.
Taylor Hicks, “The Distance” (Modern Whomp). Speaking of “Idol,” Hicks took the cake in the fifth season of the show. After the televised competition, he released his major-label debut to poor sales and a record company that dropped him. “The Distance” is his indie-released followup, and while it sounds overproduced, fans of Hicks’ voice will appreciate the glossy recording job.
Ricardo Baca
