Daughtry breaks the spell

Chris Daughtry is the guy whom the TV reality show American Idol would have loved to proclaim one of its winners. The truth though is he was not even a runner-up. Just like the Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson, or the immensely popular Adam Lambert, he was one of those who got away.

Not that Chris did not reach his dream of becoming an American idol. He can be considered one today as frontman of the successful band Daughtry. But his success all happened after he was booted out of the fifth season of the show barely four weeks into the finals. The winner that year was Taylor Hicks.

I like Hicks. He has a Rod Stewart sort of vibe but Idol karma or Daughtry luck or whatever kept him from becoming a hitmaker on his first time out. There must have been a lot of reasons why his first CD release did not make it. But the one that most fans remember best is that Chris with the band Daughtry came out with his debut album that same year 2007 and outsold everybody.

Daughtry made No. 1 in the charts and was named biggest seller of the entire year. There were two hit singles from the album both co-written by Chris. The prophetic It’s Not Over, perhaps his last words on leaving Idol, and Home. Ironically, Home has since then become a favorite send-off song in the Idol show. It is one of those often played in the background when a contestant will be sent home. Pack your bags, you are going home.

Leave This Town followed two years later, 2009. The hit single was No Surprise, also co-written by Chris. The collection was not as phenomenal as Daughtry but I believe more important. It was in this album where the Daughtry sound gelled totally together, arena rock spiced with country and acoustic ballads. It was also where Chris started taking risks with his singing. I am sure fans remember that really soft September. Then it was also where he first introduced the guys that now make up the band.

Late last year, Chris with Brian Craddock and Josh Steeley on guitars; Josh Paul on bass; and Robin Diaz on drums released Break The Spell by Daughtry. Now more confident with his music, Chris led the band into coming up with what turned out to be a real fan pleaser. The CD has with everything to be expected from the group. It has lots of melodic lines, commercial hooks and Chris is singing for the bleachers in an arena concert and the fans on the front row, alternating loud, hoarse and aggressive with soulful and sensitive. It is quite exciting.

Vocally Chris is at his best in Losing My Mind and Spaceship. The country touch is retained with Start Of Something Good and We’re Not Gonna Fall. The band goes off into Bon Jovi mode with Renegade and Louder Than Ever. Then if you want big Aerosmith type ballads, there are Crawling Back To You and Crazy. For drama, there is the heartfelt Gone Too Soon.

Best of the lot though are Outta My Head, Break The Spell and Rescue Me. These rockers are the ones with the Daughtry stamp. So I wonder, why go elsewhere when Daughtry already has its own? Why not? The trick gives fans more to like as they listen to the album.

American Idol Season 11 is back on the air showing the auditions conducted in various cities. It is still too early to tell if this year’s batch will yield a Carrie Underwood. Wonderful! Or a Kris Allen. So-so. But I do not think the kids who come from all over America to try out care at all. Like what happened to Hudson and Daughtry, win or lose Idol makes a very good stepping stone.

Failed auditionee William Hung continues to perform as a singing comedian. Sanjaya Malakar has a record deal and is working on his first album. Casey Abrams will soon be recording for the legendary jazz label, Concord. And here’s a really big one: Constantine Maroulis is now the Broadway star who originated the lead role in Rock Of Ages.

Not quite in those categories? Idol also-runs can also consider getting a job in the Philippines. Look at David Archuleta, who is shooting a mini-series out here. We love having foreigners come to visit. Thanks to Filipino hospitality, has-beens, are-nots and never-will-bes are treated here like royalty.