After American Idol

Fans rave over new album from Kris Allen

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Kris Allen with La'Porsha Renae at the Season 15 American Idol auditions. (FOX Photo)

Kris Allen with La’Porsha Renae at the Season 15 American Idol auditions. (FOX Photo)

Kris Allen’s new album is unlikely to launch him to the stardom enjoyed by some past American Idol finalists.

“Letting You In,” his fourth post-show album, came out Friday, was sitting at number 29 on iTunes’ albums chart that evening and had dropped to the mid-50s by Sunday.

But Kris’ fans — and there are still plenty of them — are certainly embracing the new music.

Check out some of the reaction on Facebook.

* Tara Christle: “You’re one of very few artists where I am able to download a brand-new full album, having not heard a note, and love every bit of it.”

* Seth Tabitha Blankenship: Got it as soon as I could last night and I had it on repeat while I worked on my art. It was just what I needed! You never let me down!

* Carrie Staley Hromek: “Been listening all day, Kris! Such a great album! Thanks for making great music.”

* Marla Kapit: “Oh, my, what a fantastic album this is, Kris. Kudos to you. I’m so proud to be a fan. So far my faves are Faster Shoes and Moves. Love Waves as well. Love all the songs actually. You rock very well so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Marla has a point because Kris, best known for his singer-songwriter vibe, is at his best on the new album when the tempo picks up. Two of the best songs on the album are “Faster Shoes” and “Moves.”

Looking for great ballads. Kris provides those too, including “Way Up High” and the title track.

Kris has called this his most personal album yet. Hence, the title, “Letting You In.”

That said, Kris told The Huffington Post that one song — “If We Keep Doing Nothing” — was written in reaction to the 2015 mass shooting that left nine dead at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon.

“I was writing with K.S. Rhoads the day after and we started talking about the whole situation,” Kris says in an article you can read here. “He sat down at the piano and we knew we had to write that song that day. There was no other option. Right after that it seemed like there was news of one shooting after another and we kept texting each other saying that this is a song people need to hear. “

As for the rest of the album, here’s Kris’ message to fans on Facebook: “These songs have been hitting me over the head for years and I am so glad that I was finally able to get them out. I hope that you can hear a little bit more of me in the record and, in turn, I hope that the songs hit home for you even more …

“It’s crazy that I make music! And that people listen to it!”

Kris is touring in support of the new album with stops planned in Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh Winery on April 13), Philly (World Cafe Live on June 7) and D.C. (The Hamilton on June 8.)

You can head to his Facebook page or website for more information on those shows and a list of the dozens of others.

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