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Kris Allen
“Kris Allen”

1. Live Like We’re Dying
2. Before We Come Undone
3. Can’t Stay Away
4. The Truth
5. Written All Over My Face
6. Bring It Back
7. Red Guitar
8. Is It Over
9. Let It Rain
10. Alright with Me
11. Lifetime
12. I Need to Know
13. Heartless

The first time I listened to Kris Allen’s new CD, my ears perked up once — when Kris uttered the words “poker face” early on the 11th track, in a song called “Lifetime.”

“Could this be it?” I wondered. “The special track? Has Kris listened to enough Lady Gaga to understand the benefit of a song that’s catchy, a song with a hook, a song you can’t get out of your head.”

Alas, the vocals soared, the musical clutter began and “Lifetime” turned out to be just like the other tracks on “Kris Allen.”

Meaning, nothing special.

I worried about Kris’ first album when I heard the lead single, “Live Like We’re Dying.” Didn’t sound like much of a single to me.

That opinion seemed justified when the song debuted at number 89 on Billboard’s Hot 100 back in early October, fell out of the top 100 the next week, then didn’t return until this week, at a not-so-scintillating number 92.

But, hey, lot of artists have released head-scratching debut singles. Adam Lambert’s lead single off his highly anticipated first album isn’t exactly tearing up the charts.

Problem is, “Live Like We’re Dying” sort of sums up Kris’ album. It’s filled with songs better than the Idol coronation song he was forced to release, but nothing that sounds like a sure-fire hit.

A couple of the tracks start promisingly enough, which means quite simply, just Kris and a piano in a couple of cases. And I found myself wishing the production on those tracks had stayed simple. Because that’s when Kris seemed at his best on Idol, when he was performing a stripped-down version of a popular song.

Here, even his signature track from Idol — the cover of Kayne West’s “Heartless” — seems just so-so.

After repeated listens, I’d pick “Let It Rain,” “Alright With Me” and “Red Guitar” as the best tracks, the latter being the only one I’d really care to hear over and over. Curiously, it’s a song Kris wrote before Idol.

I’m sure Kris Allen fans will disagree with this assessment of “Kris Allen.” And there are apparently lots of Kris Allen fans, perhaps enough to make this post-Idol debut a modest success. The album hits stores Tuesday.

For me, it ranks as the biggest disappointment among Idol related albums released this year.

Grade: D.

Download worthy: “Red Guitar”