Rock fans were in for a treat when Chris Daughtry stepped into the American Idol spotlight in 2006. To date, he has become the most successful rocker to ever grace the show's stage. When he formed his band, Daughtry, and released the group's first studio album, expectations were high, and were ultimately met. Topping countless charts, Daughtry became the second best selling album of 2007, falling behind only to Josh Groban's Christmas release.

One spin through this album will have the average rock or pop fan hooked. Tracks that include the likes of "There and Back Again" and "All These Lives" set the tone for the record with a variation of up-tempo, heavy rock beats with electric guitar solos to moderate, and contemporary pop hits. Daughtry finds comfort in "Home," a track penned by the front man himself that introduced his music and beliefs to Christian radio outlets. "It's Not Over" tries faithfully to fix a broken relationship. Other tracks, such as "What I Want" (which features guitar mastermind Slash) and "Crashed," allude to Chris' faith ("And then I crashed into you/ And I went up in flames/ Could have been the death of me/ But then you breathed your breath in me"). Daughtry also shows off their personal side with other noteworthy tracks like "Gone" and the made-to-be hit "What About Now," which venture deeper into struggling situations and promote making the most of love.

Criticism falls mainly on the blind spot in the lacking of more obvious spiritual references within the band's lyrical content. Although the album is not meant to be marketed mainly for the Christian industry, it has never been a secret, even from the American Idol days, that Chris Daughtry is a man of faith. He not only has performed on tour with Day of Fire, but has also recorded a track with Third Day on their album Revelation. Chris also thanks God in the Daughtry liner notes for "being the greatest example of love I know." So why does he set that aside when writing music?

With that said, it's clear from hearing this record that it's worth listening too. Whether you're into rock, pop, or a just a good song to get to know, there's something on Daughtry that's sure to please everyone - Just don't expect a complete spiritual uplifting. Hopefully this band will meet that road sometime in the near future.

- Review date: 5/21/08, written by Logan Leasure