Allison Iraheta - Just Like You (2009)

The spunky kid sister to Kris Allen and Adam Lambert on season eight of American Idol, Allison Iraheta was the bridge between Allen’s sweet, sincere balladeering and Lambert’s arch camp, stretching over Danny Gokey’s lukewarm water. She still had some of Adam’s spice but could be packaged like Kris, not unlike her clear forebear Kelly Clarkson, who proved that sass could be bottled and sold. Just Like You is cut from the same cloth as Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” mode, all walls of guitars and huge Max Martin-styled hooks, some of which are indeed written by Martin himself, including the album’s standout, “Friday I’ll Be Over U.” When things slow down, Iraheta drifts into P!nk mode, assisted by the singer/songwriter herself on “No One Else” but not on the bluesy ballad “Scars," which is otherwise a dead ringer for P!nk. Allison may strongly resemble her idols here, but chalk that up to youth: she’s still in the stage where she’s emulating, not innovating, but that doesn’t prevent her from conveying considerable charisma. Unlike many Idol-raised divas, Allison Iraheta can sing and has a persona -- one stitched together from other stars, but when has that ever not been the case with pop? Iraheta is a forceful little spitfire, not quite understanding all the adult elements she suggests, but singing with force and personality. All this comes alive on the right songs -- those Martin tunes, “Friday I’ll Be Over U” and “Just Like You,” “Don’t Waste the Pretty,” fellow reality show contestant Dilana’s “Holiday,” the P!nk power ballads -- and if the rest is blandly cookie cutter, at least Iraheta tries hard to give it life and succeeds somewhat.