Chris Mann - Roads (2012)

Tracklist

01. Roads
02. Need You Now
03. Cuore
04. The Blower's Daughter
05. My Way
06. Unless You Mean It
07. Always On My Mind
08. On A Night Like This
09. Ave Maria
10. Falling
11. Viva La Vida


Vocalist Chris Mann builds upon his 2012 fourth-place finish on NBC's The Voice with his debut solo album, Roads. A languid, passionate, and well-produced album, Roads beautifully showcases Mann's Vanderbilt University-trained vocal chops. Rather than attempt to shoe horn Mann's mature vocal aesthetic into a younger, teen- or dance-oriented sound, here we get a selection of thoughtful covers and originals that straddle the line between measured, adult contemporary radio styles and more of a classical crossover approach. To these ends, tracks such as Mann's poignant version of Damien Rice's "The Blower's Daughter" and his similarly yearning take on Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" rachet up the sweeping, cinematic qualities of the songs while allowing him plenty of room to shine. Elsewhere, he grabs your attention with the uplifting title track, proves his technical vocal prowess with Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria," and even gets a few co-writing credits on on such cuts as "Cuore" and the romantic "Falling." Ultimately, Roads will not disappoint fans who championed Mann on The Voice.

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