Description
Phillip Phillips' victorious run on American Idol included an abundance of R&B, as the young Georgia vocalist covered tunes by everyone from James Brown to Usher, amid some pop/rock classics. But even then, he displayed a vocal style closer to a cross between Chris Martin and Dave Matthews, and it's that amalgam that he explores on his debut album. Tracks like "Gone, Gone, Gone" and "Hold On" have all the grandeur of Coldplay times ten, while the combination of acoustic axes and anthemic touches on other tracks underlines a Mumford & Sons influence. The disco-tinged "Get Up Get Down" nods to Phillips' funkier side, but for the most part, we hear him trading groove-based moves for grand drama and panoramic pop.
Jim Allen, Google Play