Airwave: Daughtry and Tupac's 'Life' albums

Chris Daughtry, the former "American Idol" finalist releases his debut album Daughtry (RCA Records) and who knew that he could rock the house.

His voice was lost as the competition between Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee was battled out on national television. Was he robbed? YES, I say. Was he supposed to be in the top two, YES I say, but in turn unlike that other rocker Bo Bice, Daughtry, did a good thing to form his band together. Those within the band create the sound that is yes, familiar but not lost.

What is also great it the fact that former Guns and Roses guitiarist and current Velvet Revolver Slash is featured on the track, "What I Want." When I heard that I thought, ******* brilliant on the part of Daughtry, makes Bice's debut look mediocre.

Elsewhere, the North Carolina family man lets his inner (and outer, actually) goatee-and eyeliner-type guy rip: his built-for-the-hard-stuff voice bites down appealingly on "Breakdown," a dark serenade to mental health.

The loud mad dash of those songs leads to a midtempo wind-down ("All These Lives," "What About Now"), but as a mix, it works. Daughtry is a man of many moods--contemplative, explosive, insistent, humble. No matter which pokes through on a given song, he steadies it to a place as honest as it is accessible. Rare is the rocker who lays out so broad an on-ramp.

The tracklist:
1. It's Not Over
2. Used To
3. Home
4. Over You
5. Crashed
6. Feels Like Tonight
7. What I Want (featuring Slash)
8. Breakdown
9. Gone
10. There And Back Again
11. All These Lives
12. What About Now

UPDATE: I forgot about the song, "Crashed," and yes it is one of the heaviest song on the album and also one the greatest song. Man, is Daughtry great. What I love about is no backing down attitude toward the track.

Lyrics from "Crashed":

Well I was movin at the speed of sound
Head spinnin couldn't find my way around
and Didn't know that I was goin' down Yeahh, Yeahh
Where I been, well its all a blurr
What I was lookin' for, I'm not sure
Too late and didn't see you coming Yeahh,
Yeahh

Then I crashed into you
and I went up in flames
COuld've been the death of me
But then you breathed your breath in me
Then I crashed into you
like a runaway train
You will consume me
Well, I can't walk away


Rating: 4 out of 5


Tupac Shakur hasn't lost his touch even more than 10 years after his death and with the lastest Pac's Life (Polydor Records) and it is terrific. Say what you want album the Thug Life he led or had tatooed across his middle area but the greatest thing about his is that his memory has been and will be preserved.

The album itself commemorates the 10th anniversary of the tragic death of the late poet, activist and legend. Includes unreleased music and remixes featuring some of the biggest names in the game including: T.I., Ludacris, Young Buck, Keyshia Cole, Bone Thugs-N -Harmony and Lil Scrappy.

By far the it's up there will all the other album released after his death and this one is just another hit, because it has hit after hit after his. What of it, I said? But yeah, again one that makes you appreciate life and even before his death at the age of 25 (and was able to record more than 250 songs) these that have his voice will be as good as ever.

Here the video for the single, "Untouchable":


1. Untouchable [Swizz Beatz Remix]
2. Pac's Life
3. Dumpin'
4. Playa Carz Right (Female) - Keyshia Cole
5. Whatz Next - Jay Rock
6. Sleep - Chamillionaire,
7. International
8. Don't Sleep - Lil Scrappy, ,
9. Soon as I Get Home
10. Playa Cardz Right (Male) - Keon Bryce, Ludacris
11. Don't Stop - Big Syke, Edi, , , , Young Noble
12. Pac's Life [Remix]
13. Untouchable

Rating: 5 out of 5