A write-up for the top two
It's easy for me to list my two favorite albums of the year: "This Delicate Thing We've Made" by Darren Hayes and "Audio Day Dream" by Blake Lewis. Both albums are strikingly similar, and can only be described as 80s influenced electronic pop music that sounds more like the future than the past.
Ironically, the two singers have very different backgrounds. Darren Hayes is an Australian singer who rose to fame as the frontman of Savage Garden, best known for their sappy ballads that to this day ruin many a wedding. After an ugly break-up of the band, and an uninspired debut solo album, he revealed some of his many demons (the result of a troubled childhood and living life in the closet) on his second album, "The Tension and the Spark". It was then that he first delved into the wonderful world of electronic music, delivering an excellent, somber piece of work that regardless of its commercial failure was his best work to date. After marrying his husband in 2006, it was time for a more uplifting album that retained the electronic sound of the previous one.
Blake Lewis on the other hand is an American singer who received instant fame by appearing on the sixth season of American Idol, finishing as the runner-up behind Jordin Sparks. Standing out because of his original takes on classic songs, and his abundant use of vocal percussion and scat-singing, he was quickly deemed the rebel of the competition. He had shaped his musical identity long before appearing on the show, heavily influenced by electronic and hip-hop music. Overly confident, he'd been planning his debut album for a long time. His success on the show allowed him to create it, and more importantly, showcase it to the entire world.
Their different journeys led them to two albums filled with some of the best pop music of recent years. Of course, they are not clones of each other. Darren is almost ten years older and it shows. "This Delicate Thing We've Made" is a journey of self discovery. Most of the songs are deeply personal, ranging from his current life and relationship, to the abuse he suffered as a child. But regardless of the subject matter, all of the songs are very catchy and clear evidence that Darren's mastered the art of writing a pop tune.
"Audio Day Dream" on the other hand, isn't so complicated. All of the songs are about relationships, whether it's a celebrity crush, a break-up, or having found the right person. Of course, that was inevitable, coming from a show as big as American Idol. Most of Blake's fans are teenage girls, and if he decided to sing about the meaning of life or the corrupt American government, it definitely wouldn't be accepted as easily. Unfortunately, his superficial themes have earned him misplaced comparisons to less interesting artists such as Justin Timberlake and Maroon 5. It is up to him to prove these comparisons wrong.
Aside from the subject matter, the albums are very similar sounding. Darren's the better singer, but Blake makes up for it with his vocal tricks. Darren's album has 25 songs, which causes it to lose some consistency, while Blake's album remains strong all the way through. Darren's album has more variety, while Blake was careful to tailor each song to an American audience.
To me, Blake Lewis is a younger version of Darren Hayes, with some hip-hop thrown in the mix. He doesn't appear to be as conflicted or traumatized as Darren once was, so he may never release a brilliant lamentation such as "The Tension And The Spark". But he's capable of a less mainstream and more unique sound, and I feel that when he does decide to put it on album, the results will be spectacular.
