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. ~ Matt Collar