* review > JUST LIKE YOU - ALLISON IRAHETA

It’s no secret that The Dogg is fan of all things American Idol. It’s one of those television talent shows that helps us believe that there are talented people in the world who if given the opportunity can shine. People like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry who in the span of a year can go from waiting tables to superstar status. Allison Iraheta is no exception to this rule. Allison unexpectedly finished fourth in Season 8 of American Idol, much to early for many including her mentor Slash, who thought that gravely voiced rocker would be in the final round. The problem with Allison and American Idol is that it’s a show for pop music and it’s never been kind to rock singers.

Jive Records (Sony) and 19 Entertainment have taken Allison and are really pushing her as a pop artist. The first single from Allison’s debut album, “Just Like You” is “Friday I’ll be Over U” a track obviously aimed at the teen pop market. And why wouldn’t they, after all she is only seventeen years old and with all the success of a Mylie Cyrus and Taylor Swift it’s obvious that the record labels want to capitalize on this. So, it’s no surprise that the thirteen tracks on her album had eleven different producers and a virtual smorgasbord of songwriters including American Idol judge Kara Dioguardi.

But Allison isn’t a pop singer, she’s a rocker with a voice beyond her years and despite the production and the songwriting it’s Allison’s voice that shines through on tracks like “Scars” and eventually makes this album something worth listening to. She has that Janis Joplin / Joan Jet vibe and can take a song and sing it with the intensity of a Pat Benatar so that despite the fact that the song was obviously written for the pop market it hits you with emotion rarely found in rock and roll today. Of the thirteen tracks on the album I found nine of them to be solid winners and in this age where most albums have only one hit I’d say any album with this many good songs is worth giving a try.

“Just Like You” may not have the commercial success of other American Idols debuts like that of Kelly Clarkson and Chris Daughtry, but it has something that pop music is lacking, an old soul with modern day relevance and for that I give it 4 paws.