Audio Mixer: Peter Mokran.Recording information: Brandon's Way Recording, Los Angeles, CA; Dining Room Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Ice Station Zebra, Medford, MA; Ocean Studios, Burbank, CA; Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios; Shenandoah Arms, Los Angeles, CA; The Bridge Recording, Glendale, CA; The Red Lips Room, Beverly Hills, CA; The Velveteen Laboratory, Los Feliz, CA; Wally World Studios, Studio City, CA; Willowbrooke Studios, Franklin, TN.Photographer: Randee St. Nicholas.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 Format: CD Released: 10/30/2012 Genre: Rock and Pop
