"Daughtry" CD Review

"Hard Rocker Wins Hearts"

Chris Daughtry, a former "American Idol" fifth season contestant who did not get crowned the season five winner, has had quite the journey all the way to the top of the Billboard Charts. He began his rise after gaining national exposure on one of America's most watched prime-time television programs. It's "No Surprise" that his name has become a familiar one in many households throughout the world.

Chris, a recently married man and father of two from North Carolina, ended up in fourth place on American Idol. After elimination, Chris received a recording contract with RCA Record Company. The record company let Chris form his own band. Chris used his last name, and the band "Daughtry" was formed.

"Daughtry's self-titled debut album came out in 2006. it sold over one million copies after being released for five weeks making it the fastest selling debut rock album in history. A few weeks after it came out, the album ranked number one on the Billboard Charts.

Daughtry's lead singer, has a raspy and very distinct voice that's so unique, no one could replicate it even if they tried. Daughtry's very first single, "It's Not Over" hit the radio waves in 2007 and was one of the top 10 songs played throughout that year. Soon after, Daughtry put out their second single "Home" which also became one of the top 10 songs of 2007.

"It's Not Over," is a ballad about a person in a relationship who is begging for forgiveness. It is about how a relationship fell apart, but one of the parties of the relationship is still striving to make it work. Overall, this song is moderately heavy with percussion instruments such as drums, cymbals, and an electric guitar that play alongside of Chris's emotional sounding and straining voice. Listener's can distinctly hear the heartbreak which is portrayed in this song.

"Home," Daughtry's second single released off of their debut album became the closing anthem song for season six of American Idol. This song is about lonesomeness while working away from home. It's about missing the love and support from family and friends when you are away for a long duration of time and the only place you can seek comfort is when you arrive home. "I'm going home to the place where I belong where your love has always been enough for me" "Well these places and these faces are getting old, so I'm going home" leader Chris Daughtry sings. The song is one that anyone could relate to; and with the song beginning with gentle strumming of an electric guitar and a wood block counting the beats, it puts a listener into a vulnerable mood.

"Over You," the third single to hit radio waves is about a person who was in a bad relationship and is now recovering from heart break. Chris sings, "I never saw it coming and should have started running a long, long time ago and I never thought I'd doubt you I'm better off without you, more than you, more than you know" "...The day I thought I'd never get through, I got over you". The chords in the song are sung with great emotion and power; as if he is yelling at the top of his lungs to the other person that caused him pain. The beginning of the song starts out with an acoustic and electric guitar playing simultaneously and then the drums begin on the second verse which pulls the rest of the song fully together making it a very catchy tune that listeners want to hear over and over again.

There was also a few more hit singles from their debut album such as, "Crashed," "Feels Like Tonight" and "What About Now" and these helped established "Daughtry" as a household name. After the success of their first album, Daughtry released their second CD "Leave This Town". The majority of the second disc's songs were co-written by Chris Daughtry.

Chris Daughtry is the third American Idol contestant, along with Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood that became very successful. This Creed-like sounding band has catchy chord progressions and versus which led to them becoming the well known band that they are today. They won an American Music Award in 2007 and they were Grammy nominated in 2008.

Daughtry's second album, "Leave This Town" was released in summer 2009, and already it has much radio play from their hit songs "No Surprise" and "Life After You." The band is sure to have a bright future ahead of them as they continue to produce more hits and give the audiences the edgy alternative rock sound that many listeners love.

"Community" Television Review

While community collegeis often stereotyped for playinghost to underachievers, the cast of NBC's "Community" made the honor roll in drama class because the show provides a solid half-hour of hearty laughter.

The front man of the show, "Jeff Winger" (played by Joel McHale) is required to go to school to obtain his law degree after having been caught receiving a fradulent one. During his second week at Greendale, Jeff begins to take a liking into "Britta Perry" (played by Gillian Jacobs, the twenty-something year old woman who is enrolled at community college after having numerous jobs. In order to get closer to Britta, Jeff forms a fake Spanish study group after explaining to Britta that he is a certified Spanish tutor.

Not knowing a lick of Spanish, Jeff enlists help fron psychology professor and acquaintance, Ian Duncan (played by John Oliver) in attempts to obtain the Spanish exams. Jeff thinks the study group will be the perfect opportunity to be alone with his dream girl Britta, but unfortunately their classmates from the Spanish class get word of the study group and decide to stop by. This unintentionally ruins Jeff's plan to be alone with her.

The diversified group of characters may remind some viewers of "The Breakfast Club" because of the stereotypical scenes that "Community" acts out on set. The show has many random jokes, lines, and the acting is hilarious. The chemistry that all of the actors have with one another is also remarkable. Though it seems like the majority of the show takes place in the study group room, it's almost as if they're at an "Alcohol Anonymous" meeting expressing their feelings and getting to learn more about each other than they would'be ever learned in their academic classes.

Alongside "McHale" and "Jacobs", is a sassy middle-aged woman, "Shirley" (played by Yvette Nicole Brown) whose character adds a fiery punch to the cast with her "I ain't takin' nothin' from no one" attitude and is also love interest to another character. In addiiton, "Abed", the Middle Eastern student (played by Danny Pudi) is one of those characters where the show just wouldn't be the same without Abed's stream of consciousness thoughts that he shares with the other characters.

"Annie", (played by Allison Brie) the over achiever or "Little Annie Adderall" as "Troy", the football jock/prom king (played by Donald Glover) calls her. However, the show wouldn't be a hit without "Chuck" (played by Chevy Chase)- a retiree and founder of award winning moist towelettes who tries hard to fit in with the young generation that surrounds him at the college. And also the Spanish professor, "Senor Chang" (played by Ken Jeong) who is also known for his comedic acting in "Knocked Up," and "The Hangover."

The show can easily take you away from a stressful daily routine and bring you back to your college years. This new prime-time show that was directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and created by Dan Harmon, will keep you smiling and laughing until the very last minute of the episode. "Community" airs Thursday nights at 8p.m. on NBC- Try to not be tardy!