Chris Mann – “Roads” Album Review

If you’re an avid fan of The Voice like I am, you will remember Chris Mann from last season as the finalist on Team Xtina. As soon as I saw him in the blind auditions, I had a feeling he would make it far on the show, as I was already familiar with him from the blogosphere. Mann had released two EPs prior to auditioning for the show, which I had heard about a few years ago thanks to our friends at the One 2 One Network and their various campaigns spreading the word about his music. So naturally, when it was time to release his first full-length album after The Voice wrapped, One 2 One sprang into action again and offered those of us in their network a copy of the record so we could check it out, share our thoughts, and even be eligible to win some fun prizes. I’ve been anxious to hear the contestants’ music after the show and I voted for Mann last season, so I was eager to hear this – especially since it also includes a duet with Christina Aguilera!

Roads is Mann’s first full-length album and brings the singer to a whole new audience thanks to the fans he picked up as a part of Team Xtina. This record features two of the songs he covered on the show – “Ave Maria” and “Viva La Vida” – as well as covers of Frank Sinatra (“My Way”) Willie Nelson (“Always on My Mind”), and Lady Antebellum (“Need You Now”), not to mention his lovely duet with Aguilera, a cover of “The Blower’s Daughter” by Damien Rice. In addition to his unique operatic twist on contemporary pop standards, there is also original material on here – from the ballad “Falling” to “Cuore”, an homage to Bach. This varied collection of material shows Mann’s range and versatility – he truly has “The Voice” and I found this to be a very enjoyable listen!

Pick up your copy of Roads today on iTunes and Amazon, and keep an eye on ChrisMannMusic.com for all the latest news!