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Recent Articles By Kristyn Pomranz

National Features

American Idol winners (Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood) have it easy, as do American Idol early exiters (Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry). But the penultimate position is a toughie. Beatboxer Blake Lewis tries to prove that America chose wrong with his debut disc Audio Day Dream, a refreshingly high-energy album that sounds far more crisp and confident than any recent AI alums' efforts. "Break Anotha" is a hearty dance track that could position Lewis as the beatboxing angle in a Timberlake-Thicke triad, while "Know My Name" (which features Lupe Fiasco) is a hip-pop staccato jam that makes you wanna do the Robot. "How Many Words" seamlessly incorporates Lewis' beatboxing on a nostalgic, '80s-synth backdrop, and "Without You" is the best kind of power ballad — unapologetically cheesy. Though Lewis loses his step toward the end of the album — the songs become increasingly generic — the bulk of Audio Day Dream ensures that his runner-up status was a fluke.

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