Ryan Malcolm — Home

Less than three months after his Canadian Idol coronation, Ryan Malcolm (with a team of writers/producers) has managed to crank out his debut album, Home. Surprisingly, in inevitable comparison to the American Idols who have released albums, Malcolm fares pretty well — Home escapes both the schmaltzy feel of Clay Aiken’s Measure Of A Man and the blandness of Ruben Studdard’s Soulful.

There’s enough palatable production and pop hooks to keep the teeny-boppers smiling, but parts of Home will also appeal to CanCon junkies who are fans of bands like Moist and The Watchmen.

Sure, as with any hastily put together Idol albums there are some rough patches. Both the duet with Gary Beals on Crowded House’s "Don’t Dream It’s Over" and the funky dance number "Good Girls" should have been saved for B-sides. But ultimately, Malcolm proves that he has good instincts and is capable of sinking his teeth into a variety of pop songs.

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