Album Review: Donnie Klang - 'Just A Rolling Stone'

Following the hit-making paths of Danity Kane and Day26, who enjoyed back-to-back #1 debuts on the Billboard 200, it would seem that Donnie is poised to be Making the Band' s next superstar or is he?

That question, even after listening to the album, will remain debatable, because while Donnie's debut album 'Just A Rolling Stone' does have it's highlights, Donnie never materializes on revealing who he is as an artist. 'Hurt That Body', is a good track that seems like a recall of Justin Timberlake's 2003 hit 'Rock Your Body' and although the track is never as good as the original, it is just as catchy and almost manages to live up to the original. 'Pick It Up', another highlight manages to capture the best in Donnie's voice as he vows to pick up the pieces of a girl's broken heart. 'Catch My Breathe' shows a vulnerable Donnie head over hills in lust, but the end also showcases some of his strongest vocals. The title track is another one of the album's shining moments and also proves how much versatility lays in Donnie's voice. 'The Rain' enthrallingly provides a unique way of putting a spin on a notorious liar and while an amazingly detailed track, it probably would have been better serviced with a woman on the vocals, but still a great track all the same. 'My Idol', has a very Chris Browny influence, and while the track is on the uphills of solid, Donnie rides the track like he would a bull as he struggles to comfortably take on the album's most vocally challenging track. 'Pretty Girls Cry', produced by Ryan Leslie, shows him take a channeling of early Michael Jackson and surprisingly doing it well, as he tells pretty girls to watch for cover because he is no good. The Danja produced 'Hollywood Girls' demonstrates where Donnie is probably best suited in the music world, the track is an enthusiastic win from beginning to end, as Donnie tells the often told tale of a girl that's addicted to the life of Hollywood.

The album's lead track 'Take You There' has an infectious beat, but the lyrics fail to excel to anything more than average, as Donnie arrogantly coos, "If you want to go far, far, Let me take you to the stars", and he though you are convinced Donnie believes in what he's saying, if you're riding on his promises you'll never leave the ground. The track, which sees Donnie taking on an horrid interpretation of Prince, also boasts a Diddy featured rap, which is the best thing about the track and being that Diddy is far from a great rapper that should reestablished just how lackluster the track really is. 'Which One' sounds like a carbon cut version of Danity Kane's 'Sucka For Love', a bad one at that. 'Dr. Love' is cheesiness at its best, as he promises "You could call me the love doctor, I'm a make you feel better, sometimes pain is pleasure, lay down on the stretcher, love sick but I got the cure, so don't you panic babe, you'll be begging me for more, after the surgery", and although the track is solid overall despite the lack of lyrical substance, Donnie fails to convince you that he actually has anything resembling a cure, but rather a poison that will only make the condition worse. 'Not a Love Song', is an upbeat track where he admits she's addicting, but stresses it's not love and 'Love in Stereo' manages to have its moments, but both tracks are underwhelming and furthermore just plain boring.

He has the looks, the voice, and some good tracks, and while that has worked for the likes of Justin and Chris, it still might not be enough to propel Donnie to super stardom, because only on occasional tracks do you actually get the feeling that Donnie is being sincere or genuine. A bulk of the tracks, whether good or bad, just feel like it was something compiled by others and merely put in front of Donnie to sing, without any input or control over where he wanted to go musically.

A solid debut collection, but just not AUTHENTIC.

3 out of 5