I’ve been waiting for this album since American Idol ended last season. On first listen I was a bit confused. Bo, crooning? Bo doing love songs? And why the hell do some of these songs sound like Bon Jovi? Where did the orchestra come from? WTF? No “Whipping Post?” No “Freebird?”

Okay, shaddup. This is not the album anyone was expecting out of Bo Bice. Someone (producer Clive Davis maybe?) decided that Bo could sing and they made him do it on every track. There’s very little growling, very little dramatic breathing, almost no soaring, there’s just good, solid, rock’n’roll singing. While I want a rock singer to tear it up on every track, I understand that hurts vocal chords in the long run and someone is managing this guy for the long haul. While that’s good to know, I also know what kept me watching Idol, Bo Bice’s vocal RAWKING.

I’ve got one overall problem with the album. There’s very little for me on here. It’s been marketed to the girls. From the love songs to the digital booklet where some yahoo decided that Bo should try to steal Constantine’s “dreamy eyes of death,” this is a chick album. How chicky is it? Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora do some writing and playing on it. Chick. Album. (Note to singer/songwriters/producers, there are now enough songs out there with the title/words, “It’s My Life.” Stoppit. Stoppit now.)

After watching Idol last season and seeing and hearing what Bo is capable of, this album is a bit of a let down. It left me wanting more. I KNOW there’s more there. Everyone who watched the show knows there’s more there. We didn’t get all of what we already know he’s capable of. I feel ripped off.

The last two tracks almost let me forgive him for the photo shoot. Willing to Try, a man and his piano number, and Valley of Angels, a solid gospel number with The Waters backing him up, end this album on a spiritual high that took me completely by suprise.

And I want more. You’ve done the chick album, now give us the rawk album please. Thank you.

UPDATE: Reader Claudia points out that there’s a dual disk version available with more songs from Bo and his band Sugarmoney. This version is not available on iTunes yet. Bad iTunes, bad.