Extraordinarily ordinary

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Singer-songwriter David Archuleta's third album, The Other Side of Down, features his extraordinary vocals on often ordinary, down-to-earth songs. It's a more mature album than his earlier releases; at 19, the former American Idol contestant is growing up.

The album has been a hit with fans and critics alike; it sold 24,000 copies in the first week of its release, and hit No13 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

The title track has a catchy, lively rhythm and an optimistic message: no matter how bad today may be, tomorrow is a new day, so "nothing's gonna break my stride".

One of the quirkier songs is Elevator, an instantly accessible track for listeners of almost all tastes. The simplistic lyrics -"Elevator goes up, elevator goes down" - certainly do not push the boundaries of songwriting, but melded with the toe-taping melody, that fact fails to matter.

His songs have an optimistic feel, focusing on everyday experiences, avoiding the pain of broken dreams and hearts found in music of many of his contemporaries.

While the album all makes for pretty good listening, no track leaves you gasping for more; nothing is that memorable. It's a shame someone so talented never hits the sort of high that would have made it great.

YP rating: 3/5

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