Bo Bice, American Idol darling and Alabama babe magnet, had to have known he was taking a risk in naming his debut full-length The Real Thing. Up until now, those who weren't fans of the show and were introduced to Bice's heart-on-his-sleeve brand of southern rock through either his fall 2005 guest spot on Carlos Santana's All That I Am or his chart-topping turn on the single "Inside Your Heaven," also from 2005, may have been tempted to write him off as reality-show riffraff. The Real Thing--thanks in no small part to producer Clive Davis as well as Bice-boosters Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Chad Kroeger (Nickelback), and Ben Moody (Evanescence)--redeems the hirsute, hard-charging rocker. Bice steps lively through a cavalcade of soaring guitars and top-drawer hooks, and he doesn't skimp on the belting--hear it on the full-flame lament "Nothing Without You" and also "Remember Me," an insistent rant sunk chest-deep in sincerity. If Bice sounds less earthy here than he did on the show--onstage he recalled the singer from the '60s band the Grass Roots to eerie effect at times--few will be disappointed. This is modern music with a Southern-man twist made irresistible by a bare-it-all guy who means it. The real thing, in other words. -Tammy La Gorce
