Bo bice

Whether you consider American Idol a vapid cultural obituary or an inspired populist revolution, its ability to churn out stars is indisputable. Season after season, the show unleashes a slew of successes-arguably talented media darlings ready to go gold with the help of an immense built-in fan base.

But, for some reason, American Idol was probably the biggest little mistake of Bo Bice's life.

Since taking runner-up in season four, the fan favorite has yet to find post-Idol success (or a good barber). His debut album, The Real Thing, opened with strong sales, but was critically reviled and disappeared quickly from radio airplay. Lacking the established cred of his Southern rock contemporaries, Bice has spent the recent years in musical limbo, his name more synonymous with Sanjaya than Steve Earle.

On See the Light-a self-conscious departure from Bice's Idol days-he takes measured steps to reconnect with the core of the classic Southern rock from which he claims to hail. "Take The Country Out Of Me" opens with Bice invoking the names of Merle Haggard and the Charlie Daniels Band, all in hopes of reaffirming his pedigree. Though seemingly earnest, by the twentieth name drop the effort reeks of contrivance, casting doubt on the assertion that "They might take me out to L.A./But they'll never take sweet Dixieland from me."

Bice tries his hardest to harness the grit and ingenuity of his references. The single, "Witness," brandishes rollicking guitars, an organ and even one of those crazy Frampton-talking-guitar things. All these elements fail to come together into anything cohesive, as their potential is overshadowed by inane lyrics and over-polished production. Such problems prevail through See the Light, an album that walks through all the right motions but misses the heart of one of American music's most soulful genres.