Darren Criss made a huge impact during his first singing appearance as Blaine on Glee in episode 2×6, “Never Been Kissed.” As a fan of Glee, I definitely took notice of his presence, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.
The Glee version of Katy Perry’s hit “Teenage Dream,” which features Criss on lead vocals, hit number one on iTunes selling 214,000 copies during it’s first week according to Entertainment Weekly.
Criss independently released his acoustic EP Human this past summer. In five tracks, the singer-songwriter proves that he is the real deal.
Human touches on the basic emotions that we all experience throughout our lives, like love, heartbreak, and jealousy. Criss’ voice exhibits sincerity and passion in each of the songs on his EP.
One of the songs, “Not Alone,” which Criss performed live at the Trevor Project benefit earlier this month, showcases his vocal range from his larger drawn out notes to his falsetto. The chorus also happens to be quite catchy. I promise that you will be singing-a-long by the end of the song. Also, there’s a feeling of truthfulness in the lyrics, which serves almost as a reminder that we’re all capable of these emotions that make us inevitably human.
Production-wise, one can only imagine what Criss could accomplish if he had the time to record a full-length studio album with a full band. For recording the EP at home, the overall sound is pretty good. It’s nice to hear Criss’ raw vocals that are not glossed over by studio magic.
Listeners can experience soul-filled songs from a very talented Criss, who demonstrates great potential with his EP.
For more information on Darren Criss, check out his official website.
Definite Downloads: “Not Alone” and “Jealousy”
Originally posted on BlogCritics.
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