So, in comes another submission for my attempt to review everything.

This was the first request I got to review something, so I’ll be nice and not pick apart the spelling errors in the e-mail I received.

Singer/songwriter Sam Driessen certainly isn’t something I expected to like, and to be honest, I doubt I’ll ever listen to this recording ever again. That really might not be a bad thing, given my reputation among my peers as “that guy who hates everything that isn’t 1980s punk rock.”

However, this guy must have just walked out of an “American Idol” audition. The recording itself is immaculate and glossy. The vocals are booming, and the guitar work is impressive for a singer/songwriter.

Just like the cover of the album (a pensive, guitar-wielding Driessen, presumably), the songs slip in and out of clichés. I felt like I was listening to something tailor-made for FM radio, which is the reason that I can’t find fault in it.

Driessen doesn’t appear to have any ambitions for success or failure, he seems to just be that troubadour who plays whenever he can, wherever he can, for the love of music. In that sense, this album is a success. However, the songs aren’t necessarily “my bag.”

There is a bit of a twang in these songs that makes them different from standard “top 40” pop fare, but other than that, Driessen obviously feels comfortable by not re-inventing the wheel and just playing guitar and singing. I didn’t feel preached at, which is always a good thing, and half the proceeds go to the Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

That, in my mind, was the coolest thing about this entire project.

If the ears that belong to the eyes that are reading this like Daughtry, or anything in the same vein, this album is more than worth the $8. It is a professional, big, intricate album from one guy, which is a compliment enough in itself. I would suggest checking this record out, as buying it supports a good cause and there is a good chance you’ll like it if you think my opinions are frivolous and shallow (which I would probably agree with).

I’ll give this record 2 stars out of 5. However, if you like singer/songwriters with strong pop sensibilities, check this out and tell me I’m an idiot when you love it.