Awake and Sing

Chad Doreck has a list of musical influences on his MySpace page. Among them are Prince and Michael Jackson. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Prince should be pleased with the opening number on Doreck's album, Awake and Sing. This first track, called "Good Girls Gone Bad," has Doreck singing in high-pitched vocals that are reminiscent of Prince. Jackson's influence can also be heard on the second song, "Gonna Getcha," where the scatting near the end might recall the last part of the King of Pop's "Remember the Time." The fifth track, "Open My Eyes," makes you feel like you've gone back in time to the '70s with its groove and soft "oohs" in the background. The sixth number, "California Girl," may be nearly identical in name to a certain Beach Boys song title, but Doreck uses female backup singers and makes the song's style much more funky and soulful. The seventh and final number, "Gettin' Some," almost sounds like something out of a musical, both for its chorus of many singers and because it includes spoken dialogue in the middle of the song.