“This Los Angeles-based singer got a boost last month when “American Idol” used his single “Hollywood’s Not America” to bid farewell to contestants departing the show. Judging by the sound of his first full-length, though, it seems likely that Ferras (who was born in small-town Illinois before being whisked away to Jordan by his recently divorced dad) thinks America is Hollywood. “Aliens & Rainbows” is an action-packed collection of high-gloss piano-pop production numbers in which the scenery counts for just as much as the sentiment. Like Mika (a fellow Westerner with Middle Eastern roots), Ferras is rarely satisfied with just one mood or mode; the dozen tracks here juxtapose loud grunge guitars and sleek synth-rock beats, while his lyrics swirl drama-kid melancholy with brat-pack jubilation. A rollicking good time.—Mikael Wood”
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