'American Idol' champ Jordin Sparks stays sweet on debut album

Jordin Sparks is "Young And In Love" -- and "Just For The Record," she's into that "Shy Boy."

Those are some of the song titles from Sparks' self-titled debut album, which oozes the earnestness that endeared the bubbly 17-year-old to gazillions of tween girls -- and their mothers -- as she sang to victory on "American Idol."

Sparks has the wholesome appeal of a Disney Channel star -- clearly an asset, at a time when Miley Cyrus/"Hannah Montana" is selling out stadiums in no less than four minutes.

This album as a whole is tame, upbeat, free from innuendo -- something you might expect from the telegenic teen, who suggests original "Idol" Kelly Clarkson in terms of likability but lacks the Grammy winner's irresistible bravado.

The disc consists mainly of slickly produced songs about boys and feel-good empowerment tunes. A standout is "Next To You." The sugary-sweet pop song, a perfect fit for Sparks' naturally soulful voice, gets better after several listens. "Maybe we're friends/Maybe we're more/Maybe it's just my imagination/But I see you stare just a little too long and it makes me start to wonder," she croons.

-- The Associated Press