If the opening track sets the tone for the rest of the album and tells everything you need to know about Kimberly Caldwell and her debut album Without Regret, I feel that “Desperate Girls & Stupid Boys” is a bad choice and poor introduction of this former American Idol finalist. The lyrics of this opener are immature, girly and shallow, and the song does not utilize Caldwell’s expressive and mature voice.
 
Fortunately, when going deeper into the album, listeners can find a bit more meaningful lyrics. The music styles include pop-rock songs, danceable up-tempo numbers, and ballads. However, neither her voice nor the tunes that she sings are really distinguishable.  Most of the melodies as well as her themes/messages are quite similar to something that could have been sung and already been released by many Billboard Top 100 female artists. “Naked” reminds me so much of Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway” that each time I listen to the song, it causes me to hum “Breakaway” midway through “Naked”. Another example is “Mess of You”, which has a lighter pop/rock feel, and it is something that P!nk would probably be able to nail better.
 
There is no doubt in my mind that Caldwell can sing, and she can probably sing all kinds of pop genres. She is quite a looker too. The album has a good balance of ballads and upbeat poppers. In the past I had the opportunity (or shall I say some unfortunate pleasure) to review a few albums that belong to former American Idol runner-ups, and her work is definitely not the worst, not at all. While there are some ingredients in this album that might appeal to some young pop music fans, Without Regret is a risk-free album. I feel that Caldwell could have ventured a little further, with more challenging sounds and lyrics that she can relate to. In summary, this album feels generic, and it does not bring fresh sound to today’s market.