Timbaland is really spreading his wings this time around and getting out of the comfy Hip-Pop / R&B niche he’s carved himself into. OneRepublic is his newest venture and the five scruffily-dressed men on the back cover of their album shouldn’t deter any consumers from checking out their new album “Dreaming Out Loud.”

Finding a gem like this is why there are still music lovers out there. It is a stretch to say that OneRepublic is a breath of fresh air because truth be told, if Timbalands name wasn’t conveniently “dropped” as the executive producer on this album, there’s a good chance that this album may not have seen the light of day. Harsh, but honest.

That being said, their album is very much appreciated. There is something so soothing about “complaint alternative music” and it is captured quite gracefully on “Stop and Stare.” It has a soothing melody about it that carries you through the entire song.

According to their Myspace page, “Stop and Stare” describes the common frustration of getting to a place in life where you think, ‘How in the world did I end up here, this isn’t where I wanted to be, watching what I wanted pass me by.’

“The lyrics have shades of melancholy, and there is a definite emotional undercurrent running through them,” said the band on their Myspace page. “If you can’t tap into emotion, you’re just selling catchy tunes.”

Often times with vocalists in an alternative group, the mere sound of their voice can be often daunting or downright annoying. Alternative vocalists tend to overdo it with the raspy screaming or even worst, whining. One Republic’s current radio hit “Apologize,” ventures into that whiney territory and that’s what initially repelled me from the song but the lead vocalist Ryan does reel it back in toward the end.

But don’t let the overexposure of apologize deter you from checking out the album. If you can get past it, you’re in for a treat especially if you’re a fan of the use of “real” instruments.

OneRepublic has the makings of a great pop / alternative band. Their incorporation of strings, vocals and percussion mixed with Timbaland’s familiar synthesized beats makes this album truly enjoyable.

Don’t expect to hear anything too upbeat on “Dreaming Out Loud.” The majority of the songs stay on the downbeat. Great driving music or dreary rainy day music and I mean that in the most positive way possible.

The criticism seen with OneRepublic is that there is nothing distinct about their sound. A good album they have, but that certainly won’t stop them from slipping into alterna-pop oblivion. Like many popular alterna-pop bands, they have a distinct sound. The Fray has Isaac Slade’s melodic vocals, Matchbox 20 has Rob Thomas’s raspy and sometimes rough alto and Maroon 5 has Adam Levine’s whiney voice – and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

If and when OneRepublic does find their sound and if it’s a marketable one at that, then they should be well on their way as long as they are not resting on their laurels or relying on a flashy producer to pull them through like so many artist do these days.

Oneika Richardson can be reached at [email protected]