Seven years after Kimberly Caldwell's exposure on American Idol, she makes her album debut with Without Regret, a project showcasing her powerhouse set of pipes and blond bombshell persona. Judging by these tracks, the intervening years of TV appearances and modeling work haven’t dulled Caldwell’s appetite for arena rock or classic R&B. She tackles aching ballads like “Mess of You,” “When I’m Not Around” and “Heart Like Mine” with a raw-throated edge, savoring each tidbit of romantic betrayal against ‘80s-style guitar riffs and solid rhythms. “Going Going Gone” adds a dash of frantic punk, while “If You’re Gonna Fall” takes her into sweet soul territory. Pulling back from the album’s hard-charging tone, the acoustic-slanted “Human After All” (co-written by Caldwell) offers a meditation on the price of fame.