This review for the One2One Network is for the debut  CD from the Ballas Hough Band,  called BHB.  If the names Ballas and Hough sound familiar, it’s because Mark Ballas and his partner Kristi Yamaguchi were the Season 6 winners of Dancing With the Stars.  Derek Hough and his partner Brooke Burke were the winners of Season 7.

The Ballas Hough Band is:

• Mark Ballas (Lead Vocals and Guitar)
• Derek Hough (Lead Vocals and Guitar)
• Sam Marder (Bass Guitar)
• Harry Sullivan (Drums)
• Emily Grace (Keyboards, Vocals, Flute, and Saxophone)

In addition to their own originals, the album features collaborations with songwriters Dan Wilson, Kevin Kadish and Marty James on several tracks. Lead single “Do It For You” was co-written by new “American Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi, Marty James and Ari Levine, and mixed by Serban Ghenea (Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, NERD).

The number one reason why I am enjoying the Ballas Hough Band CD so much is the use of three and even four-part harmonies. I LOVE music sung in harmony, it’s why I still listen to bands like Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles. I was starting to think that there were no bands singing in harmony any more!

I had a feeling my boys, who are 12 and 10 and listen to all kinds of music, would like this CD, so I put it in while we were driving.  Within the first five notes, my 12 year old said “I like this”.  By the middle of the first song, my 10 year old said “this sounds like Maroon 5!”.   Ryan burned the CD to our network drive and they both have it on their MP3 players.  It’s pop/jazz/acoustic/funk,  very reminiscent of both Maroon 5 and Backstreet Boys.

BHB from the Ballas Hough Band is available on Amazon.com for $11.99 to purchase the CD or $9.49 to buy the download.  It is very much worth the price!