Yamin, an American Idol finalist, collaborated with Sony/ATV Music Publishing to write, produce, and market the record.

To promote the record, Yamin went on a world tour across North America and Southeast Asia that consisted of clubs, small theatres and radio-station holiday shows.

[5] Daniel Wolfe of About.com praised both the genre variety on the record's track list and Yamin's vocal talents over them, saying that, "Whether it is his transcendent vocal on the choir-backed "Free" or his show-stopping cover of Leon Russell's "A Song for You," Elliott Yamin proves on his debut album that he is one of the most talented recording artists American Idol has produced.

"[6] In a dual review with Paris Bennett's Princess P, Vibe writer Sean Fennessey noted how Yamin maintains his vocal identity when performing traditional tracks and the album's more "vibrant and modern" material.

[8] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine was mixed about the album, noting how the tracks can be hit or miss at times with either misplaced styles or manufactured production but gave praise to Yamin's performance for having enough personality to sell the lyrics, saying that "He still sounds effortless and charming, which is why it's a shame he doesn't have the support he would have had if had won Idol: he would have had the biggest budget and the best collaborators, something that would help him make a record as distinctive as he is.

"[7] Elysa Gardner of USA Today found the album to be a typical Idol release with adequate but generic tracks that are competently performed by Yamin's technically sound delivery, saying that "To his credit, he apes Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway as adroitly as Taylor Hicks does Michael McDonald.