He made his claim to fame when joining the emo-rock group Evanescence before starting his own band, Trading Yesterday, but singer-songwriter David Hodges has spent the last several years writing music for other bands. Hodges has penned songs for the likes of American Idol’s Kelly Clarkson and David Cook, three-time Teen Choice Awards winner David Archuleta and rock band Dashboard Confessional, but now Hodges is once again out in front slamming keys and belting out vocals.

Hodges’ new EP, “The Rising,” is comprised of four well-laid-out tracks that feature great key-hitting melodies from this Grammy award-winning songwriter. Listening to the vocals from the EP’s “Hard to Believe,” it isn’t hard to believe that Hodges was kept around to help further the careers of American Idol franchise pop stars.

You will recognize a little Clarkson in this track, or rather; you will hear a little Hodges the next time you listen to Kelly Clarkson.

Warner Bros. subsidiary, Reprise Records—the label responsible for albums by acts like Against Me!, Arctic Monkeys, Deftones, Green Day and Muse, to name a few—signed Hodges with the help of American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi (who is also a Warner Bros. Records senior vice president).

With a team like that in his corner Hodges’ EP seems sure to become a commercial success.

The first song, “The Rising,” is a piano and distorted guitar instrumental that will take you back to Hodges’ days in Evanescence. It’s a bit darker and harder hitting than the rest of the tracks.

Put “The Rising” on your “make out” playlist, but have a backup. This easy-listening, laid-back EP is only four tracks long.