Modern rock
American Idol winner David Cook returns with his sophomore effort, “This Loud Morning”. The young singer/songwriter has experienced some unfortunate events amidst his raise to fame, the most tragic being the loss of his older brother to brain cancer in 2009. Like most artists, Cook incorporates his personal experiences into his art and the result in a deep and dark record, more reflective than most others out there at the moment.
While the lyrics and Cook’s vocals have never sounded more inspired, the music by and large doesn’t match this quality. The tunes rarely get out of second gear despite a lot of bombast and flare. In my opinion, these songs are way overproduced, and the tendency to throw everything into them including the kitchen sink distracts listeners from the heart of the song. The songs are generally cumbersome and slow, and the orchestration is just too over the top (the overzealous strings ruin “Fade Into Me”). Cook does sound terrific, rivaling the powerhouse vocals of Harry Hess (Harem Scarem), and he has some amazing moments scattered among these tunes, but they're just too much of a chore to get to. In short, the record is too ambitious for its own good and it sounds strained because everyone seems to be trying too hard.
Devoid of instantly irresistible hooks, the record takes several spins before they start to grab you. Songs that do this sooner rather than later include “Right Here, With You”, “We Believe”, “Hard To Believe”, and “Time Marches On”. A couple notable guests appear on this record, including contributions from Johnny Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls) and AOR master Marti Frederiksen. This record will appeal to fans of Alter Bridge, Big Wreck, and Switchfoot. It’s loud alright, but there is more mourning in this record than morning.
iPOD-worthy: 2, 3, 5, 7
David Cook – Official site
Check out the video for “The Last Goodbye”
