This Loud Morning

Cook confirms his star status

Far from all American Idol young talent show winners do reach the level of the nation’s idols, following the show triumph. David Cook is one of those few who, indeed, is capable of capturing the hearts of the audience, including those listeners who live far from his motherland America. Cook’s debut long player, bearing the expected eponymous title, produce as desirable effect as it should have. It managed to put an emphasis on the young artist’s strongest sides, displaying him as an equally powerful song-writer, singer and guitarist. After that release, David Cook plunged into touring keeping in mind that it would be nicer to please the public with good concerts singing good familiar songs rather than haste and drop a new record with mediocre material. In the end, Cook’s supporters had to wait for quite a while before their favorite delivered another CD to his discography. Called This Loud Morning, the American singer’s fresh work contains twelve basic tracks plus two bonus pieces, all written by Cook alone or co-written by him with other noticeable rock performers. Those who had waited for almost three years anticipating less than one hour of this music are not going to be upset now.

This Loud Morning: more lyrics than hit stuff

It is not a secret that a good album starts and closes with most memorable and different songs. This Last Morning goes straight along this tradition as it offers an amazing melodious and touching Circadian as number one, and Rapid Eye Movement at the very end, weirdly dark and depressive for David Cook’s catalogue. In between these two, there is a collection of top class songs which are not united by one story or clearly outlined concept, but subjected to a certain theme. Not a great surprise, we are talking about relationship here. Singing love tunes, sad and merry, is not a tough thing anymore to a great lot of performers; but singing them so that listeners believe it goes right from the singer’s heart is a rarest ability. David Cook seems incapable or reluctant to sound deceptive or insincere because his story makes you perceive every word uttered. The singer appears such a talented and inspired narrator that the lyrics are more essential to him than the music background. If compared to the debut, this record is evidently more ballad-oriented and less hit-based.

Cook’s vocals are the album’s main advantage

It is not a great sensation that David Cook’s second album is already a very mature work requiring full attention and comprehension. Although his official discography does not have a great range of records, his stage experience is impressive. Here comes the moment that David wants something more than making just hit music and focuses on more thoughtful and delicate material. Despite the This Loud Morning title, the singer does not attempt to get the extra power out of electric guitars and deliver one crushing chorus after another. Guitars are present here alright, but often reduced to fingering and alternated with penetrating piano passages. Episodes like that present singing as the central part of the whole performance with each intonation making the difference. Of course, vocals here matter much more than on the debut album. And we do notice David Cook’s getting better and better in this aspect. Songs like the reassuring and optimistic We Believe, or endlessly sad Goodbye To The Girl can not be performed by everybody because there are not so many who can do it physically, and not everywhere because this is not head banging rock and roll with yelling and hands up in the air. Even if This Loud Morning is not exactly what Cook’s fans expected, the quality of its music will certainly grant them moments of sheer pleasure.