'David Cook': Mission accomplished

Above: David Cook rocks the Sprint Center in August.

For David Cook, the easy part is over. He won “American Idol”; he survived the grueling “Idol” tour; and he made his inaugural record, “David Cook.” Now comes the difficult part: living up to more hype than any of the preceding “Idol” winners.

His first big-label album is officially released Tuesday, but it seems Cook and “David Cook” are already meeting high expectations.

Across his large and rabid fan base, accolades have been pouring in since an on-line streaming of the album last week. Three of those songs have already been birthed: “Light On,” the album’s first single; “Declaration,” which Cook performed on “Saturday Night Live” recently; and “The Time of My Life,” the winner of the “Idol” songwriting contest.

The 11 other songs (a secret track is embedded in Track 12) follow imilar templates. “Cook” is loaded with melodic arena-rock anthems and ballads with titanium hooks and standard modern-rock riffs. It’s music that recalls bands like Nickelback, the Rev Theory and Cook’s “Idol” alum, Chris Daughtry. Post-grunge dynamics prevail here: mid-volume verses and loud, crashing, panoramic choruses. One song is even called “A Daily AntheM” ; it was written for his older brother, Adam, a cancer patient (thus the typographic effect with the capital letters).

Some of these tracks are geared toward modern-rock radio (“A Kiss on the Neck,” “Mr. Sensitive”); others (“Heroes,” “Come Back To Me”) were written and produced with Top 40, adult-alternative and mainstream-rock radio in mind. At least one, “Bar-ba-sol,” sounds like an offering to heavy-rock/metal stations that mix their Metallica with their Nickelback -- like Kansas City’s the Rock (98.9 FM). But I’ll be surprised if they played anything off this. (Blame the “Idol” factor).

Instead, Cook and his label have made a record that will be marketed to an audience that is predominantly female and includes a lot of fans 30 and older. There is plenty for them to like, especially for anyone who’s a fan of Bon Jovi or Journey, two of Cook’s lyrical touchstones. A couple of songs are tender, confessionals – the musical equivalent of chick flicks. One of those, the orchestral “Permanent,” bears a resemblance to Journey’s “Faithfully.”

If that makes you wince, keep in mind that’s the intent here. Producer Rob Cavallo has crafted slick, dynamic, major-league album designed to hang around for a while. None of the production techniques will fall out of fashion over the next two years, which ought to be the shelf life of this record. There are at least six singles on “Cook,” not counting “The Time of My Life.” If commercial radio is part of your daily life, be prepared to start hearing these songs soon and often. When you do, remember it’s the sound of a local boy making it really big.

| Timothy Finn, The Star

Comments

[mankvill]

David Cook is pretty metal.

[Vandelay]

What's the hidden track? It doesn't seem to be part of the iTunes download.

[Bryan]

I can't think of anything redeeming about the post-grunge rock movement/music. I'm a fan of hard rock from the 70's and 80's and grunge from the 90's but, to me, post-grunge hard rock (ie: nickleback, hinder, cook, daughtry, anything on 98.9 the Rock) lacks any form of innovation or edge. The lyrics are banal and bland and the music just seems brooding to me. Gone are the happy go lucky hard rockers from the 70's...they've been replaced by overly contemplative grunge wannabees that lack the innovative sounds that were produced from '88-'94 with the pixies, soundgarden, nirvana and pearl jam. I know that this is a hasty generalization but I do think that the scene overall sounds way too similiar to be taken seriously. Enlighten me on the strengths of this music please.

[Tim Finn]

It's pop music, crafted and polished for the mainstream. Nothing more or less. No different from pop-punk, alt-country, neo-garage rock, hair metal, Brit pop -- a lot of that sounds real similar, too.

"Not everything needs to be rocket surgery." -- me.

[Bryan]

Surely...I'm a fan of everyone from Herman & the Hermits to Dream to Nelly Furtado to Aerosmith (to an extent). Pop music is great. But those artists and the artists who currently exist in pop-punk, alt-country, and neo-garage rock all steal the best of their predecessors while post grunge seems to steal the worst. Epic choruses without anything new to say, generic riffs, vocal phrases that you've heard over and over again. When was the last time (if ever) a song came out in the post-grunge/hard rock scene that you could honestly say "changed the genre"? I could think of many from the past 5 years from the other genres you mentioned. Songs that breathed new life into otherwise stale scenes.

[Bryan]

I'm not trying to dump on Cook here...he could have much more up his sleeve.

[Tim Finn]

But you're right. There's no change or evolution because there's nothing left to change. They're using a safe and almost fail-proof formula here. It works because it attracts fans of maisntream rock and pop -- like Daughtry fans. So they'll play it on Mix 93 and some modern-rock and adult-alt formats.

The best thing I can say about it is some of the songwriting is OK to good; then they lather on all the guitars and vocals. But that's the point. It'd be worse of these guys tried to re-create Soundgarden or PJ or Nirvana. Instead, they aim lower, for Bush, who put out some lightweight stuff I still can enjoy.

He may have something up his sleeve, but I think his handlers are going to be calling shots for a while.

[what up]

Ok, i try to do my best to ignore this garbage, but COME ON!!!..I cant hold back anymore.

Tim said...

"but I think his handlers are going to be calling shots for a while."

ya think?? really?....do you suppose he is OWNED by A.I.?..in shackles? .... uh .. DUH!!

This crap is NOT real music. It IS NOT news. It is NOT worthy of discussion.

It is the epitome of manufactured BS. I can not believe you are giving it crendence.

If it was up to A.I. we WOULD NOT have Bob Dylan or Joni Mitchell, Tom Petty, Neil Young or a lot of REAL music.

I have NEVER watched the show, and I am repulsed when the "NEWS" media talks about it..

The centralized ownership of ALL media is behind this garbage, and they want to blame downloading for bad music sales.

come on...please stop.

[what up]

PS
as I watch the morning news....

"dancing with the stars" is also NOT NEWS, yet, this morning, the "news" is reporting some,,, somebody, is off..I have never watched it either, and I hope it does not get reported here.

keepitreal..anditwillpay.

[Tim Finn]

So, what up, are you saying if there were no D. Cooks or Carrie Underwoods or Rihannas or Justin Timberlakes or Taylor Swifts, music fans would be buying, and Top 40 radio would be playing, Dylan, Tool, Joni Mitchell, Radiohead, Wilco ... instead?

It is real music. Real humans write it, peform it and produce it. But it's mainstream pop music. Lots of people like it; just as many hate it. Just like mainstream movies, TV and everything else.

[what up]

in the late 1990 when laws changed, and the limits were dropped on how many radio staions one company could own, the market was seized, and there was like a coup.

I detest the concept of a show where 4 aholes on a panel, decide what sounds good. They would NEVER allow a Dylan or Petty to win that stupid show.

The music busines wants an artist that sells 3 million copies instantly, and that is the plan of your show, A.I.

That is the plan of of an industry which used to be more organic, and less packaged.

The result is crappy music, and low music sales. If an artist gets crosswise with Clearchannel ,they are finished..no matter the quality of music...Neil Young has this issue right now.

The issue is; too few humans deciidng on what sounds good...and if they are wrong...well we see the results.

Tim, is anyone paying you/KCstar to promote the A.I. monkeys like cook?

btw-He is an embarrasment, it is common fact that "milfs for cook" calling the show, won the contest for him. wtf??

I do my best to ignore this ..but it is far and wide.

This bought and paid for packed industry is BS.

wait...what was the question again;)?

[onthemark]

What up: I can almost sense the veins throbbing in your forehead as you pounded your keyboard!

With that being said, you make several valid points that I agree with.

The thing is, don't get too wrapped up in your dislike for a particular band/artist/genre. The beauty of music is, somewhere that song/artist/band speaks to someone on a level deep within and gives them meaning. And if that is the case, who are we to bag on them for their perceived shortcomings as a music lover? To each their own, right?

My advice: Continue to 'do your best to ignore' that with which you disagree. Your mental and physical health may depend on it...

[pete]

what up-- You're beating your head against a wall for nothing. Let them have mainstream radio. The concept of what "should make it" and what shouldn't is a construct that no longer applies.

The major labels are just sputtering and heaving for their last breath here. American Idol is their last great hope.

Be a little more creative and find your music from some of the MILLIONS of sources of indie/self-produced/small label bands and stop worrying about what 98.9 is playing. It is no longer relevant. There is a menu of music out there that is more diverse and more available than ever before. Go out there and find it.

Personally, I think it's fun watching these major label behemoth's try to keep their death grip onto the few newer profitable acts they still have.

Meanwhile, the radioheads and NINs of the world are waking up and realizing that they no longer need these companies to make them available to the general population. All you need is music, a website and some creativity and you can get your music out to the entire world.

[Tim Finn]

And you're ignoring the fact that a lot of the "Idols" have failed commercially because the public decided they weren't any good. So success isn't automatic. Sometimes the market decides. (And BTW: Viewers pick the winners, not the judges.) And if it weren't "Idol" producing the kind of artists that send music elitists into fits of apoplexy, it would be a marketing firm or movie or TV show ... It has been going on forever. My advice: Ignore what you loathe. Spend the energy promoting stuff you really like.

[what up]

i did start by saying i dont even comment on what i loathe,,but this name kept popping up,,so i mentioned it for that reason only.,,,,make it stop....please..paula abdul is NOT NEWS!!!

and A.I . is not kewl,
the music industry has bad karma..and so does clear channel for the MONOPOLY.
They control the radio AND the concert venues??..then you consider ticketbastard and it is rigged top to bottom,,and that is not kewl.

and the result is revolution...and that is what they deseve..

just like the auto makers...

they deserve what they get. after using tariffs as a means of compteing against foreign car companies,, instead of making a better car, now they are reaping what they deserve.

the campanies who force fed the stupid public gas guzzling hummers, SUVs and trucks....well...anyway...
the vein in my head is now busted open and gushing over my keyboard...it is covered with ahhhhhh .... make it stop;) have a great day...

and keep the REAL music tips coming,,i.e. tonight's show at Davies...

I put the over/under start time at 9:15 :)

PS
is it beerthirty yet?

[Tim Finn]

9:15 is probably close. But really, this is no nearly-midnight band. It won't be 11 p.m. But Davey's won't pick up the bloody blower.

And my only beer rule is: after Noon (where I am).

[what up just can't get down]

what up, for the umpteenth time, as a regular reader of back to rockville, i find you belly-achin' about some BS again.

listen to everyone - and just let it go! don't put any more energy into the things you despise - what's the point?

and if you're complaining about the "news" thing, that's a stale subject. tim's not responsible for the headlines on kansascity.com, nor do these BLOG ENTRIES get placed there as a sign of what the kc star decides is "news." any recently posted items typically fall under the (breaking) 'news' headlines and then they're dispersed to their proper areas on the site afterwards.

Poop.

[Tim Finn]

He/she's right. "Breaking" in this case means "fresh," not necessarily "important" or "alarming."

[Emily]

I'm enjoying all your ranting while I sit here and listen to Nickelback.

[what up]

LOL..... at least I use my name consistantly ... but we do know the grumpy who wrote that ... he has a private agenda ... does not believe in free speech .. is a douche ... and may not realize the IP is NOT anon ... hehhehe ... people are funny.

PS
Emily ... may I say ,,, that you look particularlly lovely today ... beautiful, as usual:) ... see ya'll at Davies in half an hour ... except for grumpyboy..I am sure he will huddled over his computer, in his mom's basement.

[smartman]

What Up for PRESIDENT! Next...I am a little mifffed that during the congressional hearings on the auto bailout no one asked the CEO of Ford about how much they spend on the AI sponsorship and if Ford has any credible data to show how many vehicle purchases have been influenced by AI. The curse of AI is that it takes young people from relative obscurity, plops them into pseudo celebrity status and for most back in obscurity again. That's a lot to handle mentally and emotionally for anyone.

[hmm.]

this is just hilarious. folks arguing over stupid crap. and others thinking that they know everything. we're all idiots.

[onthemark]

6 Truths of Life

1. You cannot touch all your top teeth with your tongue.

2. All idiots, after reading the first truth, will try it.

3. And discover that The first truth is a lie.

4. You're smiling now because you're an idiot.

5. You soon will forward this to another idiot.

6. There's still a stupid smile on your face.


I apologize about this. I'm an idiot and I needed company...

[what up]

LMAO!!!!!
frickin hilarious!!!
I waited to come back to read thread, it is always interesting..and this was relly funy!!!! hehehehehe
oh what a beautiful world.

PS
At least,,, one congressman did ask one car comapny exec, (sic) would he "please explain how they can justify flying into DC in private jets asking for bailout money", then joking they should consdier downgrading to first class".
PPS
You all rock.....and on a board called back to rockville....kewl:)

[Tim Finn]

God bless Detroit. Please.