This Loud Morning

I'm also known as "magicalbeck". :)Greetings to any readers who happen on this. I need to preface my review with this information: I have two and a half decades of experience as a singer, pianist, classical musician, rock musician, vocal coach, musical director/arranger/writer, and as a soprano lead actress in musical theater. (not all at the same time!) I don't give you my resume because I hold myself or my opinion in higher esteem than any music lover. We are all in this together, searching for art that moves us. I just wanted to let you know that my review is from that perspective, to perhaps shine a slightly different light on Cook's most unusual gift. (I review the songs so skip down to them if you like. I realize this is long!)David is a tenor, but possessor of a stunning instrument that is actually rather rare in rock/pop music. In my opinion he is a dramatic tenor which is a very large voice with a great deal of ring and resonance, that can be pushed to dramatic climaxes more easily than the usual light leggiero voices or warm, bright lyric tenors. Cook's voice has a very dark, rich, beautiful color compared to other tenors. Yet unlike some dramatic tenors, it doesn't sound forced or wobbly; in fact the vibrato is spinning and perfectly free, even while he often adds the rasp. There is nobody I have ever heard do this better. He basically sings perfectly clearly, and raspy, simultaneously! Who does this?!! I know of no one.If you are musically inclined to records you can pontificate or enjoy small talk over while they are playing in the background, this is perhaps not the one for you. Season 7's Idol champ absolutely cries out for your undivided attention. He told us he was versatile vocally in his first televised audition, and he meant it. Cook trips lightly from a beautiful and more certain lower register into that dark and velvety, firm middle voice upwards to the full-throated tenor glory notes, and at times into a gorgeous falsetto, all seamlessly.It is often unabashedly bombastic, but for me, when an artist with this much talent is that passionate about what they are saying, I find them hard to ignore! And trust me, if any of us had a voice this resonant and powerful, we'd use it accordingly.There are tender moments throughout, but this is a big record from a guy with a big message and a big Voice. He's a very declaratory artist. (But town criers ought to be declaring things! hehee) Turn it up!This Loud Morning is a complex, multi-layered endeavor replete with beautiful details, from lush orchestration, vocal and instrumental countermelodies and musical tie-ins, to dashes of exotic, unusual instruments such as theremin, glockenspiel, and children's chorus, thanks to Matt Serletic's masterful strokes. It must be listened to several times before any fair judgment can be made. (Actually, every artist deserves this courtesy but few receive it, sadly.) The musicians are highly skilled including Serletic himself who leaves no stone unturned in his production. I call him the George Martin (legendary Beatles producer) of today. This was an incredible artist/producer marriage and I hope he and Cook work together again. David's band-mates Neal "the doctor" Tiemann and Andy Skib are standouts, as well as the ever energetic young drummer, Kyle Peek, who is an incredible musician. Tiemann's work is beautiful, tasteful and quite intricate. Cook's bass player Monty Anderson adds a clear and melodic bass line, a firm foundation that I found easy to follow.There is a theme of loss on TLM, and of a need to escape from that loss, but there is no lack of hope and no dirge. In fact, a majority of the songs find me air-conducting wildly, infused with energy! Most who know of David Cook, also know that he lost his brother and won a huge, life changing singing competition within about a year of each other: from the highest of highs, to the lowest of lows. This record reflects that as David bares his heart and soul, yet never really mentions the death per se. It is more in the context of lost love but one can't help but think that the profound loss of a brother had to find its way here. The result is an incredibly personal and at times heart-wrenching experience. But ever hopeful. And always powerful.Which leads me to the songs. The opening track is an absolute show/heart stopper called(1) Circadian, which grabs your attention immediately with glockenspiel and toy piano, of all things, and an undeniable energy, a cog turning, the sense of a beginning of a musical journey, yet a crisis. A perfect opener. I love the cries for help. Who cannot relate to the chorus "mayday, somebody save me!"?? This song makes me weep at times it is so powerful. I felt like falling to the floor the first time I heard it played really loudly. It is one of the best songs I have heard in a very long time, about the escape into sleep which is his only respite from the pain and difficulty of this world. Again, who cannot relate to that? It sets up the rest of the record. It is so raw, so haunting, especially with the children's choir innocently echoing his fervent callout, "mayday somebody save me" at the end. Just incredible. Their sweet voices are dreamlike.(2) Right Here, With You is a joyous, affirming love song. Very alive. (It could even be a wedding song for the right couple.) He could be dreaming of better days when he and his love were happily together. It makes my top five list, but that took hearing it a few times. It has a stunning bridge where David soars higher and higher into falsetto then Neil's solo takes off on the same note. The whole thing brings to my mind an image of a beautiful, clear brook in Colorado dancing along happily over pebbles. or something like that. !!!(3) We Believe is a glorious anthem that should be utilized by my favorite hockey team. (hmmm..who to contact in the Ducks' organization..but I digress!) There are spots where I could imagine Steve Perry singing this in his glory days. It's no surprise that I mention him because I believe that Cook is the best rock tenor since Perry. They both sing with every fiber of their being but David has an edge, actually, because of the freedom, dark tone, and the lower/middle voice. Their high notes are equally glorious but different. We Believe makes me want to believe. Another great bridge at work here, with a strange instrument, the theremin, bringing a latter 60s Beatles sound. The lyrics are hopeful, the melody uplifting but there is an undercurrent of pain that birthed them.(4) Fade Into Me is a lilting love song about the oneness that can only exist in a love relationship. It's in 6/8 time, or waltz time so it gives it a soft feel, and a respite from the huge choruses although David holds nothing back. He sings it beautifully; he soars. At the end there is an interesting countermelody that seems to be a musical reference but I am not certain yet whether it is from another song or just a nice synth string melody. But I have a feeling it is a motif of some sort since Serletic does this quite often. This is where his classical background makes all the difference. (He is brilliant, as is Cook, obviously.)(5) Hard To Believe is one of the best songs on the record, a virtual masterpiece. It starts like a simple little ditty, almost nursery-rhyme-like, then just builds and builds to a breathtaking climax of overlapping countermelodies that are goose bump worthy every time. It is perfect from beginning to end; stunning. The lyrics belie the simple tune at the beginning, for they touch deeply on a loved one losing faith, and present the singer in first person as the supporter. "I'm right here, I'm right here..." It's powerful. She, alas, is unsure. He holds a crazy high Bb. Also in my top five best.(6) Take Me As I Am seemed too simplistic and repetitive to me at first, lyrically. But I think I get it now. It's another universal theme that everybody can relate to. Who on this earth doesn't want to be loved "as is??" He belts desperately "take me as I am, take me as I am." He repeats it almost like it's a chant. (But not for monks.) It's in a "fat" key, Eb major, which adds to the weight of his plea, which is basically let's try one more time to make this thing work.(7) in Time Marches On he is trying to come to terms with the loss of the relationship. It is ambiguous in its message: "it was the last thing I needed, all I needed." I love the chord changes and use of dissonance (flat 6) in the bass line. Very cool changes. "Time marches on without you" could apply to a lost love or also someone lost due to death. It is a heavy message, but the song, again, is not a dirge. The signature distorted guitar chords strummed evenly on the divided beats keep it rocking on. Or marching on, as it were.(8) the first single, The Last Goodbye, is another ambiguous track because the melody is upbeat yet the lyrics are about goodbye which is never easy. I have called it crisp and concise and a friend (hi Pandora) likened it to opening a bottle of champagne. It's fizzy! It is radio ready! It's exactly 3 minutes long! But seriously, it is an excellent song. I love the dichotomy. At this point he is doing better about the breakup. The song is in D major, a bright and cheery key, and although it is the last goodbye, he is kind of okay with letting her go.(9) in Paper Heart his (our) emotions have arisen again. Grief comes in waves. I love the use of syncopation here (accents on the upbeat or weak beat rather than the downbeat), because it is slightly unsettling and matches the lyrics. It's another catchy earworm like The Last Goodbye, but more pain sneaks out. It's more vulnerable. I also love the image of a paper heart in the rain and how fragile that is.(10) 4 Letter Word seems to be about holding on, with a touch of denial and even anger. In the grieving evolution that I perceive, the storyteller is trying to not let it get away...I think he knows it is inevitable, but he tries anyway. Musically it is not a favorite for me, but certainly has outstanding singing, another strong bridge and lush backing vocals at the end which are noteworthy.(11) It is time to say Goodbye To The Girl, but it isn't easy. The melody has a stunning arc and David sings it sans rasp. It is as clear as a bell and breathtaking. I wish we heard this a little more often because it is such a pure sound. The poetic lyrics have a beautiful ring to them, and in David's voice it doesn't get much better than this. In my top three.(12) Rapid Eye Movement. Wow. This is no lightweight record and it isn't going to end that way either. He seems to be trying to get back to sleep yet "the blinding lights of day" are hovering. "This loud morning" is calling. He is fighting it. We're fighting it. But even in dreams that person we lost is there. For me personally sleep isn't always an escape because of dreams. Regrets. Losses. Musically this is another stunning piece and he bares it all. The piano break is played to perfection by only one who has studied Mozart. (Matt S.. again, the classical training infused into a rock record. win-win.) The song ends wistfully and dreamlike with the Circadian motif "mayday, somebody save me now" sung again by the children. Absolute perfection. This. Loud. Morning. can. not. be. ignored.There are two bonus tracks on the deluxe version which I highly recommend. (13)This Is Not The Last Time is where hope springs eternal, even in the daylight. This bright track shows off a likable key change and David holding a gorgeous, fat tenor high C. He goes up to the D as well(!) briefly. What a treat! (14) Let Me Fall For You is one that I might have chosen for the main CD, it is so good. It keeps growing on you like a good pair of jeans. David sings over David in a cool, distorted countermelody and we are left totally uplifted.TLM is a significant and catenated work, and also very "alive". Cook has graduated into the potential artist many saw in 2008 and before. Please give this a record a chance as you will not be sorry! It doesn't need to necessarily reinvent the wheel; it is enough to just do it way better than most. (observe Mozart, my friends!)Thank you for reading my long review, dear reader!Oh and what ARE my top five? Circadian, Hard To Believe, Goodbye To The Girl, REM, and Right Here, With You. *subject to change* :)4 Letter Word might be in there next week! ;D It's already grown on me since I wrote this!

David bowled me over on Idol. His first CD, was very enjoyable, but i did not end up playing it a lot past the initial three months or so of ownership. Probably due to the fact that his "Analog Heart" had spoiled me and I could see nothing he ever recorded taking it's place. In a review of that album I said it had entered my personal TOP TEN of my lifetime and it still ranks there to this day. But it has been knocked down a notch. You would think this feat would be accomplished by another artist, but you would be incorrect. David Cook knocked his own "Analog Heart" down a notch with this album "This Loud Morning". From the first listen on AOL before its release i was entranced. It simply is the best album a fan could wish for. I own the deluxe version and i really have to be honest and state that the two bonus tracks really deserve the title BONUS!!! I have not played any CD as often as this one. In my opinion it is HOT HOT HOT! I find the songs passing through my mind during the day and every morning i seem to wake up with one to take to the shower with me. The compositions, his voice, the band the lyrics and the nooks and crannies are mesmerizing to me. The first single "The Last Goodbye" does seem out of place as others have stated but still is a very good song. The weakest in my opinion is "Time Marches On" but it is not weak at all. Every other single track on the album is a blessing to me. I really like them all so much. In my opinion, David could not have recorded a better album if he'd spent a lifetime on it. We should never judge albums on one or two listens. Lucky for me, on this one, I did not have to listen more than once to enjoy this. No disappointment in the initial listen at all. Can I list my favorite tracks in order? No. Can I tell you the standouts for me? Yes, I can. Every single song to be honest. If "We Believe" is not adopted by sports teams across the country this year they are missing out on a real crowd pleaser. I am so proud of David's effort and can only encourage others to give this CD a chance. It is so rare to really, really, really enjoy a whole CD with today's offerings but Mr. Cook is giving his fans that chance. Thanks.

Le disque est en très bonne condition.

cet album est vraiment très sympa à écouter sans modération.

Great album, really shows off his talent. Would recommend to any David Cook fan, or even someone that wants to hear his work for the first time. Super-fast delivery, came in time for Christmas and packaging was all perfect.

Buen disco de principio a fin.David Cook tiene una gran voz.Por parte del vendedor todo correcto.Le tendré en cuenta para próximas compras.

Sono contento di aver scommesso su David Cook con il mio precedente acquisto di un suo album.Rispetto all'album David Cook, questo nuovo disco aumenta ancora di più qualità dell'artista, con tracce davvero stupende.Già la prima canzone "Circadian" è qualcosa di fenomenale che mi fa tremare ogni volta che la ascolto.Molto valide anche "The Last Goodbye" e "Paper Heart" ma la mia preferita è sicuramente "Goodbye to the girl" che ci porta verso la conclusione dell'album.Insomma, secondo il mio parere migliore del precedente e assolutamente consigliato.Ottimo prodotto