While fans of David Cookgot a musical teaser of his second CD in February 2011 with "(Don't You) Forget About Me," that song was intended primarily as the outgoing contestants' theme song for the tenth season of American Idol, which he won in season seven. The big test of what David Cook would deliver on his third release This Loud Morning came on the evening of April 18, 2011 when his website began streaming the first official single "The Last Goodbye." Did the song measure up to his previous material? Check out this review of David Cook's "The Last Goodbye" for all the details.
"Almost Beautiful"
While David Cook's first singles from his two major label CDs are both upbeat, there are not many similarities past that fact. While "Light On" from his self-titled CD was written by another artist (Chris Cornell of Soundgarden), "The Last Goodbye was co-written by David Cook and prolific singer/songwriter/producer Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic). This difference becomes very clear as you listen to David Cook's vocal delivery, which suits his vocal range much better than "Light On" did when he sang it live. David Cook's vocal gift is that his voice gives life to lyrics that makes them believable and easy to relate to, and that quality comes across as Cook sings "cause we were everything that's right at the wrong time." A singer with a crystal-clear voice would not be able to deliver a David Cook song like "The Last Goodbye" with the same power and impact that Cook conveys.
"A Broken Piece of Art Put on Display"
If there is one fault in "The Last Goodbye," it is that the lyrical content isn't as strong as David Cook is capable of bringing to a song. Lines like "we were almost beautiful" are a bit cliched, and for an artist who was described on American Idol season seven as a "word nerd," there is an expectation of greatness for the lyrics on every song released. It may be an unreasonable expectation, but it's tough to ignore okay lyrics when an artist is capable of greatness. Having said that, the song stands above most of the pop/rock fare offered up today as it describes the main character's last words and best wishes to his departing beloved.
What's the Verdict?
Overall, David Cook's third release is off to a strong start with "The Last Goodbye" as its first single. Strong vocal delivery, solid storytelling and a sing-along chorus complete with Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody"-style "whoa ohs" come together for a great song that should do big business at Adult Pop and Top 40 radio stations across the country. Only a major catastrophe would keep David Cook's second post-Idol release from being a hit.
"The Last Goodbye" was released on April 19, 2011 as the first single preceding his third CD This Loud Morning.